MILITARY
HAZING
CARRIED TO BRUTAL EXTREMES
IN ARMY SCHOOLS
The Most Dangerous Punishment
Meted Out to Erring Freshmen Is
"the Gantlet of Fire,” and the Most
Repulsive Is "Bacon Swallowing.”
Germany Is, of all countries, the oue
In which the science of hazing in mil
itary schools has attained the greatest
development. The army plays in I lie
fatherland's life n part the Importance
of which can hardly he realized by an
uutrareled American. Military service
is compulsory, and in time of peace
600,000 men are kept armed, uniformed
and drilled. To command that huge
contingent 80,000 commissioned officers
arc necessary.
Inis large ofhcer corps has developed
customs, ethics, even a morality, of its
own. These customs and ethics are
imitated at an early age by the boy
who aspires to enjoy the veneration
which German officers generally re
ceive from the populace. Imitation
in a young man usually means exag
geration. and some of the little mil
itary snobs are on their first <lay at
school a joy to behold. ‘Very soon,
however, tlie precocious stiffness is
taken out of them.
A harmless though repulsive form of
hazing cadets- whose appetite verges
on gluttony is called "bacon swallow
ing." The plebes to be victimized are
lined up on the grounds surrounded
by a group of second year men. A
slice of raw bacon is tied to a piece
of string, and the plebe whose name is
drawn first is made to swallow the
unappetizing morsel. When the sick
ening sensation of the twine tickling
his throat threatens, to nauseate him
the bacon is pulled out. The name of
another unfortunate Is drawn, and lie
is in turn obliged to swallow the ha
c6n, the appearance of which tins not
been improved by the first man's
chewing. On it goes along the line
to the next mail and up to the last one,
and for days and days the sight ot
bacon, a staple article in German
cuisine, will, if it does not spoil the
healthy youngsters’ appetites, at least
remind them that undue haste in as
similating food lacks refinement.
After a l'cw hours spent in “frog's
squat" the most dignified and snob
bish plebes assume the good nature*]
and perfectly chummy attitude which
means that they have been tamed
Swelled heads are quickly noted ami
their owners made to sit on the (loot
with their chins resting on their knees,
and their ankles and wrists arc hound
together. A solid stick passed under
the knee joints and forcing the fore
arm back prevents them from moving
arms or legs, and they are, left there
facing one another in an unnatural,
cramped and ridiculous position.
Ollier forms <•!' hazing are the stom
ach dance, with or without obstacles;
finding the keyhole, tossing in a blan
ket and star gazing. In the stomach,
dance the cadet is put flat on ids
stomach on a high table and four tor
mentors take him by the hands and
feet and whirl him around on the
table. In the case of serious offenses
a few hard objects or "obstacles" are
scattered over the table, making the
‘'nance" rather painful.
Then comes finding the keyhole. The
cadet stands in frmit of a locker and
is blindfolded, lie has to feel for the
keyhole with Ills I''on lias"!' Then an
other cadet places his Imad between
the locker and the finger, opens his
mouth and Idles the linger till its own
er howls
Star gr.' ing const- ts in being made to
watch the stars tit night through a
coat sleeve held like a telescope by
two cadets A third cadet then pours
a glass of muddy water in at top of
the sleeve.
When a cadet is guilty of behavior
unbecoming to a gentleman, disgraces
his class by some breach of etiquette
or commits some petty theft he is
generally sentenced by the "holy
vehm." or "court of honor." to the
rod. The penalty ts applied ruthless
ly. a gag being placed in the punished
man's mouth to stifle his cries for
help.
Of all the forms of hazing the most
brutal perhaps is the "gantlet of fire."
The fresijman upon whom that punish
ment is to lie visited is kept in a dark
room astride a wooden chair, to which
he is securely fastened. In the next
room ids tormentors are twisting news
papers into imitation torches, which at
a given signal they light with matches.
When the torches arc burning brightly
they form themselves in two lines;
another signal is sounded, tlie door of
the dark room is thrown open, and the
freshman is ordered to ride between
the lines, while be is mercilessly
lashed with flaming brands.
