New-York tribune., 1912-02-10
THE FIRST YALE CREW FLAG
It's Queer History Told by Judge Har-
rison B. Freeman, Yale, '62.

Orrcm a letter TO The Yale Alumni Weekiy.D
Fifty-two years ago or more, as under
stand the following incident in Yale boating
history to be, when Captain Henry L.
Johnson OF the Naruna crew, Of bO ven
TO Lake Quinsigamond TO stroke fdle
crew I'm a race with Harvard, ne left hang
ing In his room 4 blue Yale flag which the
Varuna had twice won, and which he as the
captain OF the winning crew was TO nOIo
until the next annual regatta -
ON his return, after a victory won, inc
flag was gone. 1t had been taken whlle
he was away 10 stroke Yale crew 10 VIC
tory by a TOO enthusiastic member OF inc
..so-Callcd skull and Bones Society, VINO
nd taken an unfair advantage Of his alb
s.nce I'm the service of Yale, had secretly
entered his room, secured the nag ana tdI
ried it away as trophy ana then ma II III
this society's hall, where not tale man
moi even the captain or any or the ere"
which had won IL, unless he was member
OF the SOciety-has ever been permitted 10
sec it, The flags which Yale has won are
a. the trophy room. yet the champion nag
Of the Yale navy which the Naruna won Is
locked up out OF sight In senior society
hall A.. a,.or v,to
boat in '43. and William Plumb Bacon o.
U,biIe he was commodore. gave II 10 the
Yale navy as a champion nag which. under
the terms of his gift. was to be confessed
for at an annual regatta The race Whlcn
tho Varuna won was the last, for there
could not well be a race for nag Wflch
was locked up in a society hall. AND SO me
races we're ended TO the regret OF every NaI'
OaTSman. -, -,
Prominent Yale oarsmen. members OF the
senior society known as scroll ana hey'
who were indignant that the nag had beeiI
taken and that the ainual contests i Weie
ended. succeeded in getting into the society
hall whore IL was secreted but when tney
had secured the flag thy forgot the terms OF
the gift their Indignation and their desir.
for future contests, ana loOh IL 10 dccoid'c
their own society hall.
Members of the first named society, when
they found that their haIl had Deen entered
and-that tine flag was gone, also grew III,
dignant at this invasion OF their own hall
and the loss of a flag which was not theirs,
and proceeded to break into the hall OF the
other society TO recover II; Mhen II was re-
caDtured they carried IL DaSh 70 thelr own
hall where Il has been safely hidden during
all these years as trophy or victory in n
successful assault on the hall OF friendly
society.
1t was natural and fitting that the old
commodore who first gave the flag TO the
navy should be the frst 10 ASK Tor It's gift
TO the trophy room, but ne u not solitary
and alone" in the movement to recover II.
Among his active supporters are members
of the society to whom he mas appealed
and from whom he has received letters run
OF sympathy and encourasenent, rms is
not entirely n secret society aHair about
which the members differ. FOR every laie
man has an interest In the nag even u he
is not member OF the socleN. Mahs
graduate members have asslsteu d. a,'u WIS, Mlshr1 ~,
him success I'm his effort. one az least OF
the Vale CORPORATION has askeh thn soclety
| 10 present the flag to the undergIaouaus o'
the university. President HahIeS. an non
ored member while he does nor tnlhk II wise
for him as president to int"rfe"". Hc>S not
! hesitate. when asked. to say frankiN ann
"Tphatlcally that the rag ousHl "a ~ ~ ~ ~
! IN the trophy room under any dirt i,, az ~ ~
6,'~ sta'ces. and the university VIII agree
with him.