St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-06
Officers at Fort Smelling
Stirred Up by the Recent
Disclosures.
Col. Mason Declares He Is
Not Responsible for the
Gambling.
He Has No Jurisdiction Over
Building in Which the
Men Played.
Capt. Gerlaeh's Flippant Re-
marks Respecting Disci-
pline in Army Posts.

The officers stationed at Fort SMELL
ing are considerably stirred up over the
disclosures made by the GLOBE Satur-
day, aren't gambling and the illegal
sale of liquor upon the United States
military reservation. Col. Mason. CON-
mandant of the fort, was yesterday in
terviewed by GLOBE reporter.
The colonel was very reticent in
speaking of the matter. but gradually
his reserve melted away and the gal
liant officer submitted to the inquiries
made to him. Col. Mason said as re-
CARDS the lower post where the men
were found playing stud poker that he
had no authority over it,
THE fact is, he continued. THAT eighteen
months ago the war department set apart
the lower post for an ordnance depot. 1t
was placed under the command of Capt.
William Gerlaeh by Gen. Kruger. then i'll com
mand of the department of Dakota. Capt.
Gerlach was supernumerary ethcer of my
regiment, and l have no authority over him
whatever"
NOW colonel, as regards this gambling.
Have you no authority to put stop TO IL.
even If the place where it occurred is not
unGer your command but on the reserva-
TOM
Il have told you have no authority over
the lower post answered the colonel
warmly. land | decline to answer your queS-
ton further"
But if the men of Your regiment frequent
this place, have you, or will you take any
steps to prevent their going there Tor that
purpose?' asked the visitor.
Il 90 not see what right you or any cluzen
has to come here and question me as regards
the discipline of this garrison. have served
my country for forty years, and this is the
first time that any question has been made OF
my conduct by newspaper or any one else.
Your conduct colonel, has not been
questioned but what the GLOBE desires to
know is what viii You do when the state
ment is made on actual knowledge that
gambling has taken place upon the reserya-
ton. beneath the United States flag. i'll a
building which you say is not in your Juris-
diction?'
Il decline to answer your question.
Now as regards the sale of liquor in the
canteen. which is under your jurisdiction.
VIII you make any statement upon the dsrer-
ton that liquor was sold to me as civilian
on Friday evenings"
VIII Go Hence.
Colonel Mason paused few minutes,
and suddenly raising his arm, with a
voice trembling with passion, said:
i have served my country for forty years
and in short while will retire from the serv-
ice proposed to settle down i'll st. Paul,
but l shall sell every stick l possess and go
elsewhere. a great injustice has been done
to me, and you cannot set 1t right.
Col. Mason is very much upset over
the matter, and it is evident that the
disclosures made in the GLOBE are not
pleasant for him to discuss. One sig
nificant fact cannot be lost sight OF,
however. A month ago the colonel
wrote to Mayor Smith that gambling
was being carried on at the Fort Smell
ing hotel, across the river from
the fort. and he therein called
upon his honor to have it stopped. Yet
when gambling is reported to him as eX-
listing upon the reservation, in build
ing under the command OF an inferior
officer, who is said to be responsible to
the officer commanding the department
of Dakota, the colonel declines TO state
in any manner whatever whether he
will take any steps i'll the premises.
Capt Gerlach, who is the officer in
charge of the ordnance building, where
the gambling took place, could not be
found Yesterday. According TO an
interview had with him by reporter of
a morning paper on Saturday lie seems
to treat the whole matter as huge joke,
and speaks of gambling as being COM
mon occurrence in army posts. 1t is to
be regretted that an officer should make
so reckless a statement III so tiippant a
manner. The captain states that he has
ten men under his command who are
ouartered in the ordnance building.
and that he was informed that some of
his men were playing stud poker in the
Mushroom of their quarters between
shutdown and IL p. m. In regard to this
statement it may be that another game
was in full blast in the room
be speaks of, but when the GLOBE rep
resentative visited the gambling room
on Friday evening last, over fifty men
were present and the room was not a
wash room. If Capt. Gerlach has only
ten men under his command and over
fifty men were playing stud poker in a
room in the building over which he has
command, there can be 10 possible
doubt that the men from the barracks
visited the place.
During the past month soldier is re-
ported to have won over $500 at the stud
poker tables and purchased his dis
discharge.
Saturday evening and last evening a
sentry was placed at the old guard
house which adjoinS the ordnance de-
pot, and the stud poker room in the
basement was in total darkness. The
''wash room" which Capt. Gerlach
spoke of was, however. lighted up, and
from the sounds proceeding from it the
men were having good time.