Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-11-14

The MICHGAN UNIVERSITY TEoUBIEs.-
The students Of Michigan University have
issued a statement IN regard to tie recent
disturbances. In this they say thai the
trouble originated in the fact that the pas
sage leading to the delivery widow at the
Ann Arbor pustoilicc is 50 narrow that only
a few students could enter at Il time. There
having been some jostling and crowdins in
consequence the postmaster made an order
that only one student should enter at a time
The students say that at that rate it would
take several hours before the last conner could
obtain his mail; that the new rule caused Il
crowd of students before the postoilice which
increased till fully five hundred mad collect
ed; yet that the students preserved remark
ably good order until. inccnscd by the pro-
fame and insulting language of the police,
they INDUCED in few jeers and groans,
whercupon the police unjustly assaulted, ar
rested and imprisoned ten or eleven stu
dents" The assemblage of students the
next evening is declared to have been ''from
CullOsllN- HC Stdltliltlll says Ol IL
\ large number Of students aud towns-pcOple
assembled at the same place the next (Weilnes-
day evening. from curiosity. This assemblage Of
the students at the postOiice the precOnceried
signal for the ringing Of the rebe 10 call ont the
militia and large squad OF roughs depuiized -
special policemen. Some of the students vino were
quietly walking on the streets were brutally
sauted and arrested by the policemen and the
specials" At the order of the Mayor company
OF the State militIa-tO the surprise of nearly
everyone-appeared on the Streets armed with
Ne Il hf W. ~
IRE low II commanded" Al THIS time the persons
on the street were quiet and orderly-womrn and
children constantly passing. The militia marched
down the street 10 the Court House square where
they charged with fixed bayOn.ts on the crowd and
wounded several. The only one. however. severe
~ injured by this reckless charge was citizen 81
the town. While the military were performing the
crowd continually increased until the military LETT
After thai II dispersed gradually. that o clock
there were few people the street. The police
and the specials" received orders TO arrest
every student found in the street. and were pro-
missed the sum of y for every student so arrested.
That students were illegally and unJusty arrested
and Imprisoned Tuesday ami "Wednesday evenings
by officers who are disgrace 10 any civilized COM
munity il proven by the fac; that their actions are
condemned hy all hiEh-mindcd and impartial ctI-
Zens and that not onr OF the officers making the
rests appeared against them at their examination.
AMI the students Were discharged.
II l. evident, Therefore, thar III. chIrt cause of
the disturbance was the arbitrary AMI uuclIcd for
action Of the mayor arising from hostile feel
ings toward the university.
Appended TO the statement is II preamble
and resolutions, adopted at n general meet
ing of the students of all the departments.
In these they proclaim themselves in favor
of law and order and deprccate lawlessness
and violence; declare that the Mayor de
serves the ccnsurc of all law-lbiding citizens;
pronounce the account of the riot given 10y
the Ann ArbOr Democrat to be "A libel and
lie" resolve that the students will patronizt
none of the merchants of the town who
counseled, aided or abetted the authorities;
instruct the stewards Of the various clubs To-
purchase outside of Ann Arbor the provisions
to supply their tables declare that the keep
ing of their classmates in the county Jail for
twelve hours was violation of their liber-
ties as citizens resolve that a committee Of
six members from each Of the departments
be appointed TO raise money and retain coun-
sci that all who Were concerned in these
unlawful arrests he prosecuted TO the full
extent Of the law.
All of which, with the accounts otherwise
received, show a condition of affairs at Mich
igan University decidedly uniavorable to
quiet study. The suits threatened, if brought,
will probably indicate whether the postmas-
ter, mayor, police, militia or students were
most to blame; and perhaps show that each
must bear share.