New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-27
CADETS TESTIFY AS
TO LONGAN SILENCE
Board of inquiry. Headedshy Col.
Bethel, Begins Minute and
Drastic Hearing.
THIRTYIADS MUCNRW0RRIED
Wont Be Dismissed, Col. Siblsy
Saws, but VIII Get Extra
Guard Duty and Lose
All Privileges.


All Privileges.
Csptain Rufus E. Longan WIS the least
disturbed person az West Point Yesterday
over the silence. administered 10 him by
the cadet corps at supper on Saturday afd
tried again impe-fectly AT breakfast and
dinner on Sunday
II WAS a test he said. laughing N ms
Office IN the administration building All
new r,en have 10 40 through with Il The
bows want 70 size them mp They do II IL
one zsv with some men and IN aDoiher
way with others
7 rather tHinlz they tried II on me wrong
nan his time" Captain BonEan added.
rlnusfnriy
Ru- there were thirty cadets, including
-eBreserrzrives from each of the four
classes AZ the academy. who were very
--,,.rls worried over their position, and the
entire ea-ps was nervous and uneasy,
.,,z-zh scattered bursts Of song ffoated
over the nar-zde ground from the open win
COWS o. The cadet barracks during guard
mount
The tharty cadets VINO most regret their
situation are the ones VINO tried most per
eisrentlv 70 repeat the silence" on Sun
5ay -rhav were the first 70 enter the mess
l,su for SUNDAY breakfast and by the time
Cautain Ilonzan ha9 come IN, after the
lasr company Of cadets. they were seated
a the first three tables and were already
served with their breakfasts.
A. Captain LonEan's entrance the thirty
cadets Al tn three tables gave warning
hiss. dropped their knives and forks and
folded their arms.
Thirty Bear the Brunt
The rest OF the corps refused to ION in
the silence and as a result OF their action
the thirty cadets ara bearing the brunt Of
the charges They nave All been called be
fore she board Of inquiry TO testify and 1t
is probably OF them that the most severe
punishment viii be visited.
The board Of inquiry. composed Of Lieu
tenant Colonel Walter Bethel Major Writ
Robinson. Captain Charles T. Summers
and Cep-air Alfred Bfsvbach, held its first
session Yesterday morning at o'clock
with Captain Longan as the first witness
When his testimony was finished the cadets
began 10 come before the board
Their examination was minute and
drastic rhst the stenoErapher became ex-
hausaed. and the inquiry had TO be ad-
Jourued To- the day al $50 Il is expected
that rwo or three days more viii be con
sumed in taking testimony
Major General Thomas H. Barry, the new
superintendent Of the academy, is expected
back a. the Point tomorrow and 1he find
sngs OF the board viii be submitted 10 him
Captain Jongsns tour OF duty as officer
IN charge ended with dinner on Sunday.
ana since then the cadets have been eating
three square meals a day. But after Sat
srdays dinner they didn't really have a
meal again until Sundays dinner
Saturday night they preferred the
''silence" 10 food. and Sunday morning they
did not get q chance 10 eat
They Needed Exercise.
When the thirty cadets who are IN par
ticulariy had tried 70 institute thu silence
again Sunday morning. Captain Longan.
as he expressed IL yesterday. thought
little exercise womb do the boys good" So
he dismissed the corps from the mess hall
and ordered them back 10 barracks al
double time. They did not perform 10 suit
him, and ne double timed them TO the mess
hall again.
The boys had grabbed toast and rlums
from the tables ar they We're ordered out
OF the hall and stuffed them into their
blouses. The bouncing q double time dis
rurbed the forage, and 10y the time they
had got back 10 barracks on the second rrip
a double time the ground vas strewn with
Toast and piums. while there was not
enough food left among The whole corps Tor
a hungry cat.
couple o. weeks ago Cadet James D
Burt. Of Ogdensburg. d frst class man
returned from vacation and failed To re-
/ port 70 Captain Longan. who was officer in
charge AZ tnat tine. or 70 send his baggage
1oG inspection. Burt went a. once 10 me
hospital and Captain LonEan in The reg
ulsr course Of his duty reported Burt's
failure 10 report
.'If hsd not reported him would have
been derelIct III my duty he said yester-
Nay
Captain Longan thought no more Of the
case after making has report. nut two DAYS
later Bur- was operated on for appendicitis
and tire cadets al once DECIDED that Car
Rain Longan had heen guilty Of unnecessary
hzrshness II reporting Burt
When the Trouble Began.
But ! don't think that really had any
thing to do with the silence 90 Captain
Longan said yesterday. The real trouble
began last Wednesday. when ] was officer
n charge. and made the cadets on punish
1nen1 tour take their punishment in a mill
1ary manner.
There were eighteen or nineteen OF them
from al the classes doing a Two hours turn
o. sentry marching In the area hack OF the
military manner on Saturday I was officer
II charge again 7 went on duty al
O'Clock Immediately after the early Satur-
tsv r-uar6 mount, and once more made the
boys march IL q military manner.
The punishment squad was about the
same and thIuh-1hey thought they would
rry Ire out. Y wa 4 damp Gay though il
was rot raining when the tour began. and
They sent the corporal Of the guard over TO
me 70 tell me give them their rubber
coats or put them on the sloop Of the
barracks. ] sent them word that ! was
the Judge 81 when they needed raiucoats-
When Il hogan 20 rain ] put them on
the stoop % the barracks. and they began
20 march IN circles and play follow my
leader' and DO other stunts. and one Of them 4
sat down. I went over and made them 4
march IN q military manner. and they I
didn't like T.
The Silence" Sunday.
Al supper on Saturday the corps fnsti- /
tuted = silence as soon as ] came into the .
mess hsil. following after the last company 4
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