Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1898 [PAGE 67]

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1897.]

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

67

days. Two students were arrested. The mayor finally dispersed the students by ordering the fire department to turn water upon them. The > affair caused a great uproar among the students and was widely reported in the newspapers. I looked upon this affair as thoroughly disgraceful. That young men should invite young women to go to a social gathering, and that young women should accept such invitations, with the perfect understanding that there was likely to be a physical contest, and that any student would throw a chemical into the face of another, knowing that it was likely to disfigure that face and ^destroy eyesight for life, was to me amazing. I called a meeting of the Council of Administration at nine o'clock the next morning and we commenced *»,n investigation which lasted almost uninterruptedly for ten days. Upon advice of the Council a convocation of all connected with the University was held at four o'clock upon the next afternoon after the occurrence, at which the degrading character of the affair was • commented upon and the sense of right and decency in the student body was appealed to. Offenders were asked to come and admit their participation in order that there might be some excuse for leniency, but none came. The senior and freshman classes very soon held meetings and expressed their regrets. For several days it seemed as though we should be unable to locate ^definitely the responsibility. I was surprised to find that the thought was very prevalent in the student body that it was disloyal for one student to inform against another, no matter how serious an offense had been committed. The position was taken that, while the University would look with disfavor upon tattling among students in all ordinary affairs, yet it was the duty of a student to answer all questions touching violation of law or grave misconduct endangering the life or reputation of an institution, and that students known r to have material information of such misconduct and refusing to divulge it *would be expelled. The greatest stress was laid upon efforts to ascertain who ihad procured, given out, or thrown the chemical which was the great agent if or all the mischief, and also who had been in league with or opposed the ^police. Early in the investigation the following ^ letter was sent to the State's Attorney of Champaign County, which will indicate my views upon a very important phase of the subject:

P R E S I D E N T ' S OFFICE, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

January 25, 1897. Hon. A. J. Miller, State's Attorney, TJrbana, Illinois: DEAR SIR: -*It seems well to express to you the earnest desire of all connected with the management of the University that the students who threw a noxious and dangerous chemical, and who resisted the police in the streets of •Urbana Thursday night last, shall be brought to justice. Students who were only present, or mere on-lookers, are probably not blameless, although there are some# extenuating circumstances in their cases; but one who threw a chemical into the crowd, knowing that it would destroy clothing and was likely to disfigure the face or destroy the eyesight of another for life, deserves nothing short of imprisonment; and one who in any way participated in securing or preparing the foul compound, or otherwise contributed to the results deserves the same thing; so does one who resisted or assaulted the police; and one who has information which would convict another of a crime, and refuses to divulge it, becomes a participant therein, and is little less deserving of the severest punishment. No code of honor can be invoked to justify one in protecting an enemy of public order. These matters go to the very stability of society and to the very life of the University. The very fact that the evil doers are college students affords no shadow of excuse for them. Indeed their crimes are the more reprehensible and deserving of the severest punishment, because of their intelligence and because they ought to be -counted upon to support rather than overthrow the law.