However quickly lie may run the
gantlet, by tlie time lie lias reached
the end of the blazing pathway his
Hair, bis eyebrows and lashes have
been singed to the skin, his eyelids are
seared and swollen, his lips blistered,
his uniform hopelessly damaged.
Basket Ball
Our high school basket ball .boys
lost Saturday night’s game to the j
University Pi Phi team by a score of
.'ll to 22. Both sides played a good
game although it was considered a
little rough. Our boys won the
first half but they hfve been weak
ened by the loss of a. couple of their
best players but they played a cred
itable game and made the Uni team
work for what they got. David Reavis
who last year played high school
basket hall, is on the University
team. We are sorry our boys lost
but we still have confidence in them.
PEOPLE OF ALL NATIONS ARE
BASE BALL LOVERS
All Countries Have Heroes Of The
Diamond For Fans To
Rcot For
In the United States base ball de
serves its title of national game, not
only because it has more devotees
than any other outdoor amusement
and not alone because this country
perfected the sport nml brought it
to its present form, blit also be
cause it is ssentlally a game of no
one race orr creed. In looking over
the rosters of the big teams, while
the Irish, derm an, French and Eng
lish names predominate, still the
patron mymies of the Indian, the
Pole, the Italian, the Swede and the
Cuban may he found there.
This lias been so almost since the
time that leagues were forrmed and
base ball came into prominence, whic
has increased with every playing sea
son. In the early eighties Vincent
Nava, a Cuban, was one of the first
string catchers on the Providence
team. Another Cuban will train witl
a big league team this spring.
In the eighties Sockalexis flushed
like a comet across the major league
horizon. This Indian left-fielder hat
ted .331 for Cleveland in 1S97 and
fielded like a whirlwind. lie and
Pappaulau proved that the red man
could profitably desert the warpath
for the base hall path. The original
Americans are represented In the
major leagues today. Charles A.
Bender, a Carlisle university man
led the American league pitchers
last year by winning twenty-three out
of twenty-eight games for the Atli
1 tics.
Zacli David Wheat, whose mother
was the daughter of a Cherokee
cheiftain, -was one of the finds of
1909, and will add strength to the
Brooklyn team again this season. J.
.1. Meyers, a full blooded Indian from
Riverside, Cal., won many a contest
of 1910 by his work with the war
club and has proved himself as well
a good catcherr for tiie Giants.
The Poles cheerr for Harry Coval
aski; the Italians for Edward J. Ab
baticchio; the Swedes for Otis John
son, and men from almost every Qtli
er country find compatriots to en
courage with advice and praise.Two
National league teams are to have
Japanese on their training squads thi
spring. In the series of a contest,
however, all nationalities merge and
race prejudices are forgotten, as
every fan remembers only that he is
an American watching his favorite
team play the game of games.
The Peach Crcp
It looks at this time as though
there would not be much of a peach
crop. Many fruit growers say the
buds are dead. This is due to the
severe cold in January, not the length
of the cold spell 1 lit because of the
sudden dropping in temperature to
such a very low degree. The prun
ing of orchards is receiving such at
tention as was never given to this
branch of farm work before. The
farmers are r alizing that fruit, grow
ing is on* of tin* most profitable bran
dies of farm life and the care of
their orchards is one of their chief
thoughts just now. There are many
expert primers at work through the
country and more could lie used if
they were available. Few counties
exeell old Richardson in the fruit
growing business.
Death Of John P. Walker
LANDMEN
IN COURT
MAN WITH ACTUAL PAPERS
TELLS OF H 13 EXPERIENCE
Alleged Schema cf Catttg Caroe*
Exposed Through Contract In
troduced for Government
Omaha, Feb. 8—Furious legal war
faie will be precipitated before the
core lusion of the iar; J fraud ease
now be ,.g heard befoie Judge T. C.
Munger in United States district
court. The prosecution yesterday
established the fact that the West
ern Land and Cattle corporation de
signed to acquire hundreds of acres
of Deuel county grazing lands thru
the medium of so-called straw home
steaders, yet the defense has out
lined a clear and apparently sound
plan of resistance.
