New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-24
PROFESSOR ADMITS ARSON.
G. II. STEPHENS. FORMER ASSISTANT IN
ETHICS AT LAFAYETTE. ARRESTED.


DOUBTLESS USBALANCED-
IBY rELrGRAPH TO THE TRrBuNEl
Easton. Penn June % George Herbert Stc-
phens, who until about year ago was ad-
turct professor Of moral philosophy at La
fayette College. Is under arrest here on the
technical charge Of malicious mischief Ste
Ihens was arrested last night at Duncannon,
Penn.
The Lafayette College community has beer
disturbed for six months by a series Of out
RACES that have been shrouded in mystery The
students were blamed for tham. because the
public believed the deeds We're tn" results Il
that mischcyous spiri; which sometimes takes
hold Of some students The student body. after
investigating each case. protested that no stu
dent was guilty OF the deeds. First there had
been the mysterious cutting OF a beautiful
growth 81 ivy on the chapel wall. killing the
vines from the foundation stones TO the top 81
the building Then the chapel organ was ruined.
The day before the Day If Prayer for Col
lcces the hymnbooks were removed from the
chapel. and about the same time the ivy on
dormitory was ruined. Then came the most
atrocious act ~ all. the smearing Of the chapei
seats news chairs. aisles, meeting books pu
pit and R,he with tar. This last act aroused
'ndirnat!on throughout the community.
Several arrests were made. but there was no
evidence against any one The college authOri-
ties put a Waterman in the chapel at night
ON Saturday night this man discovered man
entering the building. using a key. The hour
was almost midnight. The man came up the
aisle To the organ and began 20 open 1t when
the watclman attacked him. hitting i'm on the
head with a club. After fierce fight the man
escaped. hat he left basket Of eggs. HIS IN
tent was 10 break them about the chapel lie
also lof; the key. This clew led To tn" arrest
last night az Duucarnou % George II. stephens
"a former professor I'm the college. He confessed
here this afternoon not only 10 having com
mitted all the atrocities but also to having set
FIRE to Pardoe Hall last December. when that
handsome structure was almost totally de-
stroyed The key mad been given TO Stephens
when he came here, and ne did not return 1t
when he left.
1t was found that stephens had spent Sun
day with student named Zimmerman Tie
latter said that stephens had left mis- baggage in
his room. The police investigated and said that
they found tar and evidences u broken eggs
Stephens had gone to Duncannon. An officer
was sent after him. and brought him here
this morning This afternoon ne made a full
confession before Professor owen. Professor
+ \. March. jr.. the Rev. Charles Schal.. Ed
ward j Fox and District Attorney James W .
Fox and the detectives He said H. had come
here from Princeton TO teach logic ana ethi' 4
after being al Princeton two years. lie VAS u
have a permanent place. h. thought but Fresi-
dent NaIn,ll dismissed him after three years
Then hc I,t1ll the long story. which cam" out
year ago. 81 his troubles with fi"sidtn t W AZ -
1eld and efforts 90 prevent his dismiss al lie
failed 20 convince the trustees NJ that time
that he was right and that Or. Warhed was
wrong After leaving Lafayette be hrooded
over hts troubles and finally am" seized ~
"A desire for revenge lie declared that his
mind dl not act right. that Inspirations came
- him - perform fhe mis- Ieods. and NJ could
not refrain from doing them H. believed ihr
more b. haras-cl the college tn" more De
would intIr. Jr Varied. and his sole idea was
L. destroy Dr Warheid hs Dr WarN"ll had, as
stephens declared. d"srroycd him
After making h.s coI1aY ma about The chap
oufraces Detective John. asked him about
the Pard,e Han fire and What be- kin" ~ H.
He broke down. cried aloud and admitted his
guilt He said TO- had piled up over thing Dc
could find that was lnnammahle. ana had placed
a rubber tub" from a gas jct underneath the
Pile got q anr". ara fNo0 Con" down 70 "A
bridge across tho peia .var' 20 ace the naUca.
n. said he hal INTENDED next Christmas io
lufn Ola south Coleg" II" is IN jail zoe
night His friends say that b" IS surely un-
balanced Sf.ph.uf J.. q highly educated man
He acted quofrly before hr LETT Lafayette. ana
thfs is ono 90 the reasons why the trustees
dropped him from the faculty. Much sympathy
Is exuregsei Tor him