AN EXPLANATION OFFERED.

The following public statement is made by S. S. Pierce and Co., of Boston, as an act of very necessary justice to a Harvard student whose reputation has been in danger of suffering at their hands:

"In justice to Mr. Charles B. Pike, a student at the Harvard Law School, we desire to say that we have acted under a misapprehension of the facts in directing his arrest on December 3. Our misapprehension arose from the inaccuracy, wholly unintentional as we now believe, of a statement made by him to one of our clerks.

"We regret exceedingly that before taking summary proceedings we did not make more careful inquiry as to the character of Mr. Pike. Had we done so we should have learned, as we have since done, that he is a gentleman of the highest integrity.

"We regret the injustice we have unintentionally done to Mr. Pike, and we hope that the same publicity which was given to our proceedings against him will be given to this statement in justice to him.

"S. S. PIERCE AND CO."BOSTON, Dec. 11, 1895."