The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-05-14
REIGNS AT CLEMSON

HartZog were Withdrawn,
and President Hartzog has rendered
his resignation 10 take effect at the
pleasure Of the trustees.
President Hartzog's resignation was
placed in the hands of the board sew
eral days before. He said he rendered
it so the trustees might not feel n
embarrassment or hesltancy ON his ac-
count in making the most rigid and
thorough investigation.
When the trustees met Friday
morning Cadet Claude Douthit, chair.
of the student committee which
preferred the charges against the pres.
ident, submitted the following signed
statement:
Whereas, The students of Clemson
college have preferred charges against
President Hartzog, and these charges
have developed sufficiently to show to
the board of trustees that there is a
widespread disalfection against Presi-
dent Hartzog on the part of the stu
dents, we are therefore willing to leave
the further investigation of this matter
III The hands of the trustees. Pending
this investigation we will not press our
charges.
(Signed) CLAUDE DoUTUIT.
M. Il. XEIaLER.
j. II. ROBERTSON, JR.
S. M. WARD, JR.
DAVID koHN.
Il. b. BoYKIN.
w. e. G. BLACK.
b. III. GARDNER.
NEWTON ID. WALKER.
"Do | understands" asked Senator
Illlman, "that the committee pro-
poses to drop these charges and leave
this whole matter now to the trustees,
willing to accept and abide by our de-
cision?" Douthit said this was the in
tention.
"Then," said Senator Tillman,
"there Is nothing for the board to do
but TO go into executive session and
make up its decision regarding young
Thornwell and the sophomores. That
is unless President Hartzog wants to
go on with the investigation of the
charges. What do you say, Mr.. Hart
zoe?"
President Hartzog replied that he
was ready and willing now, as he had
been all along, to go into n full and
complete investigation as to his con-
duct and administration of The college.
=" The committee has Withdrawn their
charges on their own volitiOn, not IN
any way at my suggestion" he said,
it is not a compromise on my part.
L ain willing to go on with an open in
vestigation, or l am willing to leave 1t
all in the hands of the trustees,
believe they will do justice and that Is
all L want. The matter rests entirely
with them"
81 would like to say" said Cadet
Douthlt, "that our committee has
taken this step only after mutual con.
sideration, and with the good of Glenn
son college the sole purpose III view"
"Then," oaid Senator Tillman, " |
move that the board now go into ex-
ccutiye session. This was carried and
the board retired. They were in ses-
sion over two hours. Finally when IT
was stated that the trustees were ready
to announce their decision the faculty
and students reassembled in the chapel.
The decisions were read by Senator
Illlman. He read them in a most i'm.
pressive manner. The students cheer
roundly the decisions in regard to
Thornwell and to the sopho.
more class, but there was no disorder
d unseemly demonstration. The de-
are as follows:
The board after. most searching in.
vestigation into the causes which led
TO the suspension of Cadet ThornweJl
and the action of the faculty IN refus-
lng the petition of the class for rem.
find as follows:
First. That the offense was moi of
such magnitude and seriousness as 10
warrant the sentence imposed, and
hat the punishment was entirely dis
)roportionate to the seriousness of the
'ffeDse. The evidence shows that the
aculty was never IN possession of all
he facts in the case, and while there
we're some grounds for it's acLion. we
eel that the trial was not conducted
With that seriousness and thorouehness
Which should obtain in any case which
Involves the character and good name
II a cadet. The meagerness of the
ninutes and inability of the faculty to |
to the board in written form a
ecord OF the proceedings is c%ensurable.
nd we shall expect it never to occur
gain. We can understand how there
light be a difference of opinion, as an.
ears TO have existed in the faculty, on
ccount of the incomplete evidence
efore 1T. The faculty divided evident
on the question of intent. On the
hand, there was a belief that The
'udents understood their obligation in
gard to this property. On ii Q other,
conteL i'm OF the cadet is that Gus
I'M had I'D them to believe they had
10 right TO take these test tubes in
the judgment of some mem
ers OF the faculty TO the extent that
10 vote for suspension was 10, while
lose who voted against such punish
ent were ID, and the error was In not
wing the benefit of the doubt to the
~.
III liz also an extenuating circum.
ance es to the severity of punish
ent that at the last meeting of the
ard 1T laid great stress, by resolution,
ION the lax discipline and somewhot