Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-10
TECH STUDENT IS
LURED To FIGHT
At MIDNIGHT
R. WardIaW, Expelled Pupil,
Beats r. D. Conaches, Whom
He Blamed for Dismissal.


he had been dropped from Georgia
Tech and had pleaded vainly with the
faculty to win him reinstatement, J. R.
Wardaw, of Chattanooga decoyed the
fellow student. who had "reported' him,
to a clump of trees upon the college
campus and beat him badly in a mid
night fight
Douglas Conacher, of Augusta the
man he assaulted. lies in the Tech dor
mitory with such a badly swollen eye
that he may not be able to report on
time to the firm that is about to take
him on at a big salary within week
after his graduation from the school.
WsrdlaW appeared at police head
duarters this morning when he heard
that Conacher had called upon the po-
lice to arrest him He admitted that
he had "whaled" Conacher and he add
81 proudly that he had done it well. He
said he had been "tatted on" by Co
nacher for trivial cause and that
when he had challenged the other stu
dent to come out and fight him like
man Conacher had refused. The police
pafoled Wardlaw until 2:30 o'clock this
afternoon, when the case will be
brought before the recorder.
Permanent Expulsion Likely.
1t is not improbable that a special
meeting of the faculty of Tech will be
called within two days to make final
the temporary expulsion which al
ready stands against Wardlaw
According to Conacher and other
students. he was lured to the assault
last night by note to which the GUST
ed Wardlaw had signed the name of
the night Waterman.
For several weeks WardlaW had
sworn that he would have revenge
upon Conacher for having him sus-
pended from the Tech for year
The trouble had begun months ago
when Conacher, as student-superViso
Of the gymnasium, reprimanded the
hot-headed youth from Chattanooga
for some slightly boisterous conduct.
The Ill feeling grew when the faculty
gave Wardlaw a second bad mark for
some other infraction of the rules
Parents Learn of Expulsion.
But the final break came two weeks
ago, when Wardlaw appeared upon the
floor of the gymnasium, against all
rules, wearing hard-soled shoes. Co
nacher says he told him to remove
them. He says Wardlaw refused
Conacher reported him to the facul-
ty and having been caught breaking
regulations three times, the faculty
suspended Wardaw for the year. 1t
was the understanding that this was
not final expulsion. but that the
Young man might come back again next
year.
According to the students, Wardlaw
went home to his parents at Chatta-
,nooga with the statement that he had
finished his examinations and was
through for the year. But apparently
his father was suspicious, for he came
here with the boy to investigate While
they we're in Atlanta, young WardlaW
went out to the Tech and asked Coma
cher to meet him in the street and
have the feud out then and there.
Conacher refused. He says he re-
fused because he had already been
given position with a big firm, and
ne knew that ii would be bad policy
to graduate from the Tech with a fight
hanging over his last days in college.
He saws that for the sake of this posi-
tion which means his start in the bust
ness world. he evn went to the faculty
and asked them to reconsider their de-
termination to fire" Wardlaw. The
faculty refused.
second time Wardlaw went to the
Tech dormitory and demanded that
ronacher come out and give him sal
,efaction and second time Conacher
refused
Lies in Wait For Victim.
Meanwhile, however Wardlaws
mother in Chattanooga was growing
suspicious, too She called the presi-
dent of the Tech over the long distance
telephone two days ago and found out
for the first time that her son had been
SUSPENDED for cause"
Wardlaw heard of this, and knew that
his mother knew of his disgrace
Last night he went out to the Tech
Grounds with a note he had written in
the night watchmans name, 1t said
that Conacher was wanted immediate
Nv at the nearest telephone, and both
men knew that the nearest telephone is
At the Tech Y. NJ c. A., across the
campus by way of several clumps Of
trees.
Wardlaw hid among these trees unu
Conacher hurryng to the telephone.
came past Then he sprang out and
struck his enemy full in the eye. Co
nacher went down. He arose and tried
10 grapple with the other lad, but he
fen again beneath a second blow.
Wardaw made his way back TO the
city
Other students took the dazed Coma
cher to a physician, who bandased his
wounds and put him to bed.