Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - Banks of the Boneyard (Charles Kiler) [PAGE 49]

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The humiliation of Billie Miller was so manifestly unjust, and coming as it did on top of many other unfortunate events, it is easy to see why the student body and most citizens of the community rose up and joined the strikers. An indignation meeting was called and Swannell's hall was filled to overflowing with an irate bunch of people. An indictment had been prepared by a rising young lawyer who disliked Regent Peabody, and it is a fact that the student leaders of the strike were not in favor of putting our complaints in this form, but we were awed and overwhelmed by the force and learning of this young lawyer and meekly submitted to the legal phraseology—the "saids and aforesaids" which were distasteful but despite them I must admit that our complaints were all properly outlined, however the effect of the document was somewhat dampened by a clause charging Regent Peabody "with the grossest kind of impartiality." After the indictment had been read, a number of fiery speeches were made and it was unanimously agreed that we should present to the trustees of the University, our long list of complaints against Dr. Peabody and the faculty. In the meantime it must be mentioned that a law had been passed by the state legislature calling for the election of trustees by a vote of the people, and as a number of alumni had been elected, we were assured of an understanding and sympathetic board. Another straw blown our way toward more liberality for students, was the famous decision of the Indiana supreme court permitting the return of fraternities to Purdue University. This helped us because the troubles at Purdue paralleled those at Illinois. The trustees gave us an early hearing and the students and military class were represented by Charles H. "Whiskers" Shamel and myself. Shamel and I were naturally very nervous, but so was Dr. Peabody. The regent admitted all of our allegations, and made much of the charge that he was "guilty of the grossest kind of impartiality;" since our charges were admitted by the regent, we rested our case without argument and when the trustees rendered their unique decision, we felt sure there was nothing to worry about. The trustees decided that everything was all right; the regent and faculty were all right, and the students were all right, but they restored Billie Miller's commission, which was most reassuring. Now comes the story of events that invariably accompany a revolution. Poor old Dr. Peabody was the goat and on him were