Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1908-07-30
.OuSTED CADETS IN
DEFENSE OF HAz|NC
WITH live ANTS
Ask Secretary Wright to Dis
approve Their Punishment
for Tormenting sPlebes.

Washington, July 29-The eight West
Point cadets found guilty of hazing and
dismissed called on Secretary Wright
and asked that the sentence of dis
missal passed on them by the academy
authorities be not approved by MIN.
They made no pretense of denying that
they had done what was charged
against them-compelltng the 'plebes''
to put a hundred ants in their hats.
etc. In fact they appeared before the
secretary respectfully admitting the
truth of the charges.
Cadet Rossell acted as spokesman,
and what he said was more in justif1-
cation of their course than explanation
or plea for mercy. He said that the
eight of them had gone through q
course of sprouts similar to that to
which they had subjected the plebes
who had "squealed," and that they had
been greatly benefited. From their lof-
ty place as upper classmen they were
able to assure the secretary that the
hazing they had received had done
them good.
Catching one hundred black ants.
combining them in the cap OF the catch
er, then counting them and placing
them in u locker, was the novel form
of l1azing invented by the upper class
men in the military academy. which
resulted in the dismissal of eight ca
diets who devised this torment for
"plebes."
Angle Worms, Too.
The accused cadets when called upon
to answer the charges, We're not obliged
/ to describe any hazing methods con-
templatel. but not put into practice.
All they had to tell was just what they
did, and not what they had thought of
doing. Nothing was brought out at the
inquiry, therefore, as to the suggestion
that the "plebe should be compelled to
Il Is -
in punches With blue ribbon and SUBJ
NIT them for example to their torment
| ors
Nor was anything said as to the prop
osition to have the fourth class men
hunt for blades of grass. five inches in
length. which were to be plucked from
| the ground within twenty yards of the
confines of the parade where the grass
Is stubby, and rarely attains that
length
+. The capture of ants and their con-
f1nement was regarded as a sufficiently
| difficult task. and to this was added
the order that when the plebes We're at
mess they should place their toes
against the under side of the table and
in this position eat their meal. This
performance was almost impossible,
but was insisted upon. and failure to
obey was followed by punishment.
which consisted of running back and
ordered to stop.
"Ple5es' 10th to Tell.
colone! Howe, the commanlant of
The post. had not heard Of any OF the
tentative plans which We're not adopt
ed. Neither he nor any OF the officers
would discuss the inquiry or the SUM
mary dismissal except to say that the
cept to enforce the law as it stood.
They made the inquiry ard the evil
tience was conclusive.
j The "plebeS'' We're unwilling Witness
es but when placed on their honor, and
asked the question direct, they carried
OUT the accepted rule that has gov
erned the military acntlemy since it's
foundations; that was TO tell the truth.
The carrying out of the ant" order
was difficult in the first place, for it
was specified that the ants must be
aiive and uninjurcd. 1t was required
that there should be an even 100, which
!; the cadet must produce from his cap
in the presence of committee of
, hazers. Not one Of the. ten or 12 hazers
could fill this requirement ON the first
trial.
, 1t was not so hard to catch the
ants but II was hard to count them as
they scurried to and fro on q piece of
/ white paper. The main perp,cMty,
however, came after the ants had been
deposited in the cadets cap and the
cap placed on his head.
2 Tiekled Their Scalps.
The wise little insects. seeking an
avenue of escape, would run through
the cadets hair and tickle his scalp
= Not infrequently they would bite and
squeeze through the cap band and the
wearer's head. If they do not fall &c
the ground they would drop down the
: back of his neck. Military usage ant
5 etiquette forbid cadet to scratch
Fear that the ants would escape pre-.
, vented the cadet from removing hi.
y. = headpiece to stop the itching tina
!, nearly drove him frantic.
u The tormentors arrogated to them
y selves the right to say how long tn,
= punishment tour" as the dog trot wa
termed, should last.
! Not one of the "pleoes" uttered
= word of complaint. They had bee,
!, y taught that they We're going through
:, :, very mild form of hazing and whicl
= was necessary to make them goo
soldiers.
Although the cadet officers weressup
posed to be cognizant Of everything
e that went on within their puryiesy, no
j. one OF them had the slightest inlsiin
E. of what was going on. They wer
$ amazed and chagrined when the in
,e quiry by the board OF officers disclose
IA the fact that the hazing had gone O
under their noses.
10 Armprco 70 c1rTTrDrH1N