Benjamin M. Fox and George 10.
Townsend of the Western Land and
Cattle corporation and W. P. Miles,
who represented the interests of
the defendants during the land trans
actions in question, do not pretend
to deny that correspondence was
exchanged in 1004 relative to home
steading lands through persons they
had interested, but they have pre
pared to fight to the last ditch on
the conspiracy charge. It is on
this correspondence and other docu
ments that the prosecution largely
based its case.
and in his home softened to beauty
by a chivalrous and courteous re
gard, Perhaps we did not know the
esteem in which he held the man un
til death came ruthlessly and sud
denly and hurried him beyond the
reach of praise."
THE BIG
DREDGE BOAT
HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR OPEN
ING 3 MILES OF CHANNEL
With a New Set of Boilers Recently
Installed It Is Making Very
Satisfactory Progress
The big ditcher is now rapidly
moving down the bottoms of the low
er N't maha towards Salem. Since
the new boilers were installed there
are fewer delays, and progress has
been satisfactory and sure. The
dredge lias nearly two miles of chan
nel back of it. to the old river chan
nel, and as a consequence has no
difficulty in keeping a sufficient liea
of water for working to best, advan
tage.
The open winter has also greatly
favored the progress of the work.
Nothing unlooked for interfering, the
dredge should reach the head of the
big ditch below Salem early in the
spring.
With another season coming on, the
farmers in the bottoms will appre
ciate the protection afforded, ■ by
the opened ditch. The largest se
curity cannot he realaled until the
channel is opened its entire length
and advantage can be taken of the
greatly increased velocity of the cur
rent because of the unobstructed flow
and the gain in fall because of the
shorter distance covered.
MISSOURI’S CAPITOL HOUSE AT
JEFFERSON CITY BURNED
Loss Was $1,000,000- -P*uilt In 1338
—Believed to Have Been Hit
by Lightning.
A fire supposed to have been start
l’d by lightning about 7 o’clock Sun
day night destroyed the Missouri
Capitol building. Twisted irons that
supported the roof hang from the
blackened walls, a part of which have
fallen.
Much of the building was furnish
ed in heavy hardwood, oak, cherry
and mahogany. This made a terrific
heat, upon which tlie water of the
hose company seemed to have no ef
fect.
The building cost $600,000, but at
that time material was much cheap
er than now. The furniture was prac
tically new and very costly. Ex
pensive rugs and other property
brings the loss up to a million to
say nothing, about the valuable rec
ords.
Queen of Spain Refuses To Remain
With King Alfonso
Tile repeat'd attempts to recon
cile Queen Victoria and King Alfonso
have been unavailing. Victoria ad
heres to her determination to go
back to England. She has clearly
demonstrated that she has no con
fidence in Alfonso’s promise to be
good. The only thing that now in
terferes is the children. She can
not take them from Spain, and as
a faithful mother it is trying for her
to part from them. Alfonso lias sown
wild oats too long the time and har
vest is rapidly approaching.
Drew The Sofa Pillow
Cheater McDowell held the lucky
number that drew a sofa pillow
raffled off last Saturday for a couple
of town ladies. The pillow was made
by a blind girl. It is of art can
vas, embroideried in AmVrican Beauty
roses and the work, though done by
blind girl, was exceptionally good.
| fhe pillow was finished with dark
red cord. Chet was mighty fortu
nate in winning it.
Died At Humboldt
Special from Verdon.
John P. Walker was born January
7,1844 in White county,Kentucky and
died February 3, 1911 at two p. m.
of pneumonia, age 67 years and 27
days. He united with the Evangeli
cal c hurch several years ago and
has lived the life of a true Christian
and was at good neighbor, always will
ing and ready to lend a hand to those
in need. The deceased leaves three
sons besides a host of friends to
mourn his loss. Funeral services
were conducted by Rev. Garries at
the Evangelical church Sunday, Feb
ruary 5, at. 11:00 a. m. The re
mains were laid away in the Ver
don cemetery beside those of his
wife, who passed away in 1903. The
bereaved ones have the sympathy of
their many friends.
