The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-10-06
GIVES OPINION
ON BOYS DEATH
Boy Scout Did Not Hang
Self, Says Fogwen and
Father Conway.
SCOUTDOM Is ANGERED
Hangman's Knot Not Used in
Scouting, Says Scout
Officials Here.

Dave O. r. Fogwell, scout executive
of Kenosha Boy Scouts of America, and
Rev. James J. Conway, we'll known
among the Boy Scout circles of the
city, today expressed their opinions of
the hanging of Samuel Burlington, a
| 14-year-old scout who was found hang
ing in the closet of his room in Chi
| cago Sunday afternoon. Mr.. Fogwell
told the News today that he was a
business visitor at Scout headquarters
in Chicago Monday when the word was
received at the Office Of the hanging.
Case Interesting Here.
The case is a most interesting one
to the Boy Scouts of the city as we'll
as the parents, inasmuch as Burlington
has been an ardent Scout, proficient in
all lines of scout endeavor. Both Mr..
FogweH and Father Conway, in the
following statements assured the par
ents of Boy Scouts that the Boy Scout
organization of America does not teach
the hangman's knot, which knot was
used in hanging young Burlington.
Mr.. Fogwell's Statement.
while the boys are taught to tie
knots for useful purposes and emery
encies, there are only nine knots in
the Boy Scout requirements. These
area The Square knot" "sheet end"
'fsherman's knot, "sheepshank," "hal-
teri, "clover hitch, timber hitch,
and two "half hitches'. There is not
hangman's knot. We don't teach
it. don't know how to make it. In
newspaper articles, it was said, that
the hangman's knot was one of the
requirements of the Eagle Scouts. but
this is untrue. From the newspaper
story it does not seem possible that
the boy could have adjusted the rope
around his neck and fastened it to the
pole and then tie his hands behind his
back.
Someone Strung Boy Up.
"Today's accounts in Chicago publ
cations seem to point more and more
to the fact that someone had strung
the boy up. This is not the first time
scouts have been accused of tying the
hangman's knot as requirement. If
it was a boyish prank to hang up this
youngster you will find that this has
been done before, for boys do follow
the example of elders and hanging is
a form of capital punishment by the
elders, as is lynching in other localities.
So boys in their play have tried hang
ing and lynching.
Hangman's Knot Not a Requirement.
81 want to make it plain that the
Y L
no need fearing that their boys are
taught the hangman's knot and that
the only knots learned in scouting, ac-
cording to the rules and regulations of
scouting, are taught that they might
be used for helpful and useful pur-
poses.
S. H. Giesy, scoutmaster of Bufing-
toms troop is of the same opinion as 1
am. He apparently swept away the
last suspicion of suicide when he ex-
amined the knots with which the boys
hands were tied and the moose formed
and said positively they were not tied
by Boy Scout. He further said that
the knots in the rope were done in a
bungling fashion and were apparently
tied in hurry"
Father Conway in a FURRY.
Father Conway was very excited af-
ter reading the accounts of the hang
ing, and told News reporter today
that this would harm the Scouts in
Kenosha, if the parents are going to
believe that the hangman's knot is
taught to the Scouts of the city. FIR.
Conway made the following signed
statement today:
"To whom it may concern:
"This is to certify that the statement
made in the Chicago American dated
Monday, October 3rd-A typical hang
mans knot such as Eagle Scout candi-
dates learn to make had been used in
the forming of a moose is issued with
out the actual facts. This state
ment is found in the column relative
to the Boy Scout hanging in Chicago.
A statement that is false and absurd,
for scouting does not teach the hang
mans knot, but on the other hand,
forbids the teaching of same to scouts.
On page 79 of the Boy Scout manual
we will find the knots every boy should
know. The Overland knot" or the Gig
ure eight, the square or reef knot,
the sheet-end" or "weavers knot, the
chatter slip" or running knot" "false
reef" or granny, the bovine,
"sheepshark". "clover-hitch", timber
hitch, "black- wall hitch, "fsherman's
bend".. two "half hitches". "becket
hitch, the "fsherman's knot" and the
"carrick bend" These knots and only
these. knots are taught to the Boy
Scouts, nine Of which are taught to
the tenderfoot scouts, and the remain
der to farther advanced scouts. No
other knots are taught and if scouts do
learn other knots they learn them out
side Of the field of scouting. Scouting
will not teach to these tender youths
knots or anything else that will be
detrimental to the child Thus the
statement made in last nights Ameri-
can was issued without facts. Sim
cerely yours, Rev. James J. Conway"
FORMER TEACHER WEBS.
An announcement of interest to Ke-