The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-02-11
A College Practical Joke and Its Au.
thOrS.


A College Practical Joke and Its Au.
thOrs.
DIR. JESSE T. PECK was President OF
Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa, in 1913,
ana was made the victim of practical
joke about that time which was widely
published and regarded as the very es-
| sence of college mischief The authors
| IF that joke can at this late day be made
known for the first time without sub
mitting them to censure Dr. Jesse r.
Peck (afterward Bishop Peck, and now,
II we mistake not, dead was very large
| man, dlgniflcd in his manner and bear
ing and with a peculiar faculty for roll
| ing his rs In conversation, which made
MS speech very impressive. AT Dickin-
son College in that year was Moncure d.
Conway, now famous in this country and
England for his high literary attain
ments, his vigorous, brilliant intellect,
and his strong minded views on all relig-
,ous and scientific topics. Mr. Con way
Tor, as his fellow-students STYLED him
then, Mono. Conway was not regarded
as brilliant student, but was rather
noted Tor his literary predictions. He
appreciated humor and enjoyed the prac-
tical Jokes for which college students
have always had a weakness. In the
same Junior class was Marcus ]. Par
rott, who afterward became prominent
man In the Free Soil party of Kansas.
This was the same Marcus j. Parrott
who, some years ago, while at the Lang
ham Hotel, In London, dispatched TO the
Grand Hotel in Paris to reserve
eo.,r,~t n.,tr for hin, Or hic arrival tbera
one of the grandest suites of apartments
in the hotel had been reserved for him,
while he was greeted with the greatest
display of respect by mine host and his
staff. This extraordinary attention to a
single American sovereign was caused
by "a ludicrous misconception of Mr.. Par
rott's name. The dispatch conveyed to
the landlord the impression that the
apartments were for the Marquis de
Parrot, distinguished foreign noble
man.
Dickinson College was sustained at the
time we referred to by the Methodist
conferences of Pennsylvania, Virginia
and Maryland, and the annual confer
ence was to be held at Staunton, Va, in
March, 1S4S. DR.. Peck, as was custom
ary, made his arrangements 10 attend the
conference and also to witness the in
auguration of President Taylor in Wash
ington. The students were aware of the
fact, and one evening Moncure ID. Con
way, Marcus j. Parrott and f. A. Maein-
ness, then freshman from New Albany
(now the portly Manager of the Louis
vile Industrial Exposition) sat down to
play game of euchre. The Presidents
visit to Staunton was commented upon,
and in the mischievous spirit of reckless
studenthood a practical joke was pro-
iected which, after mutual suggestions
from each of the three, assumed COM
plete shape.
Conway could initiate Dr. Peck's hand
writing, and pen and ink being procured
he wrote to the Superintendent of the
insane asylum at Staunton, Va, in which
he stated that very respectable citizen
of Carlisle, Pa, named Hugh Blair, was
subject to temporary alteration OF the
mind, during which he imagined himself
to be Dr. Jesse t. Peck, President of
Dickinson College. Then followed de-
scription of the unfortunate Hugh Blair,
which description was an elaborate pict-
ure of DR.. Peck himself. AS Mr. Hugh
Blair had been absent some days his
friends were becoming alarmed, and the
supposition was that, as DR.. Peck would
reach Staunton to attend the conference
on certain day. MIR. Hugh Blair had
gone there under his delusion, and would
be on the same train. Would the Su-
perintendent be 50 kind as to watch the
train, and if the gentleman described
came to take him to the asylum without
exciting his fears, and retain him there
until his friends could come for him,
when all expenses would be paid, and
| they would be ever grateful, etc. This
letter was sent, and the trio awaited the
sequel.
Dr. Peck, in all his imposing dignity,
reached Staunton on the day expected.
On stepping from the train he was ac-
costed by a polite gentleman with, I" Is
this DR.. Peck?" "Yes, sir; | am DR..
was the dignified response. "Glad to
see you, sir. Will YOU step into my
| carriage, DR.. Pcck?" said the affable
gentleman. Dr. Peck, supposing it to
| be an attention which was being paid
| to the President of Dickinson College,
complied, and was driven to the asylum,
| his companion chatting pleasantly on the
way. He had not been inside the insli-
tuition long before he discovered its
character, and naturally desired to
know why he had been brought there.
| The Superintendent assured him that he
would not be harmed; that he would
| simply. be required to remain at the
| institution until MS ITleDuS came Tor
| HILL lI. cCk DcCdlllt lnulSudnl, anu
demanded to be released He de
clared himself to he DR.. Jesse T. Peck,
President of Dickinson College," but,
as this exactly corresponGed with
the description given Of the unfor-
tunate Hugh Blair and his peculiar
deiusion, the Superintendent smiled
blandly, and begged the doctor not to
excite himself. Finally Or. Peck's pro-
testations were SO violent that the Super
intendent, to pacify the supposed mono
maniac, acceded to his request to send
for his conference friends to identify
him. They came in wonder and sur
prise, and the doctor was recognized by
his astonished friends, and released with
profuse apologies from the Superin-
tendent who could only, in palliation for
his error, produce his letter, assuming TO
be from DIR. Peck, regarding .he unfortu
nate Hugh Blair.
DIR. Peck felt very much hurt over this
cruel joke; the pleasure of his visit to
the conference was spoiled, and on his
return to the college the entire faculty
among which were Prof. Beard, now of
the Girard College, and DR.. Tiffany, now
pastor of the Methodist Memorial
Church, of hington--instituted an
investigation to discover the authors of
the prank, but all their efforts were in
vain.-LoutsviHe (Ky.) Commercial.
Wanted to Copyright Dog.