Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-10-18
T+E TRAGEDY At ITmAcA.
we HslstSsssS Oe UossuuO UoOvOe %.
~fTr .~UtUeuOs.
now YOUNG LEGqETT WAS KILLED-THE
CHASTITY FUN THAT LEADS TO DEATH.

now YOUNG LEGGETT WAS KILLED-THE
CHASTITY FUN THAT LEADS TO DEATH. Il
a -
A brief despatch to the Associated Press ON .
Saturday Teads thus - II
Mortimer Leggett, son OF N. ID. Leggett, U.
:: Semmlssl0nsr Of Patents, was killed last
night by falling from cliff near Ithaca, N. Y.
" Oung Leggett was o member Of the Cornell
University, In the Freshman class, and was
undergoing an initiation into . secret society
OF the college, the ceremony taking place at
some house la the village adjacent to the pre-
cipitous banks Of Six Mile creek. In the pro-
cess OF the nitiatenit seems the initiated Is led
through many devious mazes and over threat
ening difficulties, one of which in this case was
the precipitation OF young Leggett Off high |
cliff to the banks of the creek below, together
with his two attendants. That the reader |
may better get an inkling Of initiation Of col
| le9e societies we take from Cornell Univer- |
slty lettef 10 the Bnftalo OODHReTciet some ae-
count OF
AN INITIATION
The night for the performance Of the rites, |
which Is usually Friday night has come |
around. The members of the society meet in |
secret lodge in some remote room OF an upper
story and, prepare for the tceTGSn0nies. The
Candidate sits his room with much treplda-
ton as the hours drag by. at the dead hour
Of night, four knights, incOg, appear at his
room, blndfold and plniOn his arms, and lead
him away. He iscOnducted through unknown
streets, byways, and winding alleys, over
stony, grOuhd and uneven surfaces, and
never addressed, save In sepulchral tones
Having at length assembled a fight of
stairs, he is now led by unaccountable
; wanderiDgs through rooms and halls,
stumbling over chairs, scantling, and pieces
of wood on the floor, but never allowed to fall,
for two sturdy knights are at mis- sides with
firm hold Of his arms. Next a rope is fastened
around his body and he is drawn up into
3 another apartment He hears the tramping
of many feet about him suppressed Whis-
peIs, and stern behestS. He Is utterly cOufu.
2 sed. His escorts now let go Of him, and he Is
I compelled to 9rope alone for while, though
I never daring to stop for an instant at the per-
! II of beng punched, and pushed and tripped
2 until in his frenzy he runs against the wall
aud,
KNOCKS GINsELr DowN.
He Is Immediately seized and thrown upon q
''banket" which Is a large canvas with strap han
% dies. This is held by ten haEdY fellows, who give
it atNiteh aud send him into thoaiF as il be were
n a football. He is "tOssed in the blanket" until II
! ceases to be fun for the tormentOrs. Then he ID
is led into damp place where he is subjected to
the process Of squirting caustlc liquid from
4 | a syringe into his mouth and between the back
AZ of his neck and neither garments Next, after
" serbs Of penmhulationa and dfnaculties he L
halted and made to take a most solemn oatl
/ never to dlvulge any of the secrets of the order
on penalty OF having his heart cut out and hl
an limbs torn from MS body. = NE members stan'
- around attired in deaths head masks, and weir
~ and fantastic costumes, Eith war clubs in thei
u hands. A coffin rests near by, wide open, ON
- lhuRg with all the solemn dFapery Of death. 4
"A huge green calcium light Is kindled and simultI
~ neously with removing the bandage from the vic
vi TINS eyes q musket Is discharged, casing fsa
full report. The cOnaussiOn Of sound, the hIdeOu
z 9 glare, the uneaFthly and demOnlae appearance
everJt ling aTO1nd him, together With his exper
ence Just before, are too much for human nature
and he swoOns. But they have all been in Pr
fessor Wllder's physiology class, and are pr
jv lpared for such a contingency. The patient
ne soon
va RESTORED To ANIMATION.
ct The badge is again placed over his eyes, an
ah he is laid in the cOfin. He is now prepared
lthe LAST right and caramony ofiaitiation in
the noble order and fellowship fthe 0micrC
+ Epsilon Society, namely, branding. The Of
TTY Grafton is o. folloWE-The clothing is remove
from the stomach; heated shovel is broOGl
nh nearly in contact with the body until the e.
,;r posed part IS heated nearly to blister, Whe
E suddenly, piece Of ice Is clsppeI on. At III
- che Initiated ytls oatrignt His arms are be
NJ lOOae1ed. Another sharp report il heard. T.
dIc tights are extnguished and he Is lef in the @
M fin alone. lie rises with vail Of despair th
80 has no simililnde in human speech. After shot
~ ing two or three times for assistance he seei
light family RlimmeFing through the crsVices
door which leads from the room he is
'As' whittier he goes and endeaVoFs to rush in.
- ,. the door is lasteOsd He calls aloud for adm
ana Sion 10 tuo llkuts AuO uOOE OpGnb SLOWLY
'ove he is met by the door keeper, who ushers him
1 an his new brethren ofthe fraternity,
died But little time is spInt in congratulatioas,
ring there are other candidates to y initiated,
ONE the new member il allowed 10 lake part in |
further exercises Ofthe night.
4 ...a IHR TRAGEDY.
- Young Ieggett fell upon his head distai
INA OF forty feet and suffered death BY crushing
- : the skn.l One OF his companions had claw
lsrIl fracture aud the ether wasla good deal hl
vice They seem - have been his canduCtOIs dur
ash this part Of the ceremony. Ii was at first thou
Anee 70 hush up the intelligenc Of his death, but
ana report getting out, the body was taken 10 cha
by the OOEnnsrs The sadden death and FeVC
tion crsatedthe most intehssimpF throu
ILL ILL out the University.
49, ! TAe inanesl, which was commenced OO'
1lth but adjourned in order to enable the
a 70. juEed siudspty p aIVenEgas Wlins9ss vap ca
: one again yesterday, and postponed on account
Inc the absence of two jurors.