The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1890-09-06

| C3QCOnmeIC WIFI pOCkeLS Iuli VI money
and no one to help them spend it, and
nothing suitable to spend it on. 1t was
o duty all citizens owed to the territory
to hasten to the scene and gather in for
local circulation all that was obtainable
of that disbursement, otherwise the curse
of the army might get ahead of them,
and the boys would gamble it away
among themselves or spend it for vile
whisky manufactured for their sole
benefit. Gallatin Valley was emptied of
its prominent practitioners in the game
of poker. The stream was black with
"Mackinaw" boats and other craft.
There was a rush for the cantonment
! that rivaled the multitudes of the mining
| days, but all too late.
The command was already packing up
when the nrst contingent arrived, and
the commanding officer, recognizing the
| fraternity at glance, warned them out
side the limits of camp that night, de-
| clined their services as volunteers on the
impending campaign, and treated them
with such calmly courteous recognition
of their true character that the eastern
press was speedily filled with sneering
comment on the hopelessness of ever sub
DUNG the savage tribes of the northwest,
when the government intrusts the duty
to upstart officers of the regular service
whose sole conception of their functions
is to treat with insult and contempt the
hardy frontiersman whose mere presence
with the command would be of incalcu-
liable benefit. "We have it from indis-
putable authority" says The Miners
Light of Brandy Gap, THAT when our
esteemed fellow citizen Hank Muligan
and twenty gallant shots and riders like
himself went in body to Gen. - at
the cantonment and offered their services
as volunteers against the Sioux now de-
vastating the homesteads and settlements
of the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone
valleys, they were treated with naughty
and contemptuous refusal by that band
box caricature of soldier and threat
ened with. arrest if they did not quit
the camp. When will the United States
learn that its frontiers can never be
purged of the Indian scourges of our
civilization until the conduct of affairs
in the field is intrusted to other hands
than these martinets of the drill ground?
1t is needless to remark in this connection
that the expedition led by Gen. - has
proved complete failure, and that the
Indians easily escaped his clumsily led
forces"
The gamblers, though baffled for the
time being, of course get square," and
more too, with the unfortunate general
in this sort of warfare, but they are dis
gusted lot as they hang about the wagon
train as last of all it is being hitched in
to leave camp. Some victims, of course,
they have secured, and there are no de-
vices of commanding officers which can
protect their men against those sharks of
the prairies when the men themselves are
bound to tempt providence and play.
There are two scowling faces in the cav
airy escort that has been left back with
the train, and Capt. Hull, the command
ing officer, has reprimanded Sergts.
Clancy and Cover in singing terms for
their absence from the command during
the night. There is little question where
they spent it, and both have been "clean-
ed out" What makes it worse, both
have lost money that belonged to other
men in the command, and they are in
bad odor accordingly.
The long days march has tempered the
joviality of the entire column. 1t is near
shutdown, and still they keep plodding
onward. making for grassy level on the
river bank good mile farther.
"Old Hull seems bound to leave the
sports as far behind as possible, if he has
to march us until midnight" growls the
battalion adjutant to his immediate conf
mander. "By thunder! one would think
he was afraid they would get in lick at
his own pile"
How much did you say he was carry
ingT' asks Capt. Rayner. checking his
horse for moment to look back over
the valley ut the long, dust enveloped
column.
Nearly three thousand dollars in one
wad."
"How does he happen to have such
sum-"
why. Crane left his pay accounts
with him. He drew all that was due his
men who are off with Crane-twenty of |
them-for they had signed the rolls be- |
fore going, and were expected back to-
day. Then he has some six hundred dol |
lars company fund; and the men of his !
troop asked hin, to take care of a pobd !
deal besides. The old man has been with !
them so many years they look upon him |
as father and trust him as implicitly as
they would savings bank"
That's all very we'll" ansce,s Ray
ner; but wouldn't want 10 carry any |
such sum with me-"
Its different with Hull's men, cap
tain. They are ordered in through the
posts and settlements. They have a