Brethren Church
Don't fail to attend the Revival
Meetings at the Brethren church.
The spirit is already doing His
work. Come let us do ours. Two
confessions last night. Subject to
night, “The Holy Spirits Mission to
The World.” Everyone is given a
cordial welcome. Bring your friends.
It is every dentist’s opinion that
few people take good rare of their
teeth, and the dentist must he right
to be so numerous.
K. L. OF S. ENTERTAIN FOR MEM
BERS WHO ARE MOVING AWAY
Mrs. Leitzke and Mrs. Kleber Were
Presented With a Token Of
Remembrance
The Knights and Unlit s gave n
surprise hist evening after their reg
ular lodge session for Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Leitzke and Mr. and Mrs.
Wm. Kleber, the families of whom
are leaving to make their homes in
other titles. Mrs. Leitzke is pres
ident of the local order. Mr, Leit
zke, who was not attending lodge was
sent for to set1 his wife home and
not until he arrived was it known
that, a social evening was to be
enjoyed. A fine supper had been
prepared and was served by the
ladies. Mr. George Morris made a
pleasing speech in which he ex
pressed the regret of the order at
losing these estimable members
and presented to Mrs. Leitzke a
beautiful silv< r bread plate and to
Mrs. Kleber a silver by11< r . disb
from llieir lodge friends. Everybody
enjoyed the evening fully and the fes
tivities continued until a late hour.
Wm. Kleber and family left today
for their now home in St. .loo and
Mr. Leitzke will take Ids family lo
(heir new home in Syracuse, N'. Y.,
next week.
“BACK TO THE LAND."
The writer lias lately run across two
or three concrete instances of this
“back (o the land" movement where it
was painfully apparent that the ones
taking the step should have rented a
half acre near their old home ami
worked it nights and mornings. This
would have enabled them to determine
whether there were in their makeup
those qualities which would make it
pin*11:'..> for them to hold permanently
that rosy view of agriculture and hor
ticulture that is pictured in the maga
zines and which lias such a subtle fas
cination for the man who is wearied
with the smoke, the racket and strain
of city life. If any one having this
“hack to the land" hankering will
painstakingly tend a half acre Of
onions or other intensive crop, doing
the hulk of the weeding, the cultivat
ing and harvesting himself, and after
doing this still looks upon the tilling of
the soil with zest and favor, it. is fair
to assume that he would succeed if lie
engaged in such a work on a more ex
tensive scale. There are backache,
sheer weariness, gnawing hunger (a
blessing) and often restless nights for
the "man wit'll the hoe," and all who
have in mind taking up such work
should have these facts in view before
taking the step. Then, again, usidc
from ones willingness to do hard
work, there is sometimes painfully lack
ing what may be termed adaptability
or knack. This was shown in one of
the instances referred to above, where
a due young fellow was just crazy over
the orchard business when the fact
was that at the end of t*wo months'
apprenticeship In* couldn't harness a
team and get the breeching on the
right end to save his gizzard, ife sim
ply lacked the ability to “catch on"
and in a short time re-entered the
banking business, which lie left in his
“movement to the land." We would
not by any word discourage any rend
ers of these notes who long to have a
"home on the land.” hut would only
utter such word of caution as will
cause them to have their eyes wide
open when they take the step. There
is hard work, yet competence, health
and contentment, for those who till
the soil. There should be more folks
engaged in It.
PRETTY HOME
WEDDING
WEDDING AT THE HOME OF THE
BRIDE IN THIS CITY
Miss Bertha Zorn and John Bucholz
Were Uunited In Marriage
February 7, 1911
At the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Zorn on North Morton Street,
last evening, February 7, occurred
the marriage of their youngest, daugh
ter, Miss Bertha to John Buchholz,
the marriage service being read by
Rev. R. Cooper Bailey of the Pres
byterian church. There were about
forty guests present to witness the
ceremony. The house was tasefully
decorated, the fire place being bank
ed with potted plants, palms and
ferns. Here the bridal party took
their places, Miss Anna Fraunfelder
of Verdon and Frank Bucholz, brother
of the groom attending Miss Zorn
and Mr. Buchholz.
