The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-14

are criminal. Tho recent acts of vandalism
and theft have led to the patrolling of tho
college grounds both at night and dav by
special detectives, but their efforts have
not been productive of the desired results
Not only have the students conducted
themselves riotouSly. but thcy have desc
Grated several of the college buildings
have removed historic relics and even have
stolen valuable Instruments While these
acts have been done in conformity with
the requirements of initiation into the scv.
crnl secret societies there has been Il Grim.
lnal intent shown which in an utsidcr
would he punished by imprisonment. But
Harvard men are Shrcwd-at least thcv
appear so, for mono OF the participants in
these recent acts of vandalism has been
dctcctcd-and the detectives have been un.
able to discover Il single clcw that would
lead 10 their Identification
~ short time ago drafting instruments
valued ut $1,000, which had been stolen
from the old gymnasium, were returned,
and the famous l.ouisburg cross. which for
20 years surmountcd the gable of the libra.
Iy and which disappeared one dnrl; night.
were returned as mystcriously to the libra
rian.
These thcfts, together with tho painting
in huge letters of red of tho words Nor.
tons Pride on the mosaic work of the
fogg Art museum, being Il grind on
Professor Norton, and the painting of the
college seal i'll crimson on Gray's hall.
with the words, "To HI with Yale arc
laid at the door of the secret society known
rs the Med. Fac, whose requirements of
initiation are that the ncophyte shall do
some act for which, if detected, he would
be brought before tho police court or cx-
PEELED from the university
4, c.,x
from the gymnasium one dark night few
weeks ago, the neophytc climbing to the
roof of the building and gaining entrance
through window near whore the insta'u.
mcnts were kept in case. The theft hay.
ing become noiscd about, the instruments
were returned by mail, the sender paying
postage on 10 packages ut 10 cents each
The l.ouisburg cross was brought from
Canada by Governor Shirley in 17i5, hay
ing been taken from Il cathedral there dur
ing the invasion. Ii hung for years on tho
walls Of the college buildings. and when
one of them was burned early in the cen
fury the cross was recovered from the ruins
and placed on exhibition in Gore hall
About 30 years ago it was gilded and
placed on the gable Of the library, where
II remained undisturbcd until IL few
months ago, when il was wrcnchcd from
that the cross had been seen in the room
OF one of the secret society leaders, steps
were being set on foot to search the sew
cral dormitories. when one morning last
week the librarian, on going to open tho
building, found the relic hanging to the
! doorknoh, with note attached ascribing
Its disappearance TO the a. p. AS
Besides all the pranks, there have been
numerous ludicrous initintory require
mcnts at Harvard of late, to which the
faculty does not take exception so long ms
no brutality is shown. The only recent
eases of brutality marked have been the
tying of IL nCophytc to the railing OF the
bridge over tho Charles river and leaving
him blindfoldcd to shiver all night in the
cold and the shooting of "a blindfoldctl
man ON a sled down the shoots into the
icy waters of the miniature lake
Among the ludcrous exhibitions have
been the Swimming of dust off the snow in
the college yard the playing of hand or
gans, tho making of temperance addresses
on the street corners and the parnding in
burlcSquc costumes.
There is great rivalry this year between
the ID. Is. H. s, othcrwisc known us { he Dick