The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-22
The Mysteries or College Secret
2OrSefieS.

The Mysteries or College Secret
Societies.
NOW YOUNG LEGGETT wAs KILLED AT CORNELL
AN INITIATION DESCRIBED BIZ ONE WHO HAS
BEEN "THRoUGH."
The sad death Of Mortimer Leggett,
young student of Cornell University, and
son of the United States Commissioner OF
Patents. occasions the most profound excite
ment at Ithaca, N. T., where the tragedy has
Just been brough. to fight. 1t appears that
Young Leggett was the victim OF barharous
treatment ct the hands OF q number OF bis
who had undertaken the
task Of initiating him into the mysteries OF
college secret society. The practice OF
bIindfolding the candidate and cutting
him with O whip-iash, and otherwise
i'll treating him, appears to have been
carried out to the letter In this instance,
and TO have resulted In the most tragic
consequences. The members OF the Kappa
Abba fraternity, having elected young
Lepgett member, met on the bank
OF a creek Just outside the village, few eve
nings since, and after ordering the candidate
to step into ring be was seized by half o
dozen masked students, bis hands bound be-
hind him, and blipdfolded. He was then
chased up and down the banks Of the stream
while large number Of students looked on
from distance, amused at the terror and
struggles of young Leggett. Suddenly two
of The students in charge of Leegett disap-
peared with their victim. Hearing groans
and cries, q number Of students took means
to reach the bottom of deep gorge in the
vicinity, and the three unfortuaates were
found on an abrupt bank lying across each
other, and suffering the most Intense
agony. II was there found that Leg
gett, after falling over the precipice, fifty
feet in height, had struck on his
head, fracturing the skull, breaking the
bones of the nose, and partly dislocating the
neck. He lived about half an hour after the
fall, but was uncon. cious, and constantly
moaning "Uhl don't!'' Take it OFF,,
Take it off!" referring. it is supposed, to
the baudage over his eyes. One of his tor
tlrers had his collar-boDe broken and was
slightly bruised about the body, while the
ether had his thigh severely bruised, and, it
is feared, suffered internal injuries. The
alarm was ut once given, and the officers and
students of the University started for the
scene OF the tragedy. Before young Legsett
had been conveyed to his room, however, he
expired, and his parents, IN Washington, were
at once notified OF the outrageous perform
ance which had resulted in the death Of their
promising son. :. u.s.. /
We clip from Cornell University letter
in the Buffalo Commercial some account of
an initiation: -, -... .. ,...'-ls.. -
''But, that you may not be wearied by
generalties, 'akean example. Gill is fresh
man a -footer-with herculean girth Of
shoulders, and always ready for an exploit.
He Is approached by sophomore, who asks
him to join the Omicron Epsilon Soriety, or
some other outlandish title composed OF the
names OF Greek letters. He promises an
easy initiation, and tells him what fun it will
be to see the other candidates initiated.
Gill, perhaps, has heard rumors about
such societies and their doings. He is
itching with curiosity to know all
about them. He may have been cautioned
to keep clear of them, but curiosity
and the persuasives of the sophomores are
TOO much to be resisted SO he signs pledge
TO ioin the society. The night for the per-
fornance of the rites, which is usually
Friday night, has come around. The mem.
hers of the society meet in secret lodge in
some remote room in an upper story, and
nrepare for the ceremonies. The candidate
sits in his room with much trepidation as
the hours drag by. At the dead hour OF
nisht. uwhen church, yards yawn and graves
rive up their dead" four knights, 'ncog.,
appear at his room, blindfold, and pinion
his arms. and lead him away. He is con.
Quoted along unknown streets, by-ways, and
winding alleys, over stony ground and un-
even surfaces, and never addressed save in Sc.
pulchral tones. Having at length assembled q
flight of stairs, Gill is now led by unaccounta-
bile wanderings through rooms and halls,
stumbling over chairs, scantliDg, and pieces OF
wood on the floor, but never allowed to fall,
for two sturdy knights are at his sides with
firm hold OF his arms. Next, rope is fast
ened around his body and he is drawn up
into another apartment. He hears the
trampling of many feet about him, suppress
ed whispers. and stern behests. He is utterly
confused. His escorts now let 60 of him, and
he is compelled to grope alsne for awhile
though never daring to stop for an instant Of
the peril of being punched and pushed and
tripped until, in his freuzy, he runs against
The wall and knocks himself down. He Is
Immediately seized and thrown upon
/. blanket" which Is a large canvas
with strap-handes. This is held by ten
hardy fellows, who give it a tWitch
and send him into the air as If he were
football. He Is "tossed in the blanket
nntil il cease. to be fun for the tormentors
Then he is led into damp place, where ne is
subjected 10 the process of squirting some
caustlc liquid from syringe into bis mouth
and between the back Of his neck and neither
garments. Next, after series of peramoula
fiona and difficulties, he is halted and made
TO take q most solemn oath never to diyuge
anv of the secrets OF the order on penalty OF
bayiny his heart cut out and his limbs torn
from his body. The members stand around
alfred in deatl's-bead masks and weird and
fantastic costumes, with war-clubs in thell
hands. A coffin rests near BY, wide open,
and hung with all the solemn drapery
of death. A huge green calcium
light is kindled, and simultaneously
with removing the bandage from the
victim's ewes q musket is discharged, caus-
ing q fearful report. The conclusion OF
soiInd. the hideous glare, the unearthy and
demoniac appearance of everything around
him. together with bis experience just be-
fore. are too much for human nature, and
Gin sWoons. But they have all been In
Professor Wilder's physiology class, and are
nrepared for such contingency. The pa
tient IL soon restored to animation. The
bandage is again placed over his eyes, and
he is laid In the coffin. Gill Is now prepared
for the last rite and ceremony of the initia.
ton into the noble order and fellowship OF
the Omicron Epsilon Society-namely,
branding. The operation is as follows: :
The clothing Is removed from the stom-
ach;a heated shovel is brought nearly in
contact with the body until the exposed part
is heated to blister, when suddenly a piece
Of ice is clapped on. At this the initiated
wells outright. His arms are now loosened.
Another sharp report is heard. The lights
are extinguished, and Gill Is left In the coffin
oio,a He rises with q wall of despair that