After tin; ceremony congratulations
were offered and later a bountiful
wedding supper was served. Mr.
and Mrs. Buchholz left for St.JJoe for
a short wedding trip and about the
first of March will move to the
Buchholz farm north of town.
A regular army soldier's idea of
the militia will give you a pretty fair
notion of supreme contempt, but for
the real thing in that line you
have to get a cowboy’s opinion of a
shoepherder. i
A number of years ago it was a
*
very common thing to see a man
with a flower pinned on his coat by
his wife. Where is he now. The
wives and flowers are still here.
A NEW GRAFT INCUBATING.
By J. O. Shroyer,
Humboldt, Nebraska,
Tin re is a strong sentiment to
ward throwing the read money of our
state Into a common fund for the
building of reads, also throwing the
i ounty road funds Into a single ac
count and having state engineers <»'
,ounty enginee rs plan for the expend *
lures id’ tile funds.
They complain thnf under the pres
to :q ; loin, we are wasting our money
and not getting good roads. This
may be the truth in some cases and
in others (a good many too.) it Is
certain that we do get as much out
ot the money expended, as we do in
other lines of public work.
We believe that a certain percent
of the funds must go toward fixing u
especially bad places of roads that
limy exi t and also to build expensive
bridges that are for the benefit of
the whole section, but most, of the
money origin to bo used directly on
tlie roads of the lands where it Is
raised. Of what benefit to tin
people of a score of counties, will a
state read be from Omaha to Den
ver.
Of what benefit to two thirds of til
county would a road be, that crossed
that county.
We will find a dozen men in every
county waiting for the chance to get
contracts. These men will cure a
bout as much for the general wel
fare as an old hen does for a spring
hat. All they will want Is a chance*
at the funds.
We may waste some money under
the present plan, but it belongs to
the people who are right on tin
ground to see it. wasted or used prop
erly if they so desire.
Several years ago we spent a lot
ol money hiring an expert, road build
er to go over tin1 state and toll us
bow to make the cheapest and mo: t
practical roads out of the* material
right on the spot. They were roads
that did not require expensive nm
chinory and expensive engineers to
build. Simply build a grade with a
good machine and then drag through
the year with a split, log drag.
This work could be done witli the
fore e already found in every com
munity, it, is rapidly executed and
makes good roads. Now we have
about one mile out of every twenty
five worked to a "mited extent Dy
this method.
Every stroke of work lias paid and
every one says that the drag is all
right. Hut in many sections the
authoi itic's refused to recognize this
plan. They would not build drags,
nor pay a farmer for building bis
own drag and using it.
Wherever it was demo right, the
thing lias been a decided success.
Now some of the people want to
get a more expensive system. They
want to centralize tin* work and
build HOME good roads.
We believe that if our legislators
who profess to be in Lincoln, work
ing for the general good, desire to
do as a real favor, they will enact
a law that will allow and compel the
local authorities to pay reasonably
every farmer dragging liis own roads.
In this way each man could af
ford to drag the roads passing his
farm. If any farmer refused to do
this work or was so situated that, he
could not get to it, it should be made
profitable enough to Induce some
one of his neighbors to do it.
Let us use the system we have
paid the experts to explain to us and
which a few liberal people have dem
onstrated, was a success.
Tax the farmer good and strong
and other people as well, then per
mit us to work out a goodly share of
this tax in dragging our neighbor
hood roads.
I)o not compel the farmer to do
it, but make it as profitable as pos
sible for him to do it. and have it
done under systematic methods.
If every mile of road in Nebraska
was worked under this system, there
would only lie isolated stretches
where any other work would he need
ed. If you need a county engineer
at all, it would tie to build perma
nent bridges and we think that this
can be done withou such an officer
and centralizing all the funds.
Lot us have a road law that will
enable us to use the known and
| tried plans and keep most, of the
i money right in the neighborhood that
| pays it out.
If we must have a county engineer,
let >is have the funds kept in the
local district and used there the
I same as wo now ra'se and use the
school funds.
There is plenty of money piled up
in funds for the grafter now, with
. out piling up a few millions each
year for a new set of grafters.
