, 1873-10-26
SEcRET.S0ClETY INVITATIONS.

WHEATON, ILL.,, Oct. 81, 1878.
70 tho Editor qf Ths chtcaqo Tribune:
sln: beg leave to call the attention Of tho
readers Of THE TRIBUNE to the fact that the
initiation during which Mortimer Leggost was
killed, ut Cornell University, N. Y, is no pecu-
liarity Of TINT institution. ''The Crock Frater-
nitics " which now lofy tho Faculties aud govern
the students Of most Of our American colleges
and universities, aro identical, in ovory essential
principle, with the limitations ut Cornell.
a respectable Professor of an important Vest
ern university, who graduated ut Yalo described
tp me. q fow weeks since, in my own house, tho
Yale, which wore no whit less brutal, lishumat-
izlng. and pagan. than tho limitations described
at Cornell in your columns, taken from tho Now
York papers. THO blindfolding; pinioning tho
arms tho cultural aud bopulchral tones tho
running, brui,sinE is, terrifying and general BAN
Yale, where they arc oscapod only by tic aons Of
wealthy parcnts, by tho payment Of large sums
OF money, and inflicted without mercy on poor
a1N and "stlngy" students. yonng, lawyer OF
inisiations, told mo, as hH own table, that,
though the son of temperance paronts, tho
money which lie paid in wont in part for sup
Per with champagne and other liquors! And
prominent citizeus Of New Havon had Witnessed
these infamous and degrading mutations,
as the body of tho members Of tic
Cornell Fraternity looked Oh. "amusel," while
thoir masked performers were pinionfng tho
arms, bludfoltling mud running at midnight Gas
gctt. ~'' ''' '''s
But tho nero brutal horse-play of initiation.
If TINT wero all, would bo comparatively harm
loss: Those performances aro part of q system
as Old as the Pyramids, and as extensive as o,lr
raco. missionary from Africa, II an Intelligent
ono, will describe to you the initiations of those
degraded tribes, at midnight. in rooms cut out
IN tho dense chappnral, where tho Initiate ia
stakod on the ground: face downward; terrified
BY tho pounding OF the oarth with clubs near
Ills head; and, in TINT state, sworn to secrecy
and obedience to his superiors, to conceal their
doings aud obey their mandates. A missionary
from Latakeiyah, on tho cast shore Of the Med
iterranoan, last month gave me lengthy ao-
begin thoir initiation Of boys ut tho ago of ia
years. They take them, ut midnight, to Bono
obscure valley or spot, like tlat crock ut Cornell
where Young Legsott was killed; and ho as-
ous lying, and faae, thoy all kept their oaths Of
initiationl and, by roaBon Of that, regard them
solves rs bottor than other mon. Tue secrets Of
this ordor were revealed in Arabic, and tic
missionary has promisod mo a translation. Tho
author Of the revolution WAS hunted. followed
eleven yours, and finally asaassipatod; and ini-
tiation6 60 on.
The theory Of ali those limitations ia ono, md
the aim one, viz: thnt leaders may royeI and
rot in secret yicos, supported by their dupes.
Gen. J. ". Phelps. who commanded under But
lor at Now Orloana, has translated from the
French full description Of the limitations prac-
ticod in tho Pyramids till men were too degraded
to pay.
Tho son OF an official at Washington (Commis.
sionor 1eggot) has been killed at Cornell. Tho
attempt will bo made to blink md blur over tho
fact that mon may ropoat in America tho nrao-
ticos which haye made Egypt stho baseet Of tho
Kingdoms" Yours respectfully,