The New York herald., 1871-02-08
SCApEGRACE STUDENTS.
~~->-~~~>~~~>~>~-~~~~~~o~
The Recent Blowing Up Of One Of the
rs Harvard Colege Buildings.
A Whole Chapter cf ontrag.s-Eos tho
Sophomorss "lZazs" tne freshmen.
The Midnight Demolisl.ing Of an Occupied
Bailaing with Gnnp0wdcr-"A
Wanton, Stupid Outrage,
but Not Crime"
CAMBRIDGE. Mass, Feb. 7, 1871,

ceedingS OF some ot the STUDENTS OF Harvard Uni
ters.ty-that greatest and most renowned OF all
American colleges. the special pride OF Cambridge
and the glory OF tne Hub" as wen as OF the Ame-
yican universe which revolves around It, According
80 some reports little less than capital crimes have
been committed withil those ''c!Gssc shades' OF
t'Falr Harvard and all reports are unanimous to
the point tnat some OF the renegade SOphomores
have been making 1t very lively for or the uli-
sophisticated Freshmen. great many OF the stories
which have gone forth have oeen unrcasonably ex-
aggerated, fact which Is to be lamenred, inasmuch
as the simple truth Is sniiceaty deplorable, with
out any unnecessary enlbelii3hng.
HAzING AND DEvILrRY IN GENERAL
are still rife here, but not TO any such extent IN
years gone by Ten years ag about as much asa
modest young mans life was worth to enter Harvard
Probably no one was ever Killed through the ingcni
0us and tortut.ng ail'.ctlons OF 'haZing," but 1t
Is positively asserted that the reason Of more than
one Freshman has been permanently affected in con-
sequence Of fright and cruel treatment and 1t is
andisputabe fact that many have received life
from bruises inflicted upon them when they were so
tndiscroct as to forciby resist the indignes which
tho elder collegians saw ft 10 impose upon them.
A SHOWER EATa or ICE WATER
nsed to be means of torture not uncommon. Half
= dozen or more daring Sonnomores would unite upon
some single Freshman, usually selecting one who
was characteristic for his retiring modes,y ana gen.
orally exemplary character, and having so arranged
their pans AZ to secure an easy entrance to his
sleeping apartment they would dlsgulse or mask
themselves, proceed quietly TO his chamber and
arouse him from his gentle slumbers with two or
three pailiuis OF the frlgid 1nid Then, II the
weather was cold, he would be run around the coll
lcge grounds IN his soaking or freezing night gar
mens, and finally left solitary and alone, after being
harshy bumped against an obstructng tree or lamp.
post. One young Freshman, who in years after be-
came President OF the University, was subjected 10
An experience OF this kind shortly after entering the
college, and the effect upon his physical system
such that he was long time In recovering from 1t.
GENERAL SMASHING OF WINDOWS
IN the sleeping rooms OF the younger colegians Is
another pastime which Is pretty freely INDUCED In
by the Sophomores during the winter months.
and even to the present day scarcely night
passes without some such annoying mischief as
this. These rudc demonstrations are not confined
exclusively TO the Freshmen either; for the staid
and sober professors and the learned tutors fire.
Quently come in for their share of this uncomforta.
BILE annoyance. This s particularly the case If any
Of the latter obnoxious to the students or gra.
tutousy energetic IN enforcing the rules OF the Uni
ver5ty. The daubing OF doors and rooms With llthy
substances and the carcaturing and burlesqulng OF
the unusually sensitive o.es In and around the col
lege arc ano her species or amusement which some
OF the maclously inclined Freshmen occasionally
A MOST coMtcAL OCCURRENCE
Is related as having taken place in the neghb0rhood
OF the college one evening last summer. 1t seems
that u the professors mad arranged to give a
select levee at his residence. Tho invitations were
very uppermost OF society and learning asked
70 be present. Some Sophomorcs, with more than
usually keen idea Ol INNOCENT fun, thought they
would mortly the classic Prof. and they accord.
ingly bought about II dozen live ducks with which
the repaired TO his residence III the early part OF the
evening. The weather was very warm and every
window in the house was open. The students
watched their opportunity and Maen all the dlsin.
front pail1Mr pr preesug arranged r ,,e signal
and the whole lot OF them hurled lndiscriminately
through the windows. The quacking and mapping
of the frightened BIRDS tho screams OF the horror.
stricken la0les aud the bewiderment OF the aston.
ished gentlemen OF letters formed altogether
whIcn will not attempt to describe. IL IS hardly
sufficient add. however, that the assembled COM
pany separated soon afterwards, and the host of the
evening found himself the involuntary possessor Of
fine stock OF poultry.