AFORMER
RESIDENT
RECARDING ONE OF OUR FORMEF
TOWNSMEN
The Paris (Mo.) Mercury and Ap
peal Speak In Highest Terms
of W. H. H. Meyers
In spt aklrig of tIh late \\ . If. H.
Moyers, our former townsman, tho
Pn ris (Mu.) Mercury and Appeal
which come to our office speaks In
highest terms of him and show very
clearly the esteem in which he was
held in that town . Among other
things the following may be sited.
After mentioning the circumstances
of liia death the Mercury mentions
the honors conferred upon him hy tho
local M. W. A. lodge, two of whom
wore detailed to accompany the body
to Dec's Sununet, where the offi
i era from all over the state of Mis
souri met tlii' funeral courtage, and
floral emblems were also sent.
Further “No circumstance could
alter the good humor of the man
for any lenogtli of time or make it
less apparent. With these an«l a
fine courtliness of personal manner
and a home distinguished for its
kindly, and at all times unostentati
ous hospitality, he ingratiated him*
self into the life of the community
to which lie came an unaccredited
stranger and in time became one of
its indispensable fixtures. There was
an intimate and kindly spirit in all
that he did. a perfect freedom from
the too common vulgarity that, dis
plays itself in pride of purse, and a.
( hlvalry and a cleanliness In thought
and speech that observed any minor
defects ho may have had. There
were elements of undoubted strength
in tin' man, too. In the hurly-burly
of life ho was able to give and take,
and lo his cm rgy and hisfnlth is un
doubtedly due to Hie proportions lo
which Woodcraft, with all its in
estimable service, lias attained in
this section of Missouri. Ilis life
was a useful one in a public senso,
From The Appeal “And the world
Is better tha tthis man lived. Where
ever he spoke his voice was lifted
in behalf of temperance, fraternity
and good citizenship. Wherever ho
lived lie practiced Hie vlrtuis he
proclaimed, Prote< tlou for depend
ant families was the ambition of his
life, and today, if the widows anil
orphans of men whom he influenced
to apply for insurance in the frater
nity he served (ould each pay a
tribute of gratitude to bis memory,
the result would be a monument more
impressive to his friends and more
inspiring to ids family than any
si aft of marble or granite that
could he erected at his grave. Al
though frequently misunderstood, of
ti a criticised and seldom paid such
appreciations as he deserved, every
body really loved him and recogniz
ed Ills worth as a citizen. He will
he missed by all who came in touch
with him
Resolutions
Win n ns. in the death of Clans
man I W. Fulls tend. Falls City Cas
tile No. “.‘i of Royal Highlanders, has
lost a worthy member, therefore be
it
Resolved That in the death of
Clansman Fallstead, this Castle has
lost a loyal member and his family
I - loved one whose loss is irrepalr
able, and be it further
Resolved, That the charter of
this Castle he draped for a period of
sixty days, that a copy of these- res
olutions be spread upon the minutes
of this Castle, that a copy be given
to the family of the decease-d, and
that, a copy be sent to each of
the city papers for publication.
W K KNIGHT,
F. BRECHT,
ELIZABETH FIREBACGH,
K • Committee.
Brethren Church
The revival services at tbe Breth
ren Church are increasing in interest
each evening. There have been
accessions every service since the
meetings began, and the prospect is
hopeful for many more. With the
help of two instruments and the new
songs, the people are finding the
song service to be a most inspir
ing part of the meetings. I^ast night
there was a good atteendance and all
were well paid for coming, as the
Holy Spirit was with us in old time
power.
Tonight the pastor will preach on
"The demands of The Kingdom."
The public is cordially invited to
'attend these services each evening.
On next Sunday, February 13'h,
there will hi- the following services
at the Baptist church. Sunday
School at*9:4a a. m.. Preaching ser
vices at 11:00 a. m. Preaching ser
Limoln. Also preaching at 7:30
p. ni. unless notice is given to the
contrary.
Many women are spoiled before
marriage, blit few after.
“I'm full of ideas hut havn't much
money.”—Charles Grimm.