Evening journal., 1902-12-01
BILLIARD TABLE
IN WEST POINT
Struggled In and Enjoyed
Long Before Its Discovery
by the Officers


Tnere are many traditions and sto-
rles of escapades at the Military acade-
my at West Point that are handed
down from class TO class. and one Of
the most interesting OF these is that re-
lating TO the billiard table. shortly
after the civil war the cadets, always
on the alert for some new scheme for
amusement decided that they would
like TO have a billiard table and ac-
cordingly organized a billiard club A
collection was taken up with which to
purchase q table, and a suitable place
was sought in which to set it up. Until
the present steam heating apparatus
was installed in the cadet barracks,
about 80 years or more ago, the heat
ing was by means of furnaces. The
basement of the sixth division Of the
barracks was used for coal bins, the
bins being SO arranged that there was
a large one near the center Of the
building, which could only be reached
by passing through one Of the others.
After considering all available places
this coal bin was finally selected as be-
ing the place least liable to detection,
for il must be remembered the table
was unauthorized.
The table was bought IN New York
and sent TO Garrisons, across the river,
for there was no West Shore railroad
in those days. One cold winter night
1t was hauled by team Of oxen across
the river on the ice and up the hill and
was snleiT slowed away in the coal bin
before morning. The table was soon
set up and became a source of great
enjoyment TO the cadets A keg of
beer was always kept on tap and
lamps were hung from the ceiling, Civ
ing the room CHEEKY appearance.
The members Of the club used to gath
er there at all hours of the day and
night, when their presence was not re-
Quired elsewhere by their duties, and
sit around smoking, drinking and tell
ing stories while two of them played
billiards.
The authorities soon became aware
that there was a billiard table some
where in the barracks, for they could
hear the balls clicking together, but
they could not find it. The cadets con-
tinued to enjoy the privileges of the
billiard club for more than a year.
Finally one night soon after mid
night, as two officers were returning
from a convivial evening at the mess,
they saw two cadets. clad in their un-
derclothing and dressing gowns
emerge from the north sallyport and
disappear down the steps to the area
way in front Of the barracks. Instant
ly the thought of the billiard table
flashed through the minds Of the two
officers, and they started quietly after
the cadets. On reaching the basement
doorway Of the sixth division the two
cadets entered, and the officers, arriv-
ing a moment later. saw them climb
over pile of coal and enter an open
door, through which came sounds Of
laughter and conversation and the
clicking of balls, while the air was Ia
den with fragrant tobacco smoke.
The officers paused for a moment
and held n whispered consultation.
Finally deciding that they would tell
the other officers of their discovery and
have all of them come down the fol-
lowing night and enjoy the fun Of
raid on the club. they withdrew and
went home. Next day all the officers
at the post were informed Of the dis
coyery, and it was arranged that the
raid should occur at midnight.
All might have gone well, and the
officers might have had their little fun,
had 1t not been that there were three
cadets the previous night instead of
two. The third had forgotten his pipe
and had gone back for it, while the
other two went on and were discover
ed by the officers. The third, coming
along n moment later, saw the officers
and quietly followed them, observing
all their movements and listening to
their whispered conversation.
When they withdrew, he went In and
told the members of the club all he had
heard and seen. The cadets at once
realized that it was all up with the
club, but they determined to have a
laugh at the expense OF the officers.
Accordingly all arrangements were
made before the club adjourned that
night
The next night the officers met as ar
ranged and crept stealthily down the
areaway and into the sixth division.
Hearing no sound OF clicking balls,
some became skeptical and concluded
the whole thing was hoax, but never
theless they pushed on and climbed
over the pile Of coal Opening the
door they were greeted with a glow Of
light, but still no sound. On entering
they found the room deserted. but
there were the billiard table, an almost
untouched keg of beer. several pounds
of tobacco, some chairs and lastly a
note on the table, addressed to the Off
GERS on duty at West Point. The note
was TO the effect that as the officers Of
the post had been so kind as TO permit
the club to continue its existence for
more than q year it desired to present
TO them the oficers) the table and all
its appurtenances, as il was deemed
eypedlent to wind up the clubs affairs.
The note was signed "The Executive
Committee"