Canny Crimson Captive Claimed From Crass Commercialized Comic Cut-ups

After hours of fruitless negotiation, which saw the injection of the first note of commercialism into a CRIMSON-Lampoon feud of fifty years standing, J. M. Boyd '35, kidnaped CRIMSON editor, was recovered last night at a Beacon Street hideout. Retreating behind barred doors of the Jester's building, the editors of the Lampoon made no attempt to prevent Boyd's rescue by representatives of the CRIMSON.

Both the unsuccessful early-morning raid on the CRIMSON building and the abduction of Boyd were admittedly carried out to secure publicity for the Lampoon's forthcoming parody of Fortune. The group of editors who staged the raid had received only the half-hearted sanction of the responsible officers of the magazine and was composed largely of members of the business board, led by the treasurer, whose resignation is believed to have been requested last night.

The first gun of the day was fired when Lampoon editors laid siege to the CRIMSON building at 5.15 o'clock in the morning and commenced a futile search for the morning's papers which they intended to stamp "Compliments of the Lampoon." Disappointed and infuriated by their failure to find the sheets which had previously been hidden, their numbers now increased to ten, the invaders took their revenge by binding and gagging J. M. Boyd '35, CRIMSON editor, who was at the time working in the building. In spite of the gallant attempt at rescue made by R. P. Buch '34, and the effective defense afforded by the shovel of Adolph, veteran janitor, who was subsequently imprisoned in the boiler room, the visitors succeeded in driving Buch out of the building and into the inner sanctuary of the Catholic church. They immediately removed Boyd from the premises, and drove away to Wellesley Hills.

Eager to take advantage of the publicity which this unexpected coup offered, the Lampoon treasurer conferred at once with CRIMSON editors to determine what policy they should follow in dealing with the captive, in order to afford the best stories for metropolitan papers. Meantime, efficient telephoning from the Lampoon office had brought two press photographers to the steps of Randolph Hall, where in the drizzling rain they patiently waited for the "encounter" which Lampoon editors had promised, and to which CRIMSON men had courteously been invited. After some delay, caused by the jesters' belief that there were not sufficient reporters in the neighborhood to warrant an assault, the fracas was finally commenced and carried out to everyone's satisfaction.

Shortly after 4 o'clock, Boyd was taken from Wellesley to Boston, where he and his captors, together with Creighton Churchill '36, and W. K. Wyant, Jr. '35, were entertained at tea by friends of the kidnaped editor.

Meanwhile the treasurer of the Lampoon, anxious to supply the papers with stories for their morning editions, arranged with radio station WBZ in Boston to have Boyd speak over the air in the evening. Upon his refusal to do this in spite of threats, R. J. Walsh '34, Ibis of the Lampoon, undertook to impersonate Boyd, and succeeded in hoaxing the managers of the radio station into allowing him to broadcast.

At 9.30 o'clock, Boyd reached the CRIMSON by telephone to reveal his whereabouts and to say that his erstwhile captors would not interfere with his return. Half an hour later he was met by representatives of the CRIMSON, and returned to Cambridge.