The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-02
GIRL COLLAPSED.
New York Coed Nearly Brighten
ed to Death.
Was Being Initiated Into Sigma
Gamma Sorority.
TESTS OF FORTITUDE.
Proved Too Much for Miss
Julia Mills.
Indignant Mothers Open War
on Girl Frats.

New York, Jan. 2-The nerve
racklng, even though fancied, terrors
OF an initiation into a Greek letter So
clety of girls, students in private and
preparatory schools in the city, caused
meeting of twenty angry mothers
at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Moore,
NO. 1854 Broadway, yesterday after
noon. Their first purpose is to break
up the local organization of the Sigma
Gamma society. and their second is
to start campaign throughout the
country against secret societies
among school girls
1t was the story of Julia Mills not
yet seventeen, as told by her to her
mother, that caused Mrs. Mills to take
the first steps against what she con-
slders dangerous organization. There
chapter of the society. Miss Josephine
Moore, daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth
Moore. Is the high priestess of the or
der. Julia Mills was initiated" Sat-
urday night.
The girl staggered home, half hys-
ter1cal, and Mrs. Mills demanded All
explanation. Fairly burning with in.
dlgnat1on, she repeated the story yes
terday at the meeting of the mothers.
Julia Mills Story.
The initiation was held at the Moore
home.
Miss Mills, according to her story,
was summoned to appear there last
Saturday. When she was ushered in
she was led into dimly lighted room.
Between two columns of black-robed,
black-masked figures. She was led up
to the high priestess.
Are you prepared to undergo or
deals to prove yourself fit to become
a sister of this sorder?' solemnIy asked
the priestess.
II am; i~sffe answered, and was led
to an ante-room. At a signal she was
led back to the assemblage and told
that after this first test there could be
no turning back.
"This will be test of your forti-
tude, of your fitness to be a sister. You
are ordered to thrust your hand into
small caldron of molten lead which
orderS."
Miss Mills dashed her hand into the
liquid and sank to her knees in fright
After she recovered her composure in
part she was surprised to note that the
caldrOn was filled with mercury
Again she was led from the room
When she returned she was told to
step over some pillows to the top of
some heaped blocks. While she was
maintaining her balance there the
priestess told her that the pillows hid
sight. <>@-'~@ F-F~
1Sudaeniyzthe= lights went out. Miss
Mills felt the blocks give way beneath
her and she felt herself go down,
down-and then land on>the pillows.
A rope had been tied to the lowest
block, and a confederate had pulled
the rope.
Once again she was led into the ante
room and brought back blindfolded. A
droning voice told of a severed clam
my hand, which each of the beloved
sisters had grasped before becoming
one of the order. priestess was or
dered to bring in on tray the hand.
The candidate was ordered to grasp
the hand, for which she could only
feel. Shuddering, she involuntarily
drew back her arm when she felt the
clammy fingers.
She was led back, blindfolded into the
small room, Ignorant of the fact that
she had grasped a. wet chamois skin
glove filled with sand, and not hui
man hand.
Again she was led forth, this time
to drink a nauseating liquid out of a
skull, which liquid would serve to
make her of one blood with her other
prospective sisters" Revolving at each
skull. So the nerve racking tests went
on. Finally the voice of the priestess
was heard to say:
Now for the final supreme test.
Gather all your remaining courage
which by this time was a minus guam
test of all. Faithful guardians, lead
the candidate to an ante-room, strip
her to the waist, bind her arms behind
her and then bring her back
In few moments, the girl, now al
most hysterical, was brought back.
Then the same droning voice went on:
"In order that this ceremony be in
delibly placed on your mind, it is nee
essary that the letters of our beloved
fraternity be burned upon your back
in acid Guardians, brand the candi-
date"
At the first touch Miss Mills sank
senseless to the floor. When she had
been revived it was explained to her
that the branding had been done with
a piece of ice.
The initiators then took off their
robes, congratulated. the bedraggled,
wornout girl and taught her the grip
and countersign.
The girls mothers say that the girls
got their notions of initiation from
brothers who belong to college frater-
mites.