National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-18
DEATH or YOUNG LKaeKrr,
Cause or the Sad. Accidcst-verdics q d
Cersn~r's Jury.

Cause or the Sad. Accidcut-vcrdics q the |
Cersser's Jury.
A telegram from Ithaca, N. y, states that
the coroner's jury find that the death Of this
most promising young man was purely acci-
dental, the testimony showing that In tho
process preliminary to the initiation In the
Kappa Alpha society deceased was blind
folded, when he, Lee, and Watson, who were
leading him, all fell on the cliff. Tho above
fully agrees with the Views entertained by
General Leggett, as expressed 10 an dtfdchs
Of the REPUBLICAN, yesterday.
The General says there was no "haringa
about II. On the contrary, he Ia convinced,
from all the circumstances which have come
TO his knowledge the statements Of
President White and those who came on with
the remains Of his sou, and from what the
latter wrote him before his dcath.that bis
death was purely accidental, and wholly dis
connected with any hazing process: From
the time he first entered the university Nor
timer wrote his parents almost daily, and In
every letter spoke Of the kind manner In
which he was treated by all OF his Fellow
students, including the members OF tho higher
classes. He stated that there were no lndl-
cations whatever Of hazipg at the university,
and that but one instance Of u had ever oc-
CURED In the Institution, aud that about two
years ago, aud, further, that those who par
ticipatcd In IL were sumnarily expelled:
A short time before his death Mortimer
who was very dutiful and ancctionate son,
wrote both his father and mother In separate
letters telling them that he had received tho
compliment Of au invitation to join tho
Kappa Alpha society, and asking II they mad
any objection TO his becoming member. he
, stated the leading principles OF u, Camong
them being abstinence from the use o. to-
prohibiting the use OF profanc and obscene
language, &c, } and said that most OF the cx-
, cmplary young men aud several OF tho pro-
|. fcssors belonged to the order. He also gave
the names OF several well-known gentlemen
IN the Interior Department who belonged y
, the society, (which Is about hfty years Old,
i among them Solicitor Smith and Gen. Meyer,
chief signal officer. The General returned
an answer giving his own and his mother
, full consent TO Join the society, and DC
: (Mortimer) was simply on his way 70 INC
: place of rendezvous when the accident &C
8 Cured which ended In his death, ne wiz
!, two other students, as has becn stated, wcr'
\ near the precipicc without being aware OF u
h and bearing two other students coming be
I hind them, young Lcsgctt and his companion
. playfully ran to hide In the bushes whici
4 fringcd the chasin, and before they knew Q
tated from the cliff. Tho other two student
In the rear came very near meeting with I'd
Q Gen. and Mrs. Leggott have been earncstl
J. urged by the faculty Of the university an
the Order Of Kappa Alpha 70 visit the uni
Y ycrsity and satisfy themselves by inquiry An
g charge, and General L. says no intends TO
q BY and by, simply to please the gcntlcine
i who tender the invitation, but not Tor IN
. purpose Of investigating, since he Is tho'
70 oughly convinced that there Is no foundauo
whatever for the reports OF haEing which u
enemies of Cornell are circulating.
| Mnrti,,cr NJ horn In pOlnnt
l. Mahoning county, Ohio, on the 5th Of jun
:. 1855. His father removed to GAINESVILLE, J
~ the same State, during his early tnfanc.
. where the family resided until they came
n this city. Mortimer graduated 81 the "a
10 department Of the Columbian College Of tn
~ District, and was admitted to practice law
~ the bar Of the Supreme Court Of the Distri
he last season, before he was seventeen yea
r. of age.
r. studies he was sent TO the Cornell Unive
h. sity, at Ithaca, N. Y, the native place OF y
.y father. Here, as everywhere, he soon
n came q general fayorite, one Of the cyidcnc
n. Of which was the invitation TO join tho selc
n secret society," In the preliminary introdu
10 ton 10 which he Lost his life.
10 This sad event occurred on the 10th VI o
re tobcr, 1878. Although 1t was purely az,
,ot II, ono cannot but suggest that u Ia calam
y, of practice in the locality and form Of Il
I'd preliminary TO initiation. This midnis
:. stroll can have nothing very good to rccoI
on mend II, which may not be Just a. well
oh tanned, by small effort Of the imaginatio
IN within the house as by vcntnring into une
lre plored fields and forests. Let us hope III
~. this change will be made In the forms
Wv initiation into the Kappa Alpha societi
III In our several colleges as an attempt to alto
m. for the irrcparablc loss to family, friends
em society Of which II has In this instance be-
nm. the occasion.