The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-01-08
ABSOLUTELY Il
/ NO ROMANCE.
In Willis Smiths Running
Away From College.
Left Only to Avoid Hazers Tale
Of Cave andKidnapper's
Untrue.

and kidnapped and held captive in a
cave to gain time," said Willis Smith,
the State University student who re-
turned to Kentucky after ~ mys,et-
ious absence of several months.
People at Owensbono swarmed about
me and | wanted to see my brother
before said anything" he conUtnu-
ed. 81 told tine story of the cave to
get little peace"
That was Che way young Smith
explained his weird tale told at Ow-
ensboro, as he talked to Louisville re-
porters. Smith went 10 Louisville and
was nabbed at Tenth street station by
Patrolman Cammozzi, who saw visions
of a reward OF s275 for the return of
young Smith TO Lexington. II was
after Patrolman Cammozzi was tod
by Ohsef Hanger shat there IVES no
basis for a reward that the station
Waterman felt satisfied for Smith TO
go on mis- way. He went 30 the Vic
toria Hotel and his brother, Ernest
Smith, a stalwart, attractive young
fellow, who had come down from the
university accompanied MIN.
Young Smith says he had been
threatened by tine students with
hazing; had received one Back Hand
letter ard several threats from the
students individually. ~ understood
that l was To be hazed tue Might !
disappeared" he said. "If they at
tempted 10 haze mel would have been
hurt, or some of the students would
have been and that would have in
vowed my brother.
80 disappeared.
Il left my watch and most of my
money and good clothes because tAey
would PANTY pay debt | owed my
brother.
81 took a regular train TO Cinctn-
natl and then worked my way grad
ually to a lumber camp in Wisconsin
L
and then went to Bloomington, H.,
where | worked in a Chinese restaur-
ant cooking and waiting, until re
turned no Kentucky. "tr
That's the whole story" he said,
and he looked iitdle ashamed.
When he was asked why he a.
lowed his family TO worry about his
whereabouts for so long, lie said:
Il didn't know anything about the
sensation my leaving mad created. |
was gone a week before the story was
published. never saw a paper while
l was in Wisconsin. l want 10 forget
it,"
Brnest Smith, the brother, VINO is
still i'm college, was tine best pleased
young man in the State. His laughs
at several joking remarks made about
his brothers. wild story had real ring
of JOY in them.
willis won't go back to college,"
said he.
IF they wanted to haze me last Sep
TENDER they certainly would want 10 geh
busy with me now II went up there"
the young cave dweler."
He is going to work at Owensboro,
continued the older brother. HE may
enter college next fah, but probably
not at Lexiugton.It will be best for
him 10 go TO some other college"
Ernest Smith believes implicitly the
second story by lids brother. He said
until he talked TO him he felt chat
his brother had been done away with,
not from design, but accidentally.
What had been learned by the detec
lives who had Looked into the hazing
pranks at the university, he would not
divulge.
81 have found my brother, and he
IS alive and we'll. am willing to bury
Lhe Ratchet" said ERNEST Smith.
Young Smiths family spent consider
able money in searching for him after
his mysterious disappearance from Leg
ngton in September, which to-gether
With the mental anguish and pain
hey suffered on account of unexplained
is probably the only harm
lone. His many relatives a number
II whom reside in the western part
" this county are SO proud Of the
act that he is alive and well that they
RELY forgive him the unthoughted
ransgression. While WILLIS is probab-
wiser boy than when In the
Nighttime be stole quietly away from
lis brother at Lexington and boarded