The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-12
Freshmen Flee I'm Disorder to West
Lafayette, Many Heads Being
Raped by Pursuing Omcers.
ONLY ONE ARREST Is MADE
PRESIDENT STONE SAYS HE WILL
ExPEL ALL FRESHMEN INVOLVED.
First Glass Men Hazed by sophs I'm
Celebration Of victory-NO Purdue
Indiana Football Game.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
LAFAYETTE, Ind, March 1.-THE entire
police and fire departments were called
about 1915 o'clock tonight to Columbian
Hall where Purdue sophomores were hold
ing their banquet. Two hundred freshmen
massed in front of the building, which was
protected by a single policeman, and
stormed the place. Windows were smashed,
doors battered in and the interior of the
hail nearly ruined before the riot call was
sent in.
The sophomores made final preparations
for the banquet this afternoon in the chapel
a few minutes after President Stone for
bade the function. The freshmen did not
learn OF the action of the class until to-
night. The class leaders assembled the
frst-year men, and in small groups they
sped across the Wabash to the city, COL
lecting near the scene of the banquet. At
a given signal several men attracted the at
tention of the policeman by making a noise
in the rear of the building. and while the
officer hurried to the back door $50 men In
front. led by the ''huskiest'' members of
the class. seized clubs, stones and bottles
and began the attack. Several men with a
railroad tie began to batter the front
door and soon smashed IL in. The sopho-
mores inside. under the leadership of Presi-
dent Wells. valiantly defended their position
and hurled dish water and chairs at the
mob The sophomores threw acid at the
freshmen who succeeded in getting inside
the door, w. c. Clark and r. A. Smith,
two hrst-year men, were badly burned by
the chemical.
The policeman on duty then turned in the
riot call and every policeman on the force
responded. A squad of ten officers made a
flying dash at the crowd and by the vigor-
Gus use of their clubs drove the freshmen
back. Several were hurt, but not seriously.
Soon twenty policemen lined up around the
corner OF Fifth and Brown streets and no
one was allowed to approach. But again
the freshmen attacked the building. and
this time the windows OF the hall were torn
out and stones and clubs hurled inside. The
sophomores took refuge behind the wrecked
tables and chairs, and every available arti-
Gle I'm the room was used to beat off the at
tacking men. When the police finally
cleared the yard once more there was not
a whole dish left in the hall and some of
the sophomores were bruised by the flying
missiles.
The police arrested F. d. Harman as be-
ing one OF the ringleaders and then Chief
Harrison called out the fire department.
Fire trucks and steamers were rushed to
the scene and hose laid. The fremen and
police lined up together and kept the crowds
back. The damage to Columbian Hall will
reach several hundred dollars.
The widest kind Of excitement prevailed
when the fire department appeared on the
scene and the freshmen fed in disorder
across the river to West Lafayette. They
were pursued by the police and many heads
were raped, but only one student was ar
rested and is spending the night in jail.
When the storm of missiles from outside
ceased the sophomores cleared away the
debris and put the tables in place again.
Then speechmaking followed. The fire and
police forces continued to patrol the streets
in the vicinity and no one was allowed near
the hall President Wells presided at the
banquet and declared that his class had
won a splendid victory. Wild shouting
and cheering followed and many speeches
were made. Nearly every male citizen in
town visited the scene OF the disorder.
There was no further attempt on the part
of the freshmen to storm the hall The
police and firemen remained on duty until
the banquet was over. Several freshmen
captured by the sophomores and held pris-
oners inside the hall were released after be-
ing hazed. President Stone. II he carries
out his threat, will expel every freshman
concerned in the fight.