Diary Reveals Student Conflict In 1890 At U-M

A student diary given to the Michigan Historical Collections at the University of Michigan makes it clear that students and "the establishment" conflicted years ago. The diary, written in 1890 by Enoch J. Price, a student in the U-M Law School, describes a brutal confrontation between students and militia, ending in the violent death of a student. On Nov. 12 of that year Price wrote: "Thompson lectured today. There is much excitement about the University over the arrest of six fellows at the Post Office last evening. They were kept in jail all night, the officers refusing to take bail. ''The law classes held meetings and appointed committees to see to defending the boys, and agreed to pay the expenses of defending the boys and prosecuting the officers for illegal arrest and imprisonment." Price continued, "In the evening a fight occurred between the students and a company of 'militia' who had peen firing salutes and thus brought a crowd of about 500 students together. They charged on the students with clubbed muskets and struck several fellows. One was struck on the head and died before morning. The attack was unprovoked and made us very angry. More trouble would have followed but Prof. Thompson got the boys to go to the campus." Next day Price wrote, "Was much excitement about the University this morning when it was learned that young Dennison who was struck last night had died e a r 1 y this morning. Dr. Angelí spoke feelingly of it in chapel and urged the boys to be self-restrained. "Prof. Wells, who lectured today, spoke very well in regard to the same matter. The inquest was begun and several of the militia locked up. About 4 p.m. nearly 1,000 of the boys followed the remains of the murdered fellow to the Michigan Central Depot. "Spent the evening studying Blackstone. Got sleepy early on account of late hours lastnight." Price was graduated from U-M with an LL.B. degree in 1891 and later became a member of a Chicago law firm. He died in 1945. The diary was given to the U-M Historical Collections by Dr. Allen T. Price, a descendent. Although Price's diary is unclear as to what triggered the incident, the following account of the same incident is found in "James Burrill Angelí," a biography by Shirley W. Smith who served as the U-M 's secretary and chief financial officer during President Angell's administration: "A squad of the Ann Arbor Militia Company marched to the house of a member of the company who had just been married to give the newlyweds an old-fashioned charivari. This house was in a part of the city thickly populated by students as well as by citizens . . . The militiamen jovially fired several blank volleys, with the immediate result that students came running from every direction. There apparently was no thoueht thus far on either side but that of a good time for all. "However, following some ill-timed words from the sergeant in command, this spirit was at once changed. When the mihtia started to marchl away, they were jeered and I closely crowded by the stu-l dents until the troops turned and with clubbed guns charged the crowd."