The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1883-06-21

Hot-Bed for Rowdies.

| btiSh OmCIOt tius tOuIuSo 4
the innocent p pastimes OF gang
Of theological students:
! At Hamilton, N. T., is located the
Madison University, where preach
ers are hatched cut and harnessed
for hauling humanity heavenward
Hamilton is about twenty miles
south from Syracuse. Six miles
from Hamilton is the village Of Earl
vile, a quiet, modest place. On the
firsS of June, the young religious
whelps there studying for the min
istry IN order to be dedicated to the
canse Of Christ, to the number oi
fifty decided 30 haze Two young men
who would not join the card parties,
druaken bouts and raids upon pros
titutcs engaged in by others. To
this end a committee of the fifty Sc
lect loafers here being educated for
the ministry of Jesus, went to Earl
vile and engaged Felt Hall, for the
night, saying it was for society
meeting of the students. The charg-
es were paid and the keys given to
them.
During the day the majority of
the gang reached Earlvillc. After
the two decent students had retired
for the night, their room was broken
into by a portion of the gang.
They were then ruthlessly COM
PEELED to dress and were bound hand
and foot and gagged. A closed car
rage was in waiting, and into this
they were thrust and the horses
heads turned toward Earlville. The
larger part of tie participants had
gone in advance by carriages.
They arrived at their destination
about midnight, and Immediately
took charge of Felt Hall. Two large
barrels had previously been prepared
for the occasion. Sharpencd nails
had been driven into them from the
outside, SO that they protruded near
~ an inch in the interior. The two
victims were placed in these barrels
after the gags had been removed
from their mouths. The barrels
were then headed up. The floor of
the hall was wet down, and small
fire built in the centre. The barrels
were then rolled from one end OF the
hall to the other, and several times
around and over the fire. Reyolvers
were fired and firecrackers exploded.
The terrible din had aroused sew
eral of the villagers, who assembled
about the hall. The cries of the i'm
prisoned young men could be heard
above all the confusions. A consta-
bic demanded admission to the hall,
but was threatened with violence.
He ungallantly retreated. The bar
rels- were finally rolled down the
stairs and into the street. The heads
were knocked in and the two stu
dents liberated. They were more
dead than alive, and presented a
pitiable sight. When the citizens
offered to lend aid and call physl-
clan the firing of revolvers began
second time, and all we're glad to re
treat. The young mems clothing
was nearly torn from their bodies,
and the blood flowed from the
wounds caused by their coming in
contact with the sharpened nails.
The hazers were indignant over the
interference Of the villagers, broke
every street-iamp in the town, and
destroyed other valuable property.
, They made night hideous with
their racing. in the streets, firing
their rcvolyers and drinking liquors,
and at three O'Clock in the morning.
without eating or paying for the
elaborate supper prepared expressly
for them, left Earlville for Hamilton
and their college rooms. The two
victims of their cowardice, brutality
and drunkenness were cared for by
the people and at last accounts were
barely alive.
Every one of the loafcrs thus en-
gagged should be fined $4,000 and
imprisoned till the fine is paid, and
the proceeds should 90 to the vic
tins of such cowardly proceedings.
If the faculty Of Hamilton College
cannot make full amends for this
outrage, and protect their decent
students in tue future, the property
should be confiscated by the State
and converted into prison or
burned.
The acts of all the Spiritualists or
lafidels in the country are not so
disgraceing to civilization and chris
tianity as were the acts of the row.
dies and loafers who at the Madison
University are being educated to
the christian ministry