The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-09-12
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4 due the tuberculosis of the tafuat that
| eventually caused that poor young feI
| lows death
| When Booz died the cause OF death
! was given as throat tuberculosis, and
'Ybn December II. eight days after HIS
death. tho matter was brought UP 10
congress. and after the warmest sort
\ Of debate the congressional committees
was appointed to Investigate condi
lions at West Point
The father OF Cadet Booz told the
Brooke board that his son had re
fused to his dying day to disclose the
names OF the cadets who had torment
ed him with such relentlessness that
the boy was finally compelled to send
In his resignation as a cadet He sale
that his son told him, In addition Il
the tabasco treatment. that one OF the
things they did to him at West Point
\ was TO pull the bedclothes of OF hin
at night and then pour melted wax on
his bare body. His mother testified
that her son wrote her that the cadet'
at West Point we're "brutes and bul
lies"
But the boards that Investigated had
their hands full getting the cadets &c
talk, as is shown on every page OF the
records OF the proceedings, Cadet after
cadet would admit having been sub
jected TO the melted wax treatment
and other innocent tortures. but they
were loath to tell the name OF the
young man who melted the wax and
did the pouring.
4, Il put my finger in the sauce" said
one cadet witness "and was told &c
lick II. | made an awful face, and
licked the wrong finger"
Il ofiiciated at a rat funeral" said
another cadet
What il rat funeral?" asked
member Of the investigating board.
"A rather simple little AFFAIR" an.
swered the cadet with smile. "and II
didn't do anybody any harm. The rat
was caught and killed. and we were
ordered TO give him a funeral. The
rodent was placed In little box that
looked like a coffin, and this box was
placed on table and surrounded by
four lighted candles. Then a white
towel arranged to look Ike shroud
was placed over the box. and the fu
neral ceremonies began. We read
few extracts from the black book
(the cadet name of the book OF regula.
tions). Then we placed flowers on the
casket. There was a song or two. and
then the rat was taken away TO be
buried"
The cadets admitted that they we're
compelled to crow like ROSTERS; that
they had to climb the ridge pole,
brace. exercise. one fellow admitting
that he stood on his head In a bath.
tub full OF water. and adding that II
did not hurt him. The Investigation
also made public for the first time
what cadet has to do TO qualify. as
the cadets put II, for the mess hall
Here is how cadet explained dining
room qualifying;
First we were given large dish
full of prunes. the exact number OF
which was So. and we we're required
to eat all Of them at one sitting. Then
we were given bowl of molasses and
told to swallow that. after which we
ftried TO eat six slices OF dry bread.
The molasses test sometimes took two
or three trials before we could accom-.
plish It."
Young Phil Sheridan had to ride
around the campus on broomstick,
the exercise being intended 10 remind
those that saw him that he was a son
OF the commander made famous In
"sheridan's Ride" Ulysses s Grant.
Sd, used TO get up and shout; Il viii
fight It out along these lines II II takes
all summer" while J. NJ. Hohson. Jr. a
brother OF the naval commander, had
TO tell over and over again the story
OF his brothers exploit at Santiago
OF course there were singing. speak
ing, bracing and exercising galore, be-
sides all this
or the officers who have grown M
/ since the civil war. all tell OF their
Experiences as plebes, but II is inter
esting 10 note that almost to a man
they have forgotten about the rea
5 strenuous things they had to do.