Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-03-19

made thorough, impartial, and ex-
haustive investigation into the matter;
has talked with many, if not all, Of the
prominent citizens; has personally
visited the post and conversed with
number Of intelligent enlisted men; and,
as a result of his painstalzing obserYa-
tions, he is enabled to send you the fol-
lowing account, for the absolute accu-
racy of every detail of which he vouches
unreservedly.
$50 far as the enlisted men are con-
cerned, the people have no complaint to
make. 1t is, indeed, the contemplation
Of their wrongs and sufferings that has
reused the popular clamor against their
aristocratic and overbearing taslnasters.
Just why it is that the instant young
man escapes from the hotbed of hunkey-
ism and snobbery, West Point, and dons
the straps of a second lieutenant, he
should imagine that he owns the earth
and that the nations should bow down to
him, is something no intelligent mind
can understand. But to become con-
vinced that it is so beyond peradventure,
one has only to visit this representative
army post, garrisoned as it is by large
detachments Of SO called distinguished
regiments; though, from all accounts,
the distinction they have earned seems
chiefly to be connected with drinking
bouts and gambling tables.
son every side it was declared to your
correspondent that civilians who ven
tured out to the fort were treated with
contumely and insult; that the officers
rudely ordered them off the reservation
and forbade them to enter the sacred pre-
cincts Of the barracks, and even caused
their election from the public store and
saloon, kept at the post by one Stone.
who truckles, of course, to his official
neighbors and obtains in return the
mandate that the soldiers must spend
their money with him at swindling
prices and the prohibition against their
having any dealings with the reputable
merchants in the city. On the other
hand, the merchants who have been SO
unfortunate as to trust the officers are
not able to collect their bills at all. and
are absolutely forbidden to enter the gar
rison when they seek to press their claims.
Here is the brief history Of one days
experience. In company with one Of the
oldest, wealthiest and most respected
business men of this section your cor
respondent drove to Fort Ryan this
morning to see for himself how far the
facts would justify the allegations, and
if lingering doubt remained it was at
once and forever rudely dispelled. A
case of particular hardship had been
brought to our attention and we desired
to see Trooper Welsh in person. He was
on sick report, excused from drill by
reason Of the treatment that had been
accorded him by the commanding officer
of his troop, or we probably could not
have seen him at all. Selling a moment
when the officers were away at drill Mr..
S. sent q message asking the young sol
der to come out.
"a fine looking, intelligent man of
about 25 years was presented to your
correspondent, and briefly and simply
told his story. 1t was enough to make
an Americans blood boil in his veins to
note the emotion and humiliation it
seemed to cause him. He came Of an
excellent family in the east, but having
long desired from patriotic motives to
become a soldier Of the flag he had
against their wishes enlisted under an
assumed name. From the very start his
captain had compelled him to work about
his house like a common drudge. He
had to black boots, build fires, sweep the
kitchen, actually do chores for the cap
tain's cook. In vain he begged to be al
lowed to join his troop and learn his
duty as a soldier; he was sternly refused.
1t made his own comrades among the
soldiers look down upon him, and when
he could find time to visit them at the
barracks the sergeants abused him like
thief. But the man who particularly
bounded him was Second Lieut.. Hearn,
a young martinez fresh from Wes6 Point,
who never lost q chance of cursing him
for errors on drill or mistakes made after
ward.
"The captain had taught him that
when at work for him he must not quit
it to jump up and salute every lieuten-
ant who happened along; and just be-
cause he remained seated and at work
when Lieut.. Hearn passed by, the latter
cursed him like dog, had him thrown
into filthy dungeon, and there he lay
until he was tried by court martial and
sentenced by gang of Hearn's COM
rades to fine and imprisonment for obey
ing his captains orders. Another time,
when he was cleaning the captains
horse the lieutenant's horse, which was
next him on the line, kept backing over
him, .reading ON him, and knocking his
brushes out Of his hand, and because he
simply pushed him back and spoke
sharply Lieut. Hearn rushed in and
swore he had a mind to kick him black
and blue. IF he had,' said Welsh-and
the young soldiers eyes blazed with
pent up feeling-'I could no longer have
controlled myself Iwould have knocked
him down and appealed to the people of
America to uphold me- For this he
was again thrust into the ver1nin haunt
ed dungeon, and this made him SO i'll
that the surgeon himself had been com
PEELED to interpose in his behalf. i
would desert and end it all, said the
poor fellow, with tears in his eyes, but
have sworn to serve my country, and l
shall keep my oath When told that
The Palladium would see him righted,
though the heavens fell, his emotion was
something that would have melted the
stoutest heart.
ssBut now comes the crowning peak of
blackguardisn. Warned by some spy,
doubtless, of the fact that his victim
was telling his story to citizens, Lieut..
Hearn suddenly appeared on the scene,
and before our eyes, with vulgar abuse
and tyrannical bearing, ordered Private
Welsh instantly to leave. In vain the
young soldier respectfully pleaded that
he had right to speak with friends who
came to see him. In vain he pointed
out that he was onno duty at the time. In
vain Mr.. S. interposed in behalf Of jus
tice and decency. The brutal bully
seized the weakened invalid in an iron
grasp, dragged him like dog to the
gutter in front and then, with cuffs and
curses, drove him before him into the
guard house. Meantime Mr.. S., who
had formerly many friends at the post,
hastened into the officers club room,
hoping to explain she matter and secure
Justice for the unfortunate fellow. But
it was a hapless move. What business
had he, civilian, to intrude unlimited
into the mighty presence Of half dozen