Four Mandrake University students were charged yesterday in the rape of a 16-year-old Eastfield High School student at a fraternity party last week. The students, all members of the TriDelta fraternity, were released on bond after being charged. A court date has not yet been set.   "It's a classic case of drunken frat boys going too far," said City Attorney Cheryl Parker. The alleged rape took place at a TriDelta party where the victim and her assailants had been drinking heavily, according to the official police complaint. "She was too drunk to defend herself," said Parker. "But she was sober enough to know what was happening."   Eastfield citizens are outraged by the alleged attack. Brian Cobb, head of the Mandrake Neighborhood Coalition, was not surprised however. "It was only a matter of time," he said. "Those fraternities are going at it every weekend, all weekend, with their parties. If it's not one, it's another with their loud music and drinking and yelling and drugs on the front lawns. And there are high school kids going to these parties - we've seen them. Even reported them to the cops but they didn't do anything. So yes, it's sad, but no surprise."

  Eastfield Police arrested six Mandrake University students at a party last night, but other students who where there say that the officers hit and kicked the arrested students, even after they were handcuffed.
  "I don't care what the police say, they were not resisting arrest," said Carol Schock, a Mandrake student who witnessed the incident.
   According to witnesses, the police arrived at a party at 1730 7th St. around 11:15 P.M. last night for the purpose of breaking up the college party being held there. The four officers then confronted the three college students who were renting the house. The tenants agreed to keep the noise down and to exclude any minors from the festivities.
   One of the officers then allegedly struck one of the tenants across the face. The other tenants and three other students defended the man who had been struck, and all six were beaten and arrested by the police.
  "Their faces were bleeding and bruised," said Schock. "They weren't looking for a fight, they just wanted the cops to leave Bill alone. They weren't resisting at all." It was unclear what caused the incident to become violent in the first place. Sarah Hanson, another Mandrake student and witness, suggested it was because McDonald did not show his ID as quickly as the officers wanted him to. continued on page 7
Police Brutality from page 1
  "He was digging around for his wallet and I guess the guy thought he was stalling. So he hit him. I wasn't surprised, this isn't the first time something like this has happened."
   All six students were arrested and booked but are scheduled to be released today. Eastfield police have made no comment regarding the allegations of police brutality.

  Jeremiah Standish, age 82, was found dead yesterday evening in his home when a neighbor noticed that his mail had been stacking up outside his door for several days and called the police. Police sources confirmed that Standish had been dead for more than a day but would not say how much more. Officials have attributed the man's death to natural causes.
   An unusual twist is that Standish was the third person to die in the last month with an unusual tattoo on his left arm. The tattoo, which features an abstract symbol, was also found on the bodies of Horace Kotter and Jacob Lancaster, two elderly Eastfield residents who died several weeks ago, also of natural causes. Police sources have noted the connection but dismiss it as a coincidence.
   Anton Wallace, a professor of sociology at Mandrake University, recognized the tattoo as the emblem of a long-defunct Eastfield fraternal organization, the Order of the Tower. "They were influential in the 1930s," said Wallace, an avid scholar of local history. "But they disbanded after only a few years. The police raided one of their meetings and a scandal ensued. No one wanted to be associated with them after that."
   The funeral for Standish has been scheduled for early next week.

  Acting on an anonymous tip, the police raided the Switzman estate on the outskirts of town last night, discovering a shocking display of depravity and witchcraft. No less than 14 prominent citizens were found dancing around the carcass of a slaughtered calf, bathing in its blood and singing hymns to their "queen."
   Marion Switzman, the so-called high priestess of the self-proclaimed "Order of the Ebon Tower," swore vengeance against Eastfield and all its people as she was being carried away by police, according to eye-witness accounts. The woman was reportedly naked and covered with blood, shouting over and over, "Worship the queen or perish! Her realm is all around us!"

September 27, 2003
Date Ends in Tragedy
Student dies in boating accident

  One Mandrake University student died and another was in critical condition after their rowboat tipped over in the middle of Lake Wekonowoc last night.
   According to Gary Augustine, the surviving student, he and Audra Preston went boating last night on a date at about 11:00 P.M. When one of the oars fell into the water, he tried to retrieve it, but "only made it worse."
  "I reached too far over and the boat tipped," he said.
  Officials have accepted Augustine's story and are calling the incident an accident. "These things happen," said Sheriff Bill Kallestad. "Kids rent a boat, don't really know what they're doing, and never wear their life jackets. It's tragic, but it happens every couple of years, usually in the fall."
  A memorial service for Audra Preston will be held on campus tomorrow at 10:00 A.M.