Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-05-11
DUEL TALE DENIED
BY gen. BARRY
West Point Commandent Puts
Seal Of Condemnation on
False Reports
Stomach Pump Yarn and
Other Stories Sent by lire.
sponsibIe Correspondents

WEST POINT, N. Y. May 11.-De-
nouncing as false recent newspaper
articles rejecting upon certain ca
diets who, as well as the academy,
have been placed in bad light, Ma.
jor General Thomas Barry. command
ant of the Military Academy, today
addressed a letter of explanation to
Secretary of War Stimson in Wash
ington.
The latest attack upon the admin
istration of the academy was to the
effect that many cadets were under
investigation for INSTRUMENTATION fol-
lowing their refusal to tell who yell
ed Fore for the Supe." while
the Commandant was passing the
mess hall on Saturday. The report
said that Cadet Crawford refused
to name the guilty cadet, and that
General Barry held the entire corps
for a half hour virtually under ar
rest"
This story is gross exaggera-
tion," said General Barry to Herald
reporter today. II did hear such a
lClndl n ulouo 90 "oo pOo04A6 tAO
mess hall Saturday, and when l asked
who uttered the words the cadet
cheerfully admitted having done so
and apologized for it. told him
courteously that if civilian had
heard the remark he might believe
that it showed lack of respect for
the Commandant of the post, and it
would be best left unsaid in the fu-
ture.
"The incident then was closed. Ca
Diet Crawford had no knowledge OF it,
and the incident did not excite any
comment whatever. 1t was simply on
par with scores of slight attractions
of the rules Of the academy which
subject the offenders to reprimand
by the faculty, and have no signifi-
canoe whatever except for those who
seem to take pleasure in wilfully at
lacking the administration of the
academy"
Referring to other attacks upon the
integrity of the cadets, General Bar
ry cited the cases of Frederic Hurd
Van Horn, of Connecticut, and Chas.
Carroll Fitzhugh, of North Dakota,
who, according to articles In several
New YORK newspapers, were dismiss
ed for intoxication after a stomach
pump proved that their denial of the
truth was abortive.
1T is untrue that either of the Ca
diets was dismissed from the acad-
envy" said General Barry. "Mr. Van
Horn for private reasons on Apr "a
sent his resignation to w. P. Hall,
the adjutant general, and was accept
ed on April ~, the date when accord
ing to the newspapers, Mr.. Van Horn
and Cadet Fitzhugh, after discarding
their uniforms, went to Highland
Tails and returned intoxicated. The
story is absolutely false, and the
statement that their intoxicatlon was
revealed in the post ho,pital by the
use Of a stomach pump is a piece Of
amazing Munchausenism, the origin
90 which I cannot account for. II
make this statement in Justice to the
young men whose integrity and honor
have been wantonly assailed."
The commandanr referred to the in.
cident Of Robert Littlejohn, a cadet
from Louisiana, who, 1t was reported |
in the newspapers on May /, had
challenged DR.. Thomas D. McMina-
min, Of Highland Falls, to fight q |
duel.
"The statement was absurd" said
General Barry. cadet Littlejohn,
while riding in Highland Falls, had
an alteration with DR.. McMinamin.
This was due to the fact that the ca
diets horse became frightened at a
passing automobile and the animal
sprang to one side. almost striking
DR.. McMinamin's brother, who was
talking to a woman on the sidewalk.
DR.. McMinamin demonstrated with
Littlejohn. and the cadet admitted to
me that. not being at fault, he was
angered at the physician.
he next day, according to the
DhVSician Iikt1oiOi1p wrofo him cav