The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-08-20
CADETS GUILTY OF
DRINKING PUNCH
DISMISSAL REDUCED TO SIX
MONTHS IMPRISONMENT
General CoursMartial Has Been In
Secret Several Weeks-Severest
Penalty on Record.
TAFT COMMITTEES SENTENCE

New York, Aug. 20.-Four West
Point cadets, all members of the
first, or senior, class az the military
academy, who have been on trial be-
fore a general court-martial for sew
eral weeks past, charged with drink
, ing a milk punch. have been found
guilty and their dismissal from the
academy RECOMMENDED to the presi-
dent The papers were submitted
to the president by Adiutant-General
Ainsworth, and the president, after
reading the evidence. approved the
sentence, and then committed il to
what is perhaps the severest pun
ishment, not involving dismissal, in
the history of the academy 1t is
probable imprisonment.
The cadets who were proven to
have partaken OF the punch and all
of whom are affected by the presi-
dents review of the case, are:
Wilfred Mason Blunt, of Mary
land; Charles Laurence Byrne, Of
Washington. ID. c.; Harry James
Keely. OF Illinois, and Bethel Wood
Simpson. OF Michigan. Blunt and
Byrne are sons of retired officers,
while Simpsons father is Major
Wendell l.. Simpson, who is on duty
at the army building in this city.
Colonel Byrne, the father OF an
other of the cadets. is an ex-surgeon
general of the department of the
east, on Governors Island.
Punch Tasted Good.
The recipe for the punch was two
quarts of milk, a pint of rye whisky.
two grated nutmegs, half a cup of
sugar. two lemons and the skin of
one orange. The name of the cadet
who made il was not made public.
but the impression in the Hudson
Highlands is that Il tasted good.
None OF the cadets drank much of
the punch for the good reason that
there was not a sufficient quantity
on hand for more than two drinks
for those who congregated in that
darkened room on the night in ques-
ton.
For weeks the secret hearing
lasted and scores of cadets were
called as witnesses. On only four.
however, could the court fasten
guilt, and these four we're recon-
mended for dismissal. President
Taft. when he got the papers a few
days ago. gave them careful study
and then decided that dismissal was
a little too severe, and so he figured
out a less punishment, which would
not carry with il a dismissal from
the academy.
The president accordingly remit
ted the part of the sentence that
fixed dismissal as the penalty and
fixed up a new punishment.
This is what he did. At the pres
ent time the cadets are in camp and
the president ordered that Byrne,
Blunt, Simpson and Kelley weer TO
be confined in their company street
until the close of the encampment.
and after that and up TO and in
GLIDING March 81, 1911, they were
TO be confined TO the areas of the
cadet barracks and the gymnasium.
This was not all by any means.
The president ordered that each
Of the cadets, beginning tomorrow
and up to and including March 81,
1911, must walk armed and equip
ped as a soldier" in the area of the
barracks every Wednesday from
p. m. until parade (5:S0 p. M and
every Saturday from 2 p. m. until
The parade call
As result none of the cadets
affected by the sentence will see a
football game the coming season,
neither will they be allowed to pay
party calls" on the girls, nor will
hey have chance to attend sin
gle cadet hop until next spring.
Every football game scheduled to
Do played on the Saturdays when
8yrne. Blunt Kelley and Simpson
IRE walking off their presidential
tour of extra duty"