New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-10-23

n syringe into his mouth and between the
back of his neck and his neither garments.
Next, after a series of perambulations and
difficulties, he is halted and made to take a
solemn oath never to divuge any Of the
secrets of the order on penalty 81 having his
heart cut out and his limbs torn from his
body. The members stand around attired in
Deathshead masks and weird and fantastic
costumes, with war clubs in their bands. 4
coffin rests near by. wide open. and hung
with all the solemn drapery Of death. \ huge
green calcium light is kindled. and simulta-
neously with removing the bandage from the
victims eyes a musket is discharged, causing
fearful report. The conclusion Of the
sound. the hiieous glare, the unearthly and
demouiac appearance of everything around
him, together with his experience Just tcfrre
are too much for human nature. and Gin
swoons
But they have all been in Prof wiIier'>
Physiology class. aud are prepared for such
contingency. The patient i. soon restored
to animation. The bauiagc is again placed
over his eyes and he il laid in the coffin
Gin is now prepared for the last rite and
ceremony of initiation into the noble order
and fellowship of the Onicron Epsilon So
ciety. namely. brdHdiH9. The operation is
As follows: The clothing is removed from the
stomach; heated shovel is brought nearly
in contact with the body until the exposed
part is heated nearly to blister, when. sud-
denly, piece of ice is clapped on. At this
the initiated yells outright. His arms are now
loosened. Another sharp report is heard.
The lights are extincuished, and Gill is left
in the coffin alone. He rises with a wall OF
despair that has no simlitude in human
speech. After shouting two or three times
for assistance, he sees light family glim-
mering through the crevlces Of a door which
leads from the room he is in, whittier he goes
and endeavors to rush In. But the door i
fastened. He calls for admission to the light
The door opens slowly, and he is met by
the door-keeper. who ushers him in and
presents him to his new brethren Of the fra
ternity.
But little time is spent IN congratulations
for there are other candidates to be initiated,
and the new member is allowed to take part
10 the further exercises of the night. The
Delta Alpha, society of this class, initiated
twenty last Friday night. Some of them
claim to have thought it fun, and are trying
t. get others to Join.
Young Leggett fell upon his head and suf-
Tered instantaneous death by crushing of the
skull. One OF his companions had a clavicle
| fracture and the other was q good deal hurt
They seemed to have been his conductors
during this part of the ceremony. 1t was at
first thought to hush up the intelligence OF
his death. but the report getting out, the
body was taken in charge by the Coroner,
Just as it was leaving the depot. After the
inquest three classmates took the remains in
charge to escort them to his fathers resi-
dence in Washington. They passed through
here, in the performance of their sad duty,
on Saturday evening, taking the Northern
Central south. The sudden death and reve-
latlOn created the most intense imDressiOn
throughout the University, and everybody
about the village talked it over with bated
breath. a student witness of the sad
resulting ceremonies is said to have gone into
condition of insane Mysteries, over the oc-
currence of that fearful last Friday night.
We have not at hand the verdict of the Cor
oner's investigation.