The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-09-03
CADET
POURS Troubles
INTO OFFICIAL EAR
SECRETARY DICKINSON HEARS
LAMENT OF J. n. BOOK.
Err, JR.
MAY REOPEN !HE CASE
Alleged That Young Officer Though
Under Classmen Were Merely
sky-Larkine-Seeond in The Com
mand.


NASHVILLE, Tenn, Sept 2.-After
going over the records in the case
of ]. H. Booker, Jr., the young cadet
of the first class who was dismissed
from the United States Military Acad-
envy on Aug. 10 on charges of alleged
completely in a recent hazing case,
Secretary of War j. NJ. Dickinson in
timated that the investigation of the
case will be re-opened A conference
was held at Judge Dickinson's home at
Belle Meade Wednesday between Mr..
Booker and the secretary, with the er-
suit that the chances of reinstatement
of the young cadet have become most
roseate.
Mr.. Booker, who is a West Point,
Ca, boy, arrived in Nashville Sunday
night and appealed to Judge Dickin-
son OF investigate the charges against
him in the hope that he might gain
the powerful sanction of the secretary
of war in his fight for reinstatement.
Application for a hearing Of the case
has been fled and Judge Dickinson
has taken The matter under advise
ment.
While nothing of definite or de-
tailed nature relative to Mr.. Booker's
chances for reinstatement could be
learned, the very fact that the matter
will be looked into by Judge Dickin
son means much to the young Geor-
eian. While the exact details of the.
alleged hazing Of the plebs which
Mr.. Booker. as a first classman, did
not interfere with, will probably nev-s
.o~ he made public, it is understood
rhet he thought the entire matter to
be piece Of innocent skyla king on
the part Of the cadets, who are al
WAYS seeking some outlet for their
superfuous energy.
Mr.. Booker was not first officer in
charge, being captain OF Conpany B
instead Of Com n 4 bu all first
c}assron are supposed to quickly stop
anvthing detrimental tl disci inc and
the general good of the service. In
aie instance, however he was in the
conz8p~ Of a large number Of other
first classment and none of them gave
the ALLEGED hazing that it is said to
have been going on more than pass
ing glance and not a second thought.
OF the seven cadets who were dis
missed from the academy, Nj Book
er's case is especially unfortunate.
He is of the stuff of which is made the
officers whom the citizens of the ma
ticn feel proud. A natural commander
Of men and one of the most popular
and generally efficient men OF his
class, he was to have graduated in
June Only with an understanding OF
the iron bound rules of the academy
can the average man conceive Of the
easy or authorized action that VIII
Bring upon a cadet demerit or a seri-
Gus charge.
With a general supervision of the
conduct of the under classmen. yet not
allowed to associate freely with them,
and to understand and learn their in
dividual characters by the rigid dis
cipline of the academy, the position
of the first classman is difficult in the
extreme. On the occasion in question,
Booker, with a number of the other
members of his class, was discussing
matters of interest to them, and was
paying little attention to what was
going on, it is understood.