STUDENTS' "RAG"

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 84, 3 January 1920, Page 10

STUDENTS' "RAG"

WILD SCENES IN LONDON BART.'S AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE TUSSLE An exciting "rag" took place recently between the students o{ Bt. BartholoHospital and University College, London. Tho contest centred round tho possession of the German gun 'presented to Bart.'s last year by tho AVnr Oilice, and the result, so far as Bart.'s is concerned, was a complete triumph for tho hospital. They regained .possession of their gun, and "bagged" other trophies, including a gate, two lengths of firo ho6e, and a marblo statue. About 4flo students from University Colleges took the initiative at 2.30 in tho afternoon. They luarchcd in a body from Gower Street to St. Bart's and "captured" tho gnu. They met . with little or no opposition till the assistant matron gave the alarm. Then over 80 of the St. Bart.'s men rus'.Vwl from tho "theatres," lecturo rooms, and hospital in an effort to ! rescue their trophy. But the gun was safely lodged within tho gates of the University College, the gates were locked, and the entrances barred to all on-comers. Tho medical students, however, rushed round to a sido entrance, and reached the quadrangle, where Sir Gregory Foster, tho Provost, appealed for order. "We want our gun," sang. tho students in chorus, and tho collegians rushed at them, ten mqn collecting round ono opponent, carrying him to gates and putting him outside. Eventually the gate was wrenched off its lunges and taken as a trophy to St. Bart.'s The medical students returned to we hospital, held a meeting, and deemed to recapture tho gun at 7.30. Second Counter-Attack. < Over 400 men "mobilised" for the second counter-attack. They marched to Gower Street, and at the entrance to the college about SO police, under an inspector, met them and appealed order. This the students promised. Thev formed a "gun team," which mounted the steps to the main entrance, and brought the gun out to tho. cheering crowd. With the pride of victors tho students paraded Tottenham Court lioad, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, tho Strand, and Ilolborn, displaying the trophies. The leader of "Bart.'s," a tall, quiet mav with dishevelled hair and a scratched nose, and his clothes whitened from carrying a raided bust from tile college, said ito a "Daily Now?" representative: "I have been nearly all over the colIce, and 1 wo hardly left a whole electric light bulb. Wo have taken the gates .leading to thoir courtyard; we have tho gun back. We have the bones out of 'their dissecting room. I have this little lady (tho bust), and I am equipped with a Sikcs outfit. On their notice board wo have left a message, Who o;>' nl the'police? . .... "Guy's, who were going to .join the University twelve months ago in taking nun from us, helped us to-night. "Wo don't like to be discourteous, added the Bart/s lender reflectively, but wo aro keeping our eyes on Guy s and on the gun now." A Surprise Attack. It' v appears that the University, to the number of some 400, visited "Bart s at 230 in tlie afternoon. Tho students and houso surgeons were then, doing duty in the wards, and tho University had an easy task. They just took the gun from its place near the Pathological Laboratory and dragged it away, having posted two phalanxes on each side ot tho Ilenry VIII gate in case of a surpr is o» AT» t) "Ten minutes later, 9110 of Bart, s said, "We followed them, and caught thorn near the college. We had ft big iHit. 'I'if.cy fought with, dissecting hones, and I had a smash with a spade. Their girl students joined in, but tho hospital uurses cheered us. We got tho gun to tike gate, but wo were outnumbered G to 1, and had to retire. , ... ' "We regret that the University did not defend the gun 'the second tune. In th« struggle l'hi.neas, one. of tho big statues that stand each side' - of the main entranco' was knocked down. H 0 is their mascot, and they will feel that keenly/' , A "Daily News" representative found Phincas lying on his face on tho broad steps. Ho was surrounded by smashed masonry, and a spade lay near. . A skull played a prominent part in the raid, being used alternately as missile and as a rallying standaid.