Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-04-03
A HaZed Students Device,

III 1ODI-Z SOluC vi llIC law Olutl
students of Bowdoin college undertook to
stop all hazng and other like rregulari-
ties. They sometimes used "carnal weap-
ons,' and used them pretty effectively,
too, to the grief of those who considered
hazing fine institution and all who inter-
fered with it as having no rights which Il
hazer was bound to respect. Some cir
cumstances made one of the leaders of the
antihazing party especially obnoxious,
and he was warned that some terrible
vengeance would be executed upon him
by Il league formed for that purpose He
was not easily frightened; and he did not
think it necessary to take precautions.
One night, about midnight. seven of the
hazers broke into his room and siezed him
in his sleep. 1t did not take him long to
wake up sufficiently to comprehend the
situation. He instantly decided to play
"possum " and feign death. He was
borne down two flights of stairs with a
rush, in no gentle hands, and, with many
wrench and bruise, to the pump. But
he never moved; he lay perfectly limp in
their hands. The device succeeded. When
they reached the pump one of the assail-
ants exclaimed: =" He is dead" the fright
ened students dropped him on the ground
and fled. The sight of the pump and the
wet platform revived the dead. and he
rose and pursued the fleeing students.
Fear added wings to their flight; they
were all masked, and they all made good
their escape. He went back to bed, and,
being naturally unexcitable and cool, he
went to sleep, woke later than usual, ate
his breakfast, and went about his usual
business, taking no notice of the affair.
The students held college meeting and
passed strong resolutions commendatory
of his course and character, and condemn
| ing the perpetrators of the act rs unwor-
thy of college fellowship. But they were
unknown, and the college faculty were
unable to take any action in the premises,
even if it had been minded to do se What
were its nclinations, or whether 1t had
any, we do not know. The student, how
ever, had decided what course he would
pursue before he went to sleep that event
full night, and was we'll satisfied with his
decision. He has shown in after life, in
many critical emergency. the same cool
ness and the sane resoluteness of purpose
which served him then. For six weeks he
absolutely refused to talk about the affair,
even with his most intimate friends. Every
one thought it buried forever. In conse-
quence the actors became communitave.
They "leaked." The student waited and
watched till his evidence was accumulated
and convincing. Then, one morning, he
waited on II lawyer in the town and de-
sired to retain him for criminal prosecu-
ton for assault and battery. The lawyer
was at first inclined too pooh-pooh at him.
The student pressed the question: Is it
assault and battery to break into mans
room at night and carry him forcibly
down stairs to pump on him? Is it an Of
fense against the laws of the stateP Is
there any punishment provided for such
an offense? Will you take the retainerp
kOr shall it go TO the lawyer over the way?
The case was taken, the warrants were
issued, the seven perpetrators were all
arrested-if we are not mistaken, were
marched out Of their recitation room-one
morning by the constable; and seventeen
collegians were summoned as witnesses to
prove the facts. The whole college was in
IN uproar; the excitement extended
throughout the town, and we venture to
say that the Office of the justice of the
peace was never thronged. before or since,
by more interested and excited crowd.
The justice adjourned the case for two
weeks to give time for, the employment of
able counsel. Lawyers were retained for
the defense from Portland. But when they
knew the facts they advised their clients
that there was no defense. They were
guilty; they would be convicted; they
must be sentenced. The court would have
no option. There was no escape except