The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1908-10-06
NOT A TRACE Of
MISSING STUDENT,
e VICTIM OF HAZERS
Belief Grows That, Gagged in
Locked Car. He Is Dead
of Starvation.
LAST SEEN BY BROTHER.
Police Following Clues at Two
\ Points, but Little Promise
Given in Either.
LAST SEEN BY BROTHER.
Special to The Evening World,

LEXINGTON, Ky, Oct. 6.-The dis
appearance of Willis e. Smith. a
freshman at the Kentucky State Col
lego, has given rise to many ugly ru-
mors that the college faculty and po-
lice are vigorously Investigating.
Popular belief is that young Smith
was the victim Of hazing. Iound and
gagged, so the ruruor goes, he was
thrown into an empty freight car and
locked In. Leaving him there for what
the sophomores considered an ample
period of torture they went back to
release him and found that the car
had been drawn away from the siding.
Young Smith disappeared two weeks
ago tonight. Not the slightest trace OF
him has been obtained. If he is still In
the boxcar it is certain that he is
dead from starvation and exposure.
Every phase Of the case Will be dis
cussed before the Grand Jury which
convenes next week. The entire soph-
omore and freshman classes of the col
lege will be examined. as we'll as other
witnesses who are said to have heard
the college boys discussing the hazing
tim.
Letter Gives Little Hope.
Ernest Smith. brother of the missing
student, received a letter from Mrs
Norma Randolph at Carlisle, Pa, en-
closing clipping stating that a man
had been found In a half-staryed con-
dition in an empty freight car at Ma
hanoy City, Pa. Ernest Smith turned
the letter over to the police, who wired
the description of the missing youth and
asked for information. Little valuc is
placed on this clue. however. as the
man reported found in Mahanoy CITY
has had at least three DAYS to recuper.
ate and declare his identity Nothing,
however, was heard Of him until the LETT
ter was written. The authorities did not
even report the finding Of the man.
The detectives are investigating a re-
port that came from Cynthlana to the
effect hat Smith was seen at small
station near that city severa! DAYS
ago by former student in the uni
versity who knew his brother L. e
Smith. and SAYS the stranger bore
srikin" resemblance to him The bow
II Is claimed, seemed to be in a tiazed
condition and when an attempt was
made to detain him made his escape
The Queen and Crescent Railroad peo-
ple saw that so far as they know all
their box cars have been accounted
for
The missing boy Is twenty years old
He arrived at the State College two
days before he disappeared from his
home at Hindman. KY. where a
brother, Prof, Albert Smith, is teacher
In the town school. Another brother, 1
l.. Z. Smith, Is a student at the coll
lege and has been in Lexington for two
years. II was the intention OF the
younger brother to work his way
through college as his kinsman has
been doing for two wears, Both
brothers boarded with Mrs Francis E
Beauchamp, the we'll known suffragette,
In her tine old homestead en- the Yer
sailles road
He Was Prepared fc Rough House.
The missing student had saved 800
toward his college expenses. on the
night he vanished he put on an old
suit of clothes and turned his money
and gold watch over to his brother
iiS shA+ i'' NfA9 SN'f4s VIZ ~ "SN N4'N
fun. There was sure 10 be rough
house" between the freshmen and
sophomores, wherefore the old clothes,
There is no doubt In the brothers
mind that Willis Smith went TO the
campus with the intention of taking
part in the organization of the fresh
man class or anything else on th9
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