New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-25
Drops from Heart Disease
While Hundreds Cheer
Fighting Classes.
WAS YOUTHS FIRST
DAY IN UNIVERSITY
Mother Comes to Claim Body
Students, AWed, Cancel All
Celebrations.
lBy Telegraph to The Tribune. J

+ Princeton. y. j., Sept. 24-Stockton
/ Wells, Of Madison. a freshman of one
/ day. was killed this afternoon in the
annual gym rush" lie was pronounced
dead after physicians had worked over
him with pulmotor for one hour and
,forty minutes They decided that
death had been caused by heart trou-
Bile, aggravated by the excitement of
the melee.
After the disaster representatives OF
the four classes met and decided TO
abolish the remainder of the fall
rushes. This will probably result in
their permanent prohibition.
The gym rush" inaugurates the
opening Of college here. and was par
ticipated in by 800 sophomores and 375
freshmen. The former. clad in black
jerseys. took their places outside the
gymnasium, prepared to ward of the
attacks of the frst-year men. The lat
ter seek to enter the building, hold
their first class meeting and elect class
officers for the year.
Two columns of freshmen, with Wells
In the front rank, were formed TO
wedge their way through the ranks OF
sophomores. The first attempt 10 dis
lodge them from their posts met with
little success, and the first-year men
dropped back strategically to reorgan-
ze and prepare for a second INVASION.
Some of the spectators noted, however,
that one Of the freshmen had dropped
during the encounter. They rushed
forward, picked up the limp body and
hurried it off the field of action.
Il is n common happening in these
knocked breathless or unconscious be-
cause of the battering he receives
At first it was thought tnat Wells, who
was eighteen years old and a lad of
slight build. had merely lost his breath,
and those who had carried him away
from the gymnasium laid him on the
grass. 90,
After a few minutes, when Wells did
not recover, he was removed TO the
gymnasium, where he became uncon-
scious At first restoratives were used,
but later DR.. Joseph K. Raycrott, the
college physician, was summoned. lie
pronounced the youth suffering from
heart trouble, and four other doctors
were soon trying to resuscitate him.
This was found TO be useless after
pulmotor had failed TO revive him.
When his fellow students learned OF
cluded other tests between the two
lower classes, was abandoned. They
had entered the gymnasium and elected
their officers before word came to them
that Wells was dead. The freshmen
left the gymnasium quietly, and to-
night the campus is quiet. The IA
tality has thrown the university into
deep gloom
Wells's mother, a widow, was notified
of his death and came here tonight.
She said that serious sickness had
weakened her son since childhood, prey
ing particularly upon his heart. The
only injury Wells sustained in the rush
was slight abrasion upon the hip.
The Cannon rash" scheduled for to-
night, was called off after members OF
the senior council, representatives OF
the four classes, President Hibben and
Dean McClenahan had talked over the
question of Wells's death
While the rushes at Princeton are
believed to be as mild as those in vogue
at any American college. their value
has been debated frequently. 1t is ex-
pected here that they will be aban-
doned permanently.
Wells's death is the second recorded
in college rushes this year. Lynn Full
ler. a student of Leland Stanford Uni
versity, died Thursday night from in
juries received in an encounter Sep
tember 3.
Wells, who lived on Rosedale Ave-
nue., Madison, with his mother and
brother, Perry, was the son OF the late
| Charles Wells. He was graduated in
1914 from Madison High School, where
he had been prominent in athletics.
No funeral arrangements have been
made yet.