Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-06-09
THE COLLEGE FRACAS.
The Members of the Faculty Report tn
Matter to the Governor.

The members of the faculty of the
South Carolina college, on last Satur,
day, submitted to Governor Ellerbe 9
complete report of the recent unfortu
nate occurrence on the grounds of the
South Carolina college, and the same
was sent in, accompanied by the fol-
lowing letter from President Woodrow
DEAR S1R-In accordance with Q
resolution adopted by the faculty o.
the South Carolina college, 1 beg re-
spectfully to submit to you the en-
closed statement concerning certain
deplorable events which occurred last
Friday afternoon, May 2Sth. l beg
leave, in addition, to lay before you
facts which may aid in fully under
standing the case.
By referring to an act of the gen
eral assembly, approved Dec. %, 1890
it will be seen that the college proper
ty vests in and is the property of the
University of South Carolina. The
trustees of the university have in their
bylaws provided that the president o.
the college shall have "care and con-
troll of the grounds" Hence they can
not be used for any purpose or by any
person except by the permission OF the
president unless the trustees may have
given specific directions. In view Of
all this, it is useless to discuss the
claim that. as the grounds are public
property, the state militia has right
to use them as it might wish. 1t has
exactly the same right to use these
grounds as it has to use the garden
and other grounds attached to the ex
ecutive mansion, or the executive
chamber itself.
On the 18th ultimo, I received let
ter from Colonel Willie Jones, asking
permission to use our ball grounds fo,
an inspection of the Columbia mill
tary companies. 1 cheerfully gave
the permission in the following note:
"Colonel Willie Jones.
"DEAR SIR--In reply to your letter
of May 18th, would say that you are
welcome to the use of our ball grounds
for your inspection next Wednesday.
"If convenient to you I would be
glad if you could confine the regiment
to the eastern half of the grounds, 81
as to keep from roughening the parts
specially used by the ball players
which, I understand, they have laid
off and smoothed especially for theil
games. Yours very truly,
JAMES WOODROW.
AS our ball grounds contained nine
acres, knew that the eastern half,
which containes more than four acres
would afford the amplest room for the
evolutions of the two small compa.
nies-perhaps 70 men in all-durine
an inspection; and I took for granted
that Colonel Jones would, of course,
confine his command to the part l bade
him welcome. No one, superior officer
or otherwise, had any right to 60 be.
yond the limits indicated to Colonel
Jones.
For certain reasons, the inspection
was not held on Wednesday, but with
out further communication with me, OF
with Acting President Sloan, in my
absence, it was held on Friday, with
the attending circumstances set forth
in Professor Sloan's statement. OuI
students were peacefully playing 8
game of ball with invited guests, on
the part of the grounds which 1 had
expressly reserved for them, when they
were interrupted and their game was
broken up by the coming of the mill
tary companies by the command OF
their higher officer or officers. The
students were where they had a right
to be, and were doing what they had
a right to do; and those who interfered
with their playing thereby became in
truders and trespassers E; as the state
ment shows, this intrusion was in
defiance of the authority of the acting
president of the college, who by law
has absolute control over the grounds
and in violation of the courtesy and
abuse of the hospitality shown in the
permission given to use another part ol
the field. Orders were given the sol
diers and policemen by their higher
officer or officers, to clear the grounds
of those rightfully occupying them
Acting President Sloan and several
other professors, though knowing theil
rights and the rights of the students,
wisely were inducing the students to
withdraw without resistance, unwilling
to imperil the lives of those who are
under our care, even by allowing them
to maintain their rights. But the
withdrawal, it seems, was not accom-
plished with sufficient haste, and ac'
cordingly the students were violently
assaulted by those who were executing
the commands of the military officers
One professor was struck on the head
by policeman a student was struck
by another policeman, one blow frac.
turing his skull ; others were wounded
less seriously; the acting president
and other professors and a number oi
students were threatened with death
by an officer pointing a pistol at one
after another. When he fired, happily
the ball struck no one.
These are the unprovoked insults
and injuries which we as a college
professors and students, sons of South
Carolina, have received from officers
and men under your command ano
which we bring TO your notice thai
you may take such action as to you
shall seem fit.
am yours very respectfully,
JAMES WOODROW,
President of the S. G. College.
After due consideration OF the re-
mort of the faculty and the letter o.