The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1909-09-30

NM-M
&M my and navy headquar-
eRsD tiers in Washington the be
lief g that baring Is q
" thing OF tho past. both at
the military and naval
academies. despite a recent outbreak
At West Point Perhaps the officers
are right. perhaps they are wrong,
time and the human nature. or the
devil. II you win. that Is In boys may
some day get working again and
show itself in an outbreak Of the old
hazing custom.
Some time ago there was a hazlRg
case st Annapolis and many cadets
we're implicated. They we're all
placed IN arrest and the number Of
the arrested ones vas 50 great that
officials Thought that a record had
been broken. but such was not the
case.
The officers had forgotten. if they
ever knew H. that once upon a time
the entire corps Of cadets at the
United States Military academy was
placed IN arrest and that Il was nee
essary 20 break al army rules BY
drawing on the ranks Of the culprits
70 secure men for guard duty. a duty
ordinarily considered too honorable
70 be discharged properly by any
man or body Of men against whom
charges Of serious misconduct had
been laid.
There was 3 riot at the United
States Military academy at midnight
December 81. 1873. The authorities
not only called the proceedings a
riot, but they said that II was rebel.
hous In its nature. and as the result
OF Il Gen. John N. Schofeid. superin.
tenGent Of the academy, placed the
800 cadets under arrest
The riotous demonstration AZ the
academy on that night broke All
academy precedents. Il was planned
by a dozen daredevil cadets OF the
hrst class who were TO graduate the
following June and who wished To
mark in a manner unprecedented the
ushering Ia Of their graduating year.
About 20 cadets by a continued
course OF good conduct had succeed.
ed In securing leave for two DAYS At
Christmas. When they returned from
their short furlOugh they brought
with them In valise and in trunk ey.
cry variety Of fireworks known IN
the ingenuity Of the manufacturer
Roman candles. ~skyrockets. cannon
crackers and other noise and fire
making articles. They were csreh,iv
hidden away in the mattresses OF tn
cadets all over the barracks. For
nearly a week the boys slept on veri
table mines Of powder.
II was curious that the authorit,a,
az the academy did not note ana IN
quire into the fact that at least n
cadets "cut" supper every night n
a week prior 20 New Years eve I
is dark al supper time In late Decsm
Der, and under ~ Of the darkne,
dets detailed for the purpose mad
Trophy point and from there they 4
the barracks scores Of round shot
weight, which had been made yea
for use IN the old muzzieloadins
siege guns. The round shot we're
the cock iou@ Of the barracks.
The cadets who had acted as "a
pOrals at light artillery driii had m
abstract, unseen OF the ~autboritlee.
or 20 canvas bags OF powder M
slowed away Ia the chimneys viii,
into the unused Arepiaces In the eas
terra.
Ten first classmen "feIl out" fre
on New Years eve. They stole an
Of darkness down TO Battery Knox
they loaded the old smooth-bore can
had been irowning hafmiessly over
son for a quarter OF a century. Fro
Knox the cadets went By way Of
walk to the aeacoast battery. and
loaded the 20-ton smooth-bOre. the b
at that time I'm the service. The sma
of the seacoast batteries also were
doubly loaded were a better way I
and then the six s0-pound PARROTS o
battery were fed with powder. Int
OF every piece OF the three batterlH
primers were inserted n lanyard
tached ready for the pulling. Then
went hack 70 barracks.
The bell IN the tower Of the old
building tolled the FIRST stroke Of
Before the second stroke came IN
roar from the river 'front.' followed
roar, another and yet another I
came q shock that shook the platea.
The echoes rolling from Gro Nest 20
nam and far away 10 the hill Of Ma
Wayne. The old cotton smooth-bol
II not trebly. charged. had spoken. 7
thc sherD reports Of the PARROTS an
ahappY bark or the neid pieces.
slmuilane.as iy With the Foars
ritar batteries there came the hi
screaming Of rockets. ETC. nred 2