The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-17
SCANDAL AT COLUMBIA
CHARGES OF PROFESSIONALISM IN
ATHLETICS FOUND TO BE TRUE.
Victorious Football Team of last
Year Was Not Represented
Accounts DoctOred.

NEW YORK, March 16.-The Herald to-
morrow will publish the following: "Colum-
bias crack football eleven of last fall.
which defeated Yale on Manhattan field.
was a professional eleven. The humiliating
confession is now made by the university
faculty. and the athletic directors and w
E. Mitchell. the manager of the eleven.
has been made the scapegoat. The graduate
advisory committee, after examining his
accounts. has removed him from all par
ticipation in the university's athletics.
Mitchell has left Columbia"
All the story now comes out in letters
published in the student organ. the Specta-
tor. +. r. Hutton. acting chairman of the
faculty committee on athletics. writes to
the paper under date of March II as fol-
lows: During the last football season
charges were made that the football team
was not a genuine college team. At the
request of the president the faculty COM
mittee on athletics Immediately made an
investigation through the manager of
every person challenged. The manager
stoutly asserted that every person on the
team was bona Ode student. The records
on the surface were in every case correct
so Tar as enrolment. payment of fees
etc. was concerned. The Investigation has
shown however, that this state of affairs
was secured by assuring the students that
he had obtained a scholarship in the uni
vess!ty. which is contrary both TO fact and
the policy OF the institution. Following
the uniform custom at Columbia of believ-
Ing every student until ne has shown him
self untrustworthy. the committee reported
20 the president that the criticisms on the
team were not Justified except in the case
OF Gilchrist, who was Immediately forbid
den 10 play.
During the last few weeks rumors have
been in circulation involving both the
financial honesty OF the manager and his
truthfulness. As soon those rumors
reached the ears OF the faculty commit
tee on athletics this committee asked the
graduate advisory committee OF the ath-
letic association TO cause the manager's
books TO be audited by public accountant
and TO report the results OF their inquiry
20 the faculty committee on athletics.
"rhe report of the graduate advisory
committee shows that the manager has not
used money belonging to the team for his
own purposes. IL shows. on the other
hand. that he had doctored the accounts
In order 10 conceal payments made to
various members OF the football team for
tuition or for board. and that in two in
stances what appear 20 be mistakes of
about 500 IN each case were made i'm the
settlement OF visiting teams. These errors
VIII. OF course. be promptly corrected.
IL also appears by admission OF the
manager that. finding himself al the OPEN
Ing or the college year without a satisfac-
tory football team. he determined that IL
was better 10 form one at all hazards than
franAly 10 face the facts This grievous
mistake. made. as the faculty COMMITTEES
believes. under the stress OF great tempta-
ton, accounts for the Justification OF the
managers books and for his blameworthy
attitude In many other directions
Commenting on the affair the student
organ says: We are sure IL is the true
sentiment or every Columbia man thar
- Is preferable to be beaten al football or