Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-02-12

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'NolU take your cap off,"
There was a frown on Col. Morris
face on Sunday morning that boded i'll
for officer or man who could not come
up to the standard of the post command
er on the forthcoming inspection. The
old order of things was still in existence,
and benefcent administration had not
yet issued its ban against martial exer-
cises of any kind upon the Lords day.
First call for inspection in full dress had
'sgone," as the soldiers say, as the colonel
appeared in the panoply Of his profess
sion upon the front piazza, glancing
modified approval at the glstening sur
face of his top boots and the brilliant
polish Of his spurs. Down at the front
gate his orderly stood, every item Of his
dress and equipment a model of soldierly
trimness. Out in the center of the pa
rade little party of the guard had just
lowered the storm flag that had been
hoisted at dawn, and were running up
in its stead the great garrison standard,
whose folds OF scarlet and white Tapped
out lazily in response to the soft breeze
now rising from the westward bluffs.
Over at the barracks the men had
come pouring forth, the neat dark blue
and white of the infantry at the east
side contrasting favorably with the glar-
ing yellow trimmings of the cavalry
battalion, swarming along the walk and
streaming from the stairways and gal
leries of their crowded quarters, like so
many full plumaged hornets. On the
verandas across the parade helmeted
officers and ladies in dainty muslins be-
gan to appear, and along the row to his
right and left the sheltered porches were
similarly occupied. But the post com
mander stood alone. Madame his better
half had. visitors Breakfast was not
quite finished, and she was devoting her
self to their entertainment, knowing
well that her liege lord was feeling in no
mood for such light duty.
Almost the first thing that the colonel
heard on going downstairs this bright
Sunday morning was an animated col
loquy in the kitchen between cook and
his man of all work, an old darky who
had followed the family fortunes for
years. Jake had learned from the police
sergeant, while he was at work on the
colonel's boots and spurs, that Corp.
Brent had been ''slugged" by somebody
the night before and was now lying un-
conscious in the hospital. There was
time only for very brief investigation be-
fore his guests came down. Mr.. Wal
lace was officer of the guard, and in re-
sponse to the message brought by the
colonel's orderly had gone at once to his
quarters and made his report.
Somewhere about twenty minutes af-
ter midnight the sentry on No. l had
called Corp. Werner out, saying there
appeared to be something wrong up by
the gate. Mr.. Wallace, knowing Brent
to have gone thither, sprang up and
went outside and saw light being car
ried rapidly from Capt. Lanes quarter;
at the corner over toward the cavalry
barracks. Hurrying around in front, he
got there just in time to see the captain
and the young lady who had recently
arrived, Miss Marshall, raising Corp
Brent from the ground. He was bleed
ing from jagged cash over the left eye
and was limp and senseless. After hav
ing him carried to the hospital and
arousing the steward, it was found thai
his face and eyes were covered with rec
pepper. Not word as to his assailanti
could be learned. The last men to reacf
the garrison were Murphy and Scanlan
two scapegraces of company F.
But the sentry on No. declared they
had come around by his post on th'
south side, whereas Brent was lying al
most in front Of the quarters Of @ troop
inside the post. Then, again, Scanlal
and Murphy were both sober, and neithe.
of them men who would be likely to as
sault SO popular and respected fellow
as Brent. Indeed both of them stoutl,
denied having had anything to do will
the case. What was more, Miss Mar
shall had said that she heard the alterca
ton, heard scuffle, and heard, 1hougl
she could not see, that the man ran to
ward the cavalry barracks with the cor
poral in pursuit. Then came the sount
of a shock or blow; then the fall, ant
hurrying downstairs she had callet
Capt. Lane, and lighting his little hurri
cane lamp she had hastened out alon,
the road, the captain rapidly following
And there at the foot of G troop stair
way lay Brent, bleeding profusely.
sit was some of our men that did it
SIR" said Wallace regretfully, land T,
give months pay to prove it on them
I'd give more than that if | thought
could prove that no cavalryman ha'
anything to do with it."
Then the colonel had sent his orderl
to ask the doctor how Brent was comm
on, and the doctor replied that he wa
still unconscious and he really could no
tell how the case would end. 1t wa
from this message the orderly had jus
returned. Old Morris was greatly dis
turbed. He had proposed having a re
view Of the entire command, cavalr
dismounted, and treating his guests to
stirring and martial sight, but when tn
assembly sounded he had completed
changed his mind, and so informed hi
wife. s.Tm all upset about this affair,
he said, "and impatient to begin an il
vestigation."
The band was ordered back to qual
tiers, the captains were notified to il
spect their companies on their own pa
rades, and merely exchanging his helmt
for forage cap and laying aside his sabe
the colonel strobe over to the Office, pas
ing by the three cavalry troops that wer
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