Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-05-25
GIRL SUCCUMBS
TO The TORTURE
RlindfOIded Candidate Could Not
Stand Nerve-Racking Initia-
ton.

Full details OF the nerve-racking ini-
tiation through which Lorraine Clark,
attractive daughter of Fayette C.
Clark, went in becoming q member
of the Alpha Alpha Society Of the
Bridgeport high school were made
public at the inquiry being made by
the board of education.
The complete ritual designed to
test the courage and the GOODNESS of
each candidate for membership in
the sisterhood, but which SO complete
ly wrecked the nervous system of
Miss Clark that she may never re-
cover, was brought from the chapter.
room to the full glare OF publicity.
The CHASTITY details. which the
leaders of the organization may have
worked out in a spirit of fun. but
which tried upon a girl OF a high
strung nervous temperament, drove
her to nervous prostration, proved
sensational to the public.
Girl BlIndfolled.
BlindfOlded, the little girl was led
into the chapter room, where soror-
iety members, CARRIED with skull and
crossbones, stood around.
She received a glimpse of the alco-
hol torches that intensified the feel
ing of ghostliness and heightened her
nervous apprehension.
Prior to subscribing to the oath of
fealty and secrecy the noviate was
compelled to undergo series of de-
grees Of mental tortures.
Whether any physical tortures were
inflicted on the girl has not been
learned by the board of education
yet. but there is testimony of the
smell OF burning flesh and 1t is
known that In the fraternities every
member is branded, either by letting
a cigarette go out on the candidates
arm or by soaring the flesh with a
red-hot iron.
At any rate, Miss Clark was com
PEELED first to eat what is called by
some organizations the banquet of
death"
Banquet of Death.
Angle worms and polywogs" is
the first course, and of this course
Miss Clark actually thought she was
partaking.
They proved however, to be only
macaroni boiled in soap and slimed
in white of egg and raw oysters.
The branding of Miss Clark almost
made her faint, for she was compel
led to bare her back and told to pre-
pare herself for the sororiety mark.
She heard the sizzle of the iron as 1t
was dipped in water preparatory to
the burning. A sharp piece of ice
was drawn down her back and next
ether was applied, causing burning
sensation, while the burning of meat
added to the young girls horror.
Still other sensational stunts
were prescribed, and all were tended
to so terrify the girl that she almost
tainted
What corresponds to the cup of
human blood" next was administer
ed, and the girl was asked to drink 1t.
Victim in Sanitarium.
Miss Clark was initiated on Febru-
airy 2, but her condition in the sani-
tarium in Linden Lodge, in Brattle-
boro, Vt, is such that she is not ex-
pected to get out of there for three
years at least.
The board of education, making
the investigation, was aided today by
members of rival societies, which
gave up part of the information the
board desired and compelled mem
bers of the Alpha to complete the
story.
The testimony was heard in the
presence of the fashionable women Of
the city, who thronged the hall and
listened eagerly to the testimony.
there might have been an arrest in
the case, but many prominent citiz.
ems here are members OF the Alpha
Delta Sigma, of which the Alpha
Alpha is the sister organization.
The testimony today showed thai
when Miss Clark was taken to the
home of Miss Ethel Plum, No. 4OC
stafford avenue. on the afternoon Of
February 2, she was put through an
ordeal which was prescribed by tbs
ritual of the society to the snakes
detail.
There are two distinct forms of mi
uation, the one to be carried out tS
The most minute detail. known Al
the ceremonial form: the other a sor
OF playground undertaking known Al
kitchen stunts.
The latter includes the admins
ration of vile foodstufs. The mos