St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-01
CAPT. CHAPEL REWARDED.
Presentation to the Retiring JanitOr
at the State Capitol.

Yesterday morning the inmates of the
state capitol, heads of departments, asss-
tants, clerks, etc, began to gather mysteri-
ously in Insurance Commissioner D. R. Me
ellis rooms, among whom was Capt. Charles
f. Chapel, jauitor of the capital buildings for
the past thirteen years, and lately resigning
that Office to take the position of first deputy
under sheriff elect Fred Richter. All
ewes seemed to be leveled on Capt.
Chapel, and that gentleman began
to show signs of nervousness when he was
suddenly ROBBED in the finest buffalo overcoat
ever made in this city, the handiwork of
npher, Finch 81 Skinner, which was richly
lined with unplucked otter, an elegant seal
skin cap. manufactured by Schultz q Nc
Donald, was thrust upon his head, and a fine
seal-skin glove placed upon his right hand,
the whole outfit costing 800.
In his six feet two inches in stature the
captain doomed up in his elegant garments
in fine shape, and as he stood astonished and
friends, remarked as follows
Grnflemen-We have met here for no
diabolical purpose. We don't mean bad.
We wouldn' know bad if We saw it. | have
difficult task before me, so extremely diff
cult that there is danger of giving the thing
away. We have met here as friends and
brothers, united by one common bond,
prompted by one common spirit. But there
is danger of going TOO far, as we have one
armed man to deal with. During the war
occupied the position Of orderly sergeant and
my place was at the head of my company.
The man next to me was person who pc
cuarly interested me for two reasons. First,
because Of his great height, six feet and four
iuches, and second, because of his great age,
which was forty years. That man was the
father of this man here, pointing to Capt.
Chapel. But about this man, the son,
have got something to say, but
in what I say / will be careful
not to give him away. I'll be easy with him.
This man served three years. enlistment
during the war, and then re-enlisted in the
Fifth Minnesota, in the company commanded
by Gov. Hubbard. He was in thirty-four en-
gagements in the last of which he lost his
left arm. Since then he has been amongus,
and we have known him and have learned
that while he is six feet, two inches in his
stockings, ne is also every inch man. This
man is about to desert us. Friend Chapel,
we have met here to show that we
have some appreciation of your
worth. II is our intention to show you our
esteem by a gift. warmth is life," says
the poet, the doctor, the philosopher or some
one else, and we would present you these
tokens, not worth much, perhaps, intrinsi
cally, but of value at a Specification of our
feelings. We hope you will live lOug enough
to wear them out, and long enough to be
warmed by many another coat. We have
4, L..s
worthy of higher position. We
congratulate yon on your advancement, and
we hope you will attain the summit Of your
ambition, and he sheriff, for once sheriff in
this county, you know, there are great posi-
bilities. One thing you are sure of, how
ever, when you make an endeavor for that
position. you will be sure Of the united sup
port OF every member Of the Estate House
ring" Laughter.
Mr.. Chapel was too deeply affected to ex-
press himself in words, and was taken COM
petely by surprise. He struck a mill
tary attitude facing an east win
dow OF the room aud for several minutes
gazed outward, shading his eyes with a hand
kerchief to protect them from the glare of
the inter- scene reflected upon the snow.
Suddenly one by one the conquerors Of this
veteran soldier formed in line, and. march
ing up to him, grasped him by the hand, and
in the squeeze he gave them felt an express
sion Of thanks beyond the power of words to
convey.
1t may be proper to give little history of
Capt. Chapel here. He came with his fam
lily 10 MINI sofa from Iowa at
the age OF nine years. He en-.
listed March a. 1862, in Company G,
Filth regiment, served his time and re-en-
listed Ia the same regiment. He was in the
battles Of V cksburg, Raymond, Champion
Hill and Jackson, Mississippi; Pleasant
Hin and Port Hudson, louisiana;
Nashville, Tennessee, and at the siege OF
Spanish fort on Mobile bay, where just a
week before the close OF the war he lost his
left arm. After his discharge he served one
year as sheriff Of Faribault county and then
went to farming After serving as deputy
sergeant-atarms In the Minnesota legislature
oil 1871, at the close OF the term he was APP
DOinted iauitgr of the caDtol building