Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-02-01


of intelligent enlisted men; and, as re
suit of his painStaking observations, he
is enabled 10 send you the following ac
count. Tor the absolute accuracy OF
every detail of which he vouches unre-
Servedly.
$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
ronsed the popular clamor against their
oristocratic and oyerbearing taSkmakerS,
Inst why IL is that the instant 4 young
man es .apes from the hotbed OF turnkey
'sm and snobbery, West Point: and donS
the straps Of 4 second lieuteneht, he
should imagine that he owns the earth
and that the nations should bow down 10
him. is something no intelligent mind
can understand. But To become con-
WINGED 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.
ION 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
rudelv ordered them off the reservation
and forbade them 10 enter the sacred
precincts of the barracks, and even
caused their election from the pubic
store and saloon, kept AT the post by one
Stone. who truckles. of course; 10 his
official neighborS and obtains in return
the mandate that the soldiers must
spend their money with him AT swindling
prices aