Order of the Bull's Blood
Order of the Bull's Blood (also known as Lodge 443) is a
secret society at
Rutgers University, established in
1834 by
Frederick T. Frelinghuysen,
William Newell and
Joseph P. Bradley. It is said to be the oldest currently active secret society at Rutgers, dating several years before the incarnation of the first fraternities at the University. It is similar in history and inspiration to other secret societies like
Skull and Bones and
Scroll and Key at
Yale University. Each year 12 juniors are chosen, or "tapped," by the outgoing senior members of the Order and are tied to a series of continuing pranks at Rutgers and at historic rival
Princeton University, including allegedly being involved in the 1875 theft of a cannon at Princeton, an eventâ€"and the ensuing debate between the two university presidentsâ€"reported in nationwide newspapers, and an unsuccessful repeat attempt in 1946.
Notable members are:
*
Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, Class of 1836, Vice Presidential Candidate, United States Senator
*
William Newell, Class of 1836, Physician, Governor of
New Jersey*
Joseph P. Bradley, Class of 1836, Associate Justice of Supreme Court
*
Garret A. Hobart, Class of 1863, Vice President of the United States
*
James Neilson, Class of 1866, University donor
*
Howard N. Fullerton, Class of 1874, wrote Rutgers alma mater "On the Banks of the Old Raritan"
*
Leonor F. Loree, Class of 1877, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad
*
William H. S. Demarest, Class of 1883, President of
Rutgers University*
Philip Milledoler Brett, Class of 1892, President of
Rutgers University, Successful Corporate Attorney
*
Carl Woodward, Class of 1914, President of
University of Rhode Island*
Clifford P. Case, Class of 1925, United States Senator
*
Oswald "Ozzie" Nelson, Class of 1927, Musician, Actor, of
Ozzie and Harriet fame
*
Samuel Blackman, Class of 1927, Journalist
*
Milton Friedman, Class of 1932, Economist and Nobel Laureate
*
Martin Agronsky, Class of 1936, Journalist
*
William Hughes, Class of 1955, Congressman, Ambassador to Panama
*
David Stern, Class of 1963, NBA Commissioner
*
Louis Freeh, Class of 1971, Former Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation
*
Robert Torricelli, Class of 1974, United States Senator
*
What Makes an Honorable Society? Compares Bull's Blood to
Cap and Skull on page 16.
*
Degenerate Society A Rutgers Journalist reflects on his being tapped into the Bull's Blood.
