Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-13

! that an autopsy was not necessary, and
\ II was said that the body probably would
be taken to Elizabeth today.
PROVOST TO TESTIFY.
Coroner Knight said today that he
would call upon Provost Smith to testify
at the inquest The Coroner made TINS
! comment:
This is indeed a most unfortunate
affair. However II is probably an acci-
dent which could have happened In q
| football game or some similar form OF
| sport. / made a personal Investigation
of this matter myself and have come 10
! the conclusion from the information !
| have at hand at the present time that IL
would he well for the University to dis-
continue this form OF sport In the future
The ground yesterday on which tne
game was played was very muddy, a fact
borne out by the condition of Difson'e
body when he was carried into the re-
ceiving ward OF the University Hospitai,
He was covered with mud If the ground
had been dry he might have had fight-
ing chance for his life. II appears that
he was smothered to death. At the in
quest. for which no date has been set,
I will request the provost of the Univer-
sity to describe in detail the character OF
this contest"
CLASSES HOLD MEETINGS.
The sophomores held meeting last
night and adopted resolutions calling
or the bowl fight in the future. These
resolutions were sent to the Provost. AT
1890 o'clock this afternoon the three other
classes held meetings, the juniors and
freshmen In College Hall and the seniors
in the chapel. All recommended the dis
continuance of the custom and the Pro-
vost confirmed the action o. all four
classes simultaneously.
PROVOST ADDRESSES SENIORS.
Provost Smith addressed the Seniors at
chapel exercises in the Houston Hall
auditorium before their meeting this
afternoon Vice Provost Penniman sat
on the platform with him and with
Gordon A. Harwick, president of the
class, but did not speak. The Provost
said:
Boys, can't talk to you today at any
length These visitations rest heavily
upon me- During the Christmas vacation
four students died. Now comes this ter
rlbie misfortune of yesterday. Only one
thought want to leave with you, and
that is that even the young may die. We
never know who will be called next, and
so make all things right while you can.
your president has called special
meeting. We feel that he bowl fight and
such other forms of class fights have out
lived their usefulness and that because
Of the increasing number of students they
have become dangrousi" "t'
The seniors then adopted unanimously
this resolution: THE senior class goes on
record as favoring the abolishing of the
bowl fight and all underclass fights"
OTHER CLASSES CONCUR
The juniors, at their meeting. adopted
n resolution in regard to "the sd annual
celebration of the bowl fight" and ex
pressed unanimous disapproval of the
continuance of all class fights. The
,f, ,l,A,, tha attn Hant
one, adopted resolutions of sympathy for
his family and another resolution urging
the abolition of class fights
The classes adopted resolutions of
sympathy with the family of Lifson.
These resolutions were more warmly felt
than the usual resolutions of his kind
because of the manly way In which Mr..
Lifson had taken his great loss and the
attitude toward the stu
dents ''
81 do not want any one punished for
my sons DEATH" he said. They tell me
the fights are to be stopped; II that is
SO, let that suffice as warning against
too much recklessness of this kind in the
future. Certainly should have no pleas
ure in any ones being taken to task
personally for this-it would be too ter
rible a regret for him to carry through
life."
Provost Smith seemed overcome by the
tragedy. He had difficulty in controlling
his. emotion when he met the father of
the dead boy.
There have been two other fatalities
Of this kind since / became provost"
he said. "one at Leland Stanford and one !
At Princeton. l shall advise that the |
Students abandon all the events that are
known as fights and replace them with
harmless interclass sports"
He received a telegram from Edwin
e. Sparks, president of State College,