Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-12
CAN'T CARRY CANES
Freshmen Beaten at the Evans.
ton. llls., Cane Rush.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE


"soph,' Win the Fight and the Piaudits
90 the Onlooker "A Two Minute strug-
gle Dooms the Freshmen to Caneisss
Melancholy for the Coming Year.
CHICAGO. Ocs. le The annual cane rush
at tbs Northwestern university at Evanston,
lis. took place yesterday, the fight begin.
ming at 4 p IN. There was large crowd
OF visitors, besides the collegians who did
not take part in the rush tue struggle being
between the sophomores ami freshmen The
conditions OF the contest were that
IL was 10 last not longer than sew.
enteen minutes Ii at the expiration
OF that time the freshmen held the cane
against the onslaught of tue older collegiani
they would be entitled 10 twiri sticks for a
twelvemonth without fear OF molestation
The stick was one ana a quarter inches In
diameter and four feet long Ii the sophie
mores wrenched the cane from these giants
OF broke it in the assault the freshmen could
not carry canes for year Last year the
freshmen won the bnttle
Formation OF the Hosts
The fifty freshmen of '93 formed in three
divisions al the SOU heru end OF the campus
Behind them were the giants of the class
Betcheller Ma!iley and Walker-witb their
hands wrapped around the white ash cane
and braced to receive the coming shock
There were only forty-three sophomores
They were led 10y Capt Noyes When the
freshmen braced themselves for the attack
The 'sophs" formed in nine compact divisions
with their giants IN the first platoon All
were IN crouchng posture and each bad
singled cut the freshman whom be was to
attack
Cheered the Fair Women.
Just as the signal for the attack was about
to be given nearly fifty sophomore girls from
the seminary marched upon the campus
waving umbrellas which were festocned with
the colors OF the college Tue sophomore
boys gave the girls a ringing cheer, which
was recognized by the dipping of the coors
The pretty adherents of tie fuzzy freshmen
cane later, and were greeted with roar as
vociferous that which had welcomed the
dainty little "sophS"
The Battle Is Begun
The signal was given, and the three divis-
ions of freshmen moved three feet for ward
while BatcheIler, Mailley aud Walker took
fresh grip on the white stick and dug their
heels into the turf The sophoInores. who
were only 100 feet away, dashed forward
with loui roar. They cleared the OPEN
ing IN less than three seconds, the giants of
the class rushing forward with their arms
upon one another's shoulders Just before
the shock came the "sophs" who were on the
Hanks OF the giants, spread out like Skin
mishers, leaving the column Of men who
were TO make the first assault on the stick to
dash along like a wedge The first division
OF freshmen. who were to receive the shock
OF the charge were crouching like cats The
two classes cams together with terrific vio-
lence
Where the Fight Waxed Hot.
The huge wedge of the sophomores cut a
swath in the three divisions of the freshmen.
and then, with yell, fell upon Batch
eller, Maillev, and Walker. A furi-
Gus struggle ensued The wedge had not
escaped without injury Half a dozen big
"sophs. who had started i'm this column.
were upon the ground with big freshmen
sitting heavily upon them On all sides the
weaker members of both classes were fight
ing desperately for supremacy. Half a hun
dred men were upon the ground
Some had been hurled there By skill.
ful wrestling, while others had been
shocked down or tripod Many an old
grudge OF years standing was squared in
the terrific combat Occasionally a sopho
more, with his canvas shirt torn and stained.
man and join in the furious fight which W as
being made on Batcheller aud his two big
classmates. Then a freshman, with his nose
al awry, and his eyes filled with tears,
would worm himself out of n locS ssoph"
had fastened on him and run to the assist
ance OF these plucky caneholderS
BatchelIer Meets the Onslaught
Thus the two classes struggled Bat
cheller's giant form clad in white and black. :
lowered high abo re the sophomores who
were Juggling at his legs and arms His big
brown hands were wrapped around the
center OF the stick As he stood there in the
midst OF a writing mass of bodies, legs and
arms, bis pale, grim face looked like that of
a tempest-tossad pilot, who had fastened his
hands upon tina wheel and proposed TO hold
them there until "tbe last galoot was ashore
Mailley and Walker also chung to the stick
with all the desperation Of their classmste
Twice they were brought to their knees by
blows and skillful wrestling but they ne yer
released their grip. They gave big Batch
eller splendid support
The Cane Rush l. Won
Two minutes Of fierce conflict hal gone by
when tail, slender fellow, q f Fawcett.
who was hatless AM sweatv, and whose blue
jumper was torn and dirty. now broke away.
from freshman who bal hee9 b. -SinC MN
' 70 Cne s rS1ne With long leap he seized
bofh ends of the cane, and, throwing him
self so that his feet were IN the air, brought
his entire weight upon the stick, which
cracked and finally snapped in twain in the
hands of Batcheller, MailIey, and Walker. A
mighty roar rose from the sophomores, and
their pretty adherents waved their ribboned
umbrellas above the heads of the spectators
The freshmen had been beaten
Fawcett the Hero.
With loud cheers and the college cry of
"Rah rah, rah. zip. boom, rah, n W. U.
W" three excited "sophs" lifted Fawcstt
upon their shou ders and trotted him
about the campus The young man
bowed to the young ladies, who cheersd him
again The poor girls who had hoped to see
the freshmen win looked disconsolate They
crowded about the defeated coilegiaus and
slowly and sadly unloosened the blue and
pink ribbons from the tips of their umbrel-
las Fawcett chsered all the way to the
college The battle was fought 80 quickly
that not one of the collegians was badly
hurt