Is Cambridge Prowler Harvard Student?

Even as patrolmen combed Cambridge in a desperate effort to locate the sex-mad burglar who swept in a figure-eight through the heart of town Friday night, inside sources have revealed that speculation by police officials may link the crimes to a Harvard student.

The basis for this speculation lies in the neat figure-eight pattern through which The Prowler traced his activity. Many of the more intellectual officials point to the symbolic significance of the "eight" as conclusive proof that the affair was plotted by a Harvard man.

One source explained that "eight is nothing more than two cubed. Two is the most fundamental of all numbers, while three is quite obviously a symbol. We know all about those symbols," he added with a smile, "and who would think up something like that if it wasn't one of those Harvard kids?"

Likes Symbolism

Another high-up source, who asked that his name not be used, liked the idea of three-symbolism but took a slightly different train of thought. "Eight is one less than nine, and nine in turn is three times three. Many of the ancients felt that nine was the perfect number," he explained, "and of course the three also ties in nicely with other suggestions."

In choosing the number eight, the source said, "the maniac was symbolically illustrating man's inability to achieve perfection, in this case the figure nine."

Several Harvard professors were quick to debunk any such attempts to link mathematics with symbolism. "It just can't be done," one professor chuckled, "although the fact that he returned to his starting place may be significant. Possibly a longing for the eternal return," he explained, "yes, the eternal return, not bad at all, not bad at all."

Another professor agreed substantially with the interpretation of man's inability to achieve perfection. "Yes, indeed, that's quite possible," he exclaimed. "The fact that the chap carried a flashlight would be a sort of Diogenes symbol for man's eternal attempt to find a truth which can never be attained," he added.

More practical-minded police officials, however, were intent on finding the man, wanted dead or alive, who assaulted one woman and tried to strangle four others. All males five feet 11 inches tall, wearing grey jackets, and expressing a preference for creme de menthe were being watched closely, and sources hoped that an arrest would be made.

Several veteran patrolmen suggested, however, that it might be the work of an organized gang with all members disguised to look alike. "It could have been done by as many as five or six," one informant suggested, and cited as evidence that often the time between two attempts was only 15 minutes.

Another source said this was hardly grounds for excluding the possibility of a one-man job.