Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-05-14
A JUDIcIOus COMPROMISE.
The Settlement OF the Clemson Difficulty.
Cadet ThornweII Reinstaied.

of the recent trouble in the college has
been concluded and the trustees have
adjourned and gone home. The net
results Of the investigation are these:
Cadet Thornwell has been reinstated.
The sophomore class will be allowed to
return and resume their studies on con-
dition that they will be ready To stand
their examination in September for
entrance to tho junior class. The charges
which were preferred by the committee
of students against President Hartzog
were withdrawn. President Hartzog
has rendered his resignation, to take
effect at the pleasure of tho trustees.
The resignation will not be considered
or acted on until the regular meeting of
the board in June, at commencement.
President Hartzog's resignation was
placed in the hands of the board several
days ago. Hc said he rendered it so the
trustees might not feel any ombarrass-
ment or hesitancy on his account in
making the most rigid and thorough in
vestigation.
When the trustees met this morning
Cadet Claude Douthit, chairman of the
student committee which preferred the
charges against the president, submitted
the following signed statement:
Whereas, the students OF Clemson Col
lege have preferred charges against Pres.
ident Hartzog, and these charges have
developed sufficiently to show to the
Board of Trustees that there is wide
spread dissatisfaction against President
Hartzog on the part of tho students, we
are, therefore, willing to leave the fur
ther investigation of this matter in the
hands of tho trustees. Pending this in
vcstigation we will not press our charges.
Signed: Claude Douthit, M. +. Zoglor,
II. j. Robertson, Jr., S. M. Ward, Jr.,
David Kohn, e. b. Boykin, w. f.. G.
Black, B. Ii. Gardner, Newton ID. Wal
kcr.
"Do | understand" asked Senator Till
man, THAT the committee proposes to
drop these charges and leave this whole
matter now TO the trustoos, willing to
accept and abide by our decision9"
Cadet Douthit said that was the inten-
tion.
"Thcn," said Senator Tillman, "there
is nothing for the Board to do but to go
into executive session aud make up it's
decision regarding young Thornwcll and
the sophomores, that is, unless President
HartZog wants to go on with the investi-
CATION of tho charges. What do you
say, Mr.. Hartzog?" ?"
President Hartzog replied that he was
ready and willing now, as he had been
all along, to go into full and complete
investigation as to his conduct and adj
ministration of the college. ",rhc COM
mittee have withdrawn their charges on
their own voliton, not in any way at my
suggestion or request" he said, "and it
is no compromise on my part. / am
willing to go on with an open investiga-
ton, or | am willing to leave it all in the
hands of the Trustees. l believe they
will do justice and that is all | want.
The matter rests entirely with them"
II would like to say" said Cadet
Douthit, that our committee has taken
this step only after mature consideration
and with the good of Clemson College
the sole purpose in view"
"Then," said Senator Tillman, 81
move that the board now go into execn-
tive session."
This was carried and the board retired.
They were in session over two hours.
Finally, when it was stated that the
trustees were ready to announce their
decision, the faculty and the students
reassombled in the chapel. The dec-
sions were read by Senator Tillman. He
read them in very impressive manner.
The students checred roundly the deci-
sions in regard to Cadet Thornwell and
to the sophomore class, but there was no
disorder or unseemly demonstration.
The decisions are as follows:
"Tho board, after most searching in
vestigation into the causes which led to
the suspension of Cadet Thornwcll, and
the action of the faculty in refusing the
petition of the class for reinstatement,
find as follows: First, that the offence
was not of such magnitude and serious
ness as to warrant the sentence imposed,
and that the punishment was entirely
disproportionate to the seriousness of
tho offence. The evidence shows that
the faculty was never in possession of all
the facts in the case, and, while there
was some grounds for its action, we feel
that the trial was not conducted with
that seriousness and thoroughncss which
should obtain in any case which involves
the character and good name of cadet
The meagrencss of the minutes, and ina
bility of the faculty to present to the
board, in written FORM q record of tho
proceedings, is censurablc, and we shall
expect 1T never to occur again. Wo can
understand how there might bc differ
ence of opinion, as appears to have ex-
listed in the faculty, on account of the
incomplete evidence before il. The fac
ulty divided evidently on the question of
intent. On the one hand, there was a
belief that the students understood their
obligation in regard to this property. On
the other, the contention of the cadets,
that custom had led them to bclieve
they had the right to take these tubes.
influenced tho Judgment of some mom-
bers of the faculty to the extent that the
vote for suspension was fifteen, while
those who voted against such punish
mont were thirteen, and the error was in
not giving the benefit of the doubt to the
boy. 1t is also an extenuating circum-
stance as to the severity of punishment
that at the last meeting of the Board it
Ia,. Il N,t.,o -, a. :