The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-09-29
The Student Fraternity Murder

together to Mu Beta Sigma. Rise
to your feet Lift your glassesi"
He extended his own glass forward,
| as they carried out the orders, and
opened the volume to another Sec
ton. The seated group in yellow also
stood.
ITO the illustrious past of Mu Beta
Sigma" he read aloud, "and the forty
six years of it's growth. To its found
ers, who brought into existence great
and august institution. To its thirty
eight eminent chapters, scattered
throughout the schools of the entire
nation. To this our Gamma chapter,
third to be organized and chartered
| by the central council. To the
| new.
The impressive toast was never con-
cluded. Suddenly, his words were in
terrupted without warning; the fifth
member in the line of standing init
ates dropped his glass. 1t shattered.
with ringing tinkle, on the hard bare
floor. He himself gave vent to low
gasping moan, as though of pain,
checking the startled exclamation from
his left. Unexpectedly, he swayed and
staggered from the line toward the
altar, as If grasping support; unable to
reach it in time. he dropped once more
to his knees in an attempt to balance
himself. The next instant, before any
| one could catch him, he collapsed, an
agitated trembling heap on the floor.
For the first pregnant seconds, no
one in the chamber stirred. Then, in
| a confused, concerted movement, they
crowded forward to the altar In a
milling excited mass. The gray sentry
at the door hurried forward and so
| failed to observe that one figure in
| yellow did not join the melee he opened
| the door instead, and stole silently out,
closing it behind him. Scarcely had
he gone when someone, with pres
ence of mind, pressed the light switch
of the central chandelier. Most of the
audience had thrown off their cowls
by this time; and the bright glare dis
closed their wearers to be young men.
scarcely more than boys, with one
exception. He, In the white costume
of novitiate, must have been verg-
ing on forty-fve.
One of the first audible comments
came from young man In yellow, on
the immediate left of the stricken boy.
"My Cd, Stuart, what's the trou-
ble?" he shouted excitedly; his voice
trembled with alarm. what on
earth's the matter with your"
The chairman of the ceremonies was
himself but youth; yet it was his
leadership that asserted itself to allay
the disorder of the scene. Pallid and
anxious, he had descended from the
dais, almost the first to reach the re-
cumbent body. Swiftly he knelt at
it's side, removing the cowl and sup
porting the head with an arm, while he
took charge of the situation.
Don't move in so close, there" he
directed the encroaching circle. LET
him have plenty of air. :. Here
I'd better loosen his clothes bit"
Don't you think we ought to send
for a doctor. Ted?" A fair-haired boy
in yellow, with pugnacious features
and freckled skin, made the sugges-
ton. "It looks as If he had some sort
of seizure"
The black-robed leader nodded. "Of
course, Chuck; try to get hold of one
as soon as possible. And he'll be bet
ter off, upstairs in bed. You. two
George, and you, Ned-lift him and
carry him to my room. But handle
him carefully"
shouldered their burden; a lane was
silently formed. through which they
bore 1t to the door. into the hall and
stairway beyond. The third. called
Chuck, hesitated before following them
out
81 suppose, Ted, we should call Doc
tor Thompson rather than anyone
else." he said inquiringly.
"Yes, that's the wisest thing. Any
how, he's in the neighborhood; he'll
probably arrive sooner. too. than some
other doctor we might get"
Some moments elapsed before he
succeeded in communicating with the
physician. And then 1t took Doctor
Thompson another quarter of an hour
to reach the house. During that In
terval, every possible effort was made
to relieve the afflicted boy In the up
stairs bedchamber. At first. convul-
sive tremors and fresh nausea he
could not restrain INSTRUCTED his at
tendants; but with the passing min
utes, these paroxysms ceased and a
drowsiness and lassitude lessened his
pain. Except for an accelerated but
labored breathing, he lay quiet and
inert. Muscular rigidity followed !:
and gradually, as his strength ebbed,
even his respiration diminished. When
the intently awaited assistance arrived,
his stupor bordered on unconscious
ness.
Doctor Wilbur Thompson was tall
rangy man, bald and round-faced,
whose keen eyes looked searchingly,
albeit kindly, through pince-nez glasses.
In his official capacity of medical adj
wiser of the University of Philadelphia,
his name was well known to all en-
rolled as students.
The young master of ceremonies.
still wearing his black robe, opened
| the door at his ring.
"Well. what seems to be the diff
culty?" Doctor Thompson greeted him
briskly.
THAT'S just It," the boy replied
soberly. "We can't tell what 1t is
But one Of the PLEDGES was taken
sick during the initiation: and I'm
afraid it's serious. My name Is Ted