The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-14
BOYS
DID NOT SIGN.
Board Makes It Plain That
All Must Apollo
Sgizc.
GENERAL Ships LETTER
LARGE Crowd Assemblies On Pa
fade Grounds to Hear
Decision.
(specIal 10 Tne TImes-D Dispatch,

| b Ri r
fspeclal to Tne TInes-Dlspatch.)
LEXINGTON, VA November 13,--A
Ia rpes crowd OF eager spectators gathered
at the Virginia Military Institute this af
ternoon Mt dress parade to hear read the
result Of the Investigation Of the Board
OF Visitors, with reference to the offend.
ing third class, which Is given ten days
In which to express regrets. Just what
< Will br the iinal outcome cannot be stated
,rl1e class had Il meeting tonight to con-
slider what course they Will pursue, but
they will not disclose their plans.
Fourteen or fifteen of the class. tho
state cadets. presented Individual re-
quests TO the Board Of Visitors to with
draw their action III signing the paper
sent TO the superintendent, threatening
to leave the schoo unless better food
was promised them The board accepted
their papers, and they are no longer II fac
tor In the disturbance. Permission was
given them to take this stand lby the
other members OF the class. who realized
that the Stnte cadets, as beneflcnries OF
the state, had no rlghtto complain OF the
food.
Bound By Oath.
There arc some twenty odd cadets who
IRE bound by some Kind Of secret oath
to each other which they think prevents
them from signing the paper expressing
regrets or their mntinous conduct. The
incidents leading TO the present situa-
ton are: Late Saturday night just be-.
fore the board adjourned, committee
from the third class appeared before the
board and presented n paper with siStf
or seventy signatures which they desired
to be received ms expressing their viii
lIngncss to withdraw their action cx-
pressed in the offensive paper OF Nore'n-
her I'd. The committee stated to the
board that n certain flumbcr Of their
classmates we're bound by secret oath
OF some sort which prevented them from
signing the paper. although they en-
dorscd It's aentiments and would Wiling
" sign 1t II they were free to do So
The board gave the committee TO under
stand that the signatures Of their class
mates could not extend the provisions
OF the papers to those refusing to sign.
The committee then asked to withdraw
the paper. which permission was given
es L In no way affected the standing
OF the class since they were given ten
days In which to sign or refuse. Each
man must sign for himself
General Ships Letter.
Following Is the letter sent by Genenalt
shipp to parents or guardians OF the boys
"A OF the third class
..As soon as the record OF testimony
taken BY the Board OF Visitors Mt It's
meeting. November 9thsto 18th. INCLUSIVE
bearing upon food conditions a ca diets,
mess, can be printed, a copy VIII ne Sent
5tyotI some weeks hence. Your son tors
ward), a member OF the third class. TO-
7 geti,cr with the greater part OF the class
IS in an altitude OF 5insubordinallon no,
assumed BY members OF the other three
ella sses. The Board OF Visitors require
that all members Of the third class who
signed the paper which constitutes the
nets OF characterization. In violation OF
section Il 90 OF the regulations, which sec
ton is herein below quoted shall sign
paper about to this effect:
November IL 305.
"ro tho Hon orablc Board OF Visitors OF
the Virginia Military Institute:
The Undersigned members OF the third
class desire TO respectfully assure you
that we regret our hasty and 1ll-adyised
action In signing our names to the paper
dated November 2, 1906. addressed to the
Post Adtnlant.' in which We threa tened
10 resign ina body if our demand therein
made was not complied with by n date
named, and we desire to have It cons
sidered that our names are Withdrawn
from the paper and the paper Withdrawn
as faras possible.
Respectfully,
The great majority of the class have
signed such paper, but some fifteen or
more Ito be unknown) refuse Ito sign.
saying they approve Of the paper. and
are unwilling to sign. but are restrained
by some oath not to sign. Those who
fhaye signed, will not agree to be bound
by their signatures unless the fifteen or
more, who say they are bound by some
Kind OF oath, are put upon same footing
with those who have signed. This con-
dition the board of visitors have refused
- 1Vxyav xrn
effort has been made and is being made
10 bring your son to a proper sense of
obligation and duty, The attitude of the
f,eteen or more above referred to Is
scnseless and absurd. The subjoined
order az the board OF visitors requires
that all who may not have submitted
their signatures before the expiration Of
Ion DAYS from this date shall be dis
missed.
This simple statement, with the order
of the board. is submitted for your con-
s.deration, that you may nave onPor-
tunity TO bring your son TO his reason
before II be too late. The ten days
limit will expire Thursday, November
ED. and the order OF dismissal Will be
published on IF, unfortunately, such an
order should prove necessary fridaS'
November oath. &ftrhe attitude or those
who refuse to sign Is simply this: Ihat
they had taken an oath not 70 spsn,
They admit that they We're wrong ~
signing the paper, which Is the founda-
ton OF their trouble they say that they
would sign the paper they are required
TO sign but for the fact of the oath they
have taken, Their position, then, IS
that they consider thems elves bound BY
m oath in the sight Of God that prevents
them from making formal acknowledge
sment of a wrong done, and from doing
What they recognize right. This posi-
ton Of theirs is to determine the fate
of themselves and their classmates. An
earnest appeal lis made to parents to
lend their aid to bring these misguided
young men 10 reason.
Action Of Board,
The order published at dress narade
was as follows:
lIeadquarters Virginia Military Institute,