Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-02-06
CHAPTER V.

An anxious group had gathered that
afternoon over near the hospital. Corp.
Ercnts symptoms We're all indicative of
conclusion Of the brain. and, though tho
surgeon said there had been no fracture
of the skull, he was fearful that fatal
consequences might eusue. Among his
conrade3 Of the infantry battalion the
young soldier was by long odds the most
popular and beloved man IN the ranks,
and that he should have been -'slugged,"
as they expressed 1t, in the discharge of
his duty by some scoHndrel Of a cavalry
man was developing Il very ugly feeling
at the post. Murphy and Seaman had
been sent to Coventry among their own
comrades for having lent n willing ear
to tho wiles Of the tempter, and SO led on
to the tragedy that followed.
Col. Morris had ordered that Goss
should be confined IN cell apart from
the ordinary prisoners; but when con-
fronted with the array Of n dozen gar
riso1 nlalefstctor3 neither Murphy nor
Seaman was able to fix on any one of
them as the man who accosted them tho
night of the tragedy and gave them
drink at the southwest gate. Goss was
like him in size and beard, they said, bnt
that was all that they could assert. 1t
was enough, however, to prompt some
of the intantrymen or guard to soaring
the prisoners life almost out Of him.
lie piteoualy implored the officer OF the
day at his next visit not to keep him
there-the dough boys" he said, had
sworn they would lynch him if Brent
died-and again i.il again he declared
himself innocent and the victim Of some
conspiracy. When Col. Morris WIS in
formed Of the threat he decided to send
the man to the nei. ,hbo1ing town and
the custody Of the civil authorities, tina,
lie might be tried by their courts in the
event of a fatal termination to the cor
poral's injuries, but waited until after
noon before issuing the orders in the
case.
Maj. Kenyon, who had taken a deop
interest in Brent for some months past
and who had recommended him to study
for a commission, wa just coming from
the hospital ward when AIr. Hoarn, pass
ing by The sad faced group Of soldier.
who were chatting at the stopa, CAN.
quickly forward to meet the field oiIi-sr
How does he seem now. major;
had intended coming earlier, but was d.
tanned"
",Tust holding his own. would9'
90 in If I were you, Hcarn. l thir'
footsteps only worry the doctor NOV
There is 10 great change, men, he kin.
j. spoke, as The little knot OF soldiers II
spoctfully salutcd aad looiadinquirinsl
ii him, He has good fighting chaac
yet, with his splendid constitution. v
can only hope for the best. Come or
Nearn; l want TO ask you somethin.
What's this hear about your bavin
trouhIe with that follow Schoabcrg?'
"Oh, | had no e5Docial trouble. nlajoi
3e was out here drunk, I sould say, ~
bad got that man welsh, Of my troor
drinking, 80 the follow was inspbor1i
nate again, and the officer Of the da,
ordered him confined. Then Schonberg
i! seems, went into the club room, anu
after ne had been treating tho men r.
lr-r in The bar insisted on treating t,
rnar payne and introducing himself 70
several Of tie officers who wore there.
E'o5l" came in and ordered him out. and
when / happened along, hearing I'll
nose, lie appealed TO Mc as to what the
orders in lis case bad been, and as
know that he had been forbidden even
f. come on the reservation | told him il
lr didn't 80, and 90 1T once, | would
s"-G ONE Cf my men to escort him. OF
course he was very violent and abusive
bE' I raid DO further attention to it."
ID Ill mat viil4iu!' said the major
Gle has done more to dcmorali2e tie
l7ca in this post than all the toughs and
gamblers in the community combined
OUr fellows have got to know him 81
thoroughly that tho best class of then
at lea-1 steer clear of him entirely; bu
there was = time when q great many o
them never went to town without get
ting drink or money at his place anC
having to pay very heavily for it after
ward
"Oh, knew him well the first white
] ever spent here said Hearn. Ill
was clerk IN the suffers store then, an,
it was just before | left that he was dis
charged by his employer. who is desC
now. Then he came prying around tn
barracks at night bringing liquor to TN
men, aud gamblers out with him iron
town, playing in the non-commissione
officers room, fleeing them so badl
that they finally complained, and the
the order was issued that he shouldn'
be permitted on the reservation at all
IIc had a friend with him today whom
be was showing around and whom h
insisted on introducing. Martin says h
callel lin Abrams, from Chicago"
abrams! | don't know anythin
about him, but the II re fact Of lis bein
here with Schonborg is enough to max
me look upon him with suspicion. The
woro having . Confidential talk wit
your man Wekh, I'm told. Now VIVA
do they know of him? Where have the
met him before"