'Fool' Lands In Jail After 'Poon Prank

A Lampoon Fools' Week joke backfired yesterday when one fool was arrested and jailed on charges of assaulting and robbing a fake Santa Claus. The fool was released on $1,000 bail pending arraignment today in district court.

Maurice C. Thompson Jr. '60, posing as a vagrant, assaulted Santa, Morgan D. Wheelock Jr. '60 as the latter attended his collection kettle in front of the Coop.

Thompson then attempted to run off but was tackled by Patrolman Warren Jackson who took the fool to the Cambridge Police Station. Bail was originally set at $10,000, but acting Police Chief Richard J. Linehan later reduced it to $1,000 when informed it was a 'Poon stunt.

Hearing This Morning

The case comes up in Cambridge's Third District Court this morning at nine. There was no clear indication last night as to how Thompson will plead, but Lampoon officials indicated they hoped the case will be settled out of court.

Santa was not hit very hard, but he fell into the street as the fool dashed off. Several people gave chase, and one policeman was later quoted as saying, "It's a good thing he stopped because if he had gotten into the clear I'd have shot him for hitting Santa Claus."

Wheelock was not implicated in the case, but he will appear in court tomorrow along with the Lampoon's lawyer.

The incident followed an earlier stunt in which the fools staged a mock duel in the Radcliffe quad. The duelists, a judge, a doctor, and six seconds drove up in a black Cadillac limousine. The duelists proceeded to pace off and fire, the resulting roar awakening the girls.