The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
SEVERAL BADLY HURT
MANY STUDENTS ARE INJURED IN
THE "TANk SCRAP"
One Young Man May he a Cripple All
His Life - Freshmen March Bound
and Cheer Victorious "SOphs.'

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LAFAYETTE, Ind, Sept. 26.-With the
Purdue student band at The head OF the
procession and nearly the eneire sophomore
class walking beside them, 225 captive fresh
men dragged themselves YEARLY along Main
street this morning.
Shackled and bound and their faces paint
ed in grotesque colors the conquered fresh
ies'' were forced TO cheer again and again
for their captors, who celebrated their VIC
tory with rousing yells and songs. The
parade was the final chapter in the fierce
tank scrap that began at 10 o'clock last
night and never ended until long after day
break this morning
AS a result of the battle on Tank hill two
freshmen are in st. Elizabeth Hospital and
ten other participants in the fight are nurs-
ing sprained wrists and ankles and bruised
heads.
The most bitterly contested part of the
tank scrap did not occur until all the spec
tators had left the scene of conflict. 1t
conferred around the tank itself, the two
freshmen stationed at the top of the reser-
vOir battling all efforts of the desperate
sophomores to get their numerals on the
tank. Water and paint were hurled by the
bucketful on the heads of sophs who at
tempted to scale the tank, while the captive
freshmen cheered and urged on the men
on the lofty perch to keep up the tight
About forty freshmen managed to break
loose from the sophomores and they
struggled hard to keep the second-year men
Just before daylight the sophs resorted
to strategy and bribed an employe of the
water pumping station to flood the tank.
When the water began to pour over the
edge the freshmen at the top gave up and
were brought down to the ground. The
plucky fight was so admired by even the
TO-, 1Ia[vl4 81
Ian and TED Howe, of Logansport the
two defenders of the tank, were allowed
their freedom. Then the sophomores painted
the 'O6' on the tank and it will stand
Early to-day the captives, nearly worn
out by their ordeal were tied with chains
and marched over to the city, distance
of two miles. The sophomoreS hired the
band to help them celebrate and this MORN
ing there were very slim classes in the
university. None of the $50 men who took
part in the scrap attended. Until O'Clock
the sophomores kept the freshmen in
chains. In front OF the courthouse the
freshies We're compelled to kneel in muddy
water and sing and cheer for the
made speeches and the freshmen were
obliged to join i'm the applause or suffer
mild forms of torture. The police did not
interfere with the demonstration.
OF the dozen men who were injured only
one Is in a serious condition. He is John
Stephenson: of Chicago, who is now at the
cripple him for life. This afternoon he was
resting comfortably, but doctors say his
injury is serious. The greatest number of
injuries were received in a ditcn behind the
tank. where fifty freshmen and sophomores
battled desperately. Here freshman
named Mccarthy. of Williamsport, was
badly hurt. and H. w. Workman. of Texas.
injured about the chest. Ted Howe, of
Logansport, who was at the top of the
tank and who swung down on a rope to
fight off the sophomores, was injured in
Others
Trainer Pat McClaire. toe broken by step
ping in a hole; Cunningham, freshman, of
Delphi, hurt about the head; w. Beckett
of Aurora. brother of Prof C. H. Beckett,
injured in chest; Haywood, Minneapolis,
head injured; Blackburn, of Knightstown,
head hurt; Sarter, Elmira, n. Y, sprained
knee; Copies. of Nappanee, Ind, internally
injured; c. L. Otterbeck, badly shocked
Carroll Johnson, George L. Shaw, John
Hanie, Samuel Barker. A. Vogel, Il.
Chanter and others, slightly hurt The arm
of Vernier, the, crack mile runner. was
torn open by a pike pole with which the
freshmen fought the sophomores off the
tank