ATrEnpr TO BLOW UP ONE OF TIE COLLEGE, BUILD
INGS WITH GUNPOWDER.
Probably the most unmltigated and yillanous act
which the Sophomores have been guilty OF was the
attempt TO blow up one OF the college buildings with
gunpowder lew weeks since :, ihc circumstances
but the facts ana details in the case have been sup
pressed ! untl now. How much powder was ex.
podod l. Is impossible to tell; but IL is certain that
u II had not found vent through an open window 1t
would have
and several innocent ana unoGending Freshmen
would probably have gone wl.l It, Stoughton Hail.
" DIlCA DuHllDB COGtuiLtug StuCCutS CuuuUeTS, WAS
selected Tor demolition. and the powder was placed
IN TIE cellar, Wnicn Is about hiyturec feet long by
Of Course and at the ne "ap Inc nach was v nSiad
there were four students III the building, ard all OF
them directly over the coiiar. All open window in
the basement reduced the force or the powder,
saved the building rom destruction, and probably
saved the lives OF The four Freshmen. AS 1t was
the uoOIs were D Own upwards several inches, the
windows shattered and other damages caused, TO an
aggregate amount OF about Two hundred dollars.
Tne Students fortunately, were not Injured, but
they we're terribly frightened.
PRESIDENT ELIoTs ACCOUNT OF THE OUTRAGE.
Yesterday aternaon l called on President Eliot
aud IA the course OF conversation the matter OF The
outrage by the aophomores was aiiudtd 20. found
tnat he was unequiyo ally opposed to passing un.
needed any such act Ii The guilty parry could be dis
covered, and also asceraned tnat he did not snare
In tho general opipion that the Offenders Intended to
commit crime.
"Ihc act, ne sad, twas reckless college prank.
The perpetrators had no intention Of really hurting
anybody OF Oi dong any hsIln 10 the building. They
committed
a wANroN STUPID OUTRAGE BUT NOT A CRIME
The wh0o college utterly condemned the act.
The students would Ike 70 see the fellow who dd it
tgnominoJsiy tu;ned out OF college. bat they Know
they neither Know VINO did 1t nor how IL was donen
II understand there have bcen steps taken towards
punisiins those engaged ia the outrage" OBJ
"The irss week after The occurrence 1t was COM
monty reported thai the oticnder was TO be prose-
sutcd Fac statutes make TIE blowing up OF an
tnhabiteo ouNuing special oBenca, and the legal
the State Prson me college authorities Thought
that voluntary confession Houd be the best atone
mcnt Willcn Tue ptfYciiftor eoua make To the col
Iege, and they were moi without hopes that such q
confession would be made. luG II was not TO be
exfeOted that any oAc would confess so long as he
might fear that his confession would get MIN into
PRISON.
"fhere Is q story that a certain number aro sus-
pecte1 How iS THAI"
IL will tell you. lave suspected no one, ana
don't know thai anybody else does. Idid, however,
send for ten SophoAGaeS and few Juniors and
seniors, aud TOLD thcil mat wanted the perpetrator
Of the outrage to be Informed tnas II he confessed
bis act
TIM COiIEGE WOULD NOT RESORT TO THE COURTS,
but would simply GSpei him. The ten Sophomorcs
were persons VITO had been concerned to greater
OF ess degree in lazns, aud through whom the
government thought IL likely The Information they
wished 10 give mi Sht reach The offender. The ten
wore not accused OF having done TIE act; no charge
Of auy SOFT was MADE aga lst them or any one else.
The Juniora aud ors We're present as witnesses
mele!y.n
"Wei, did shis proposition nave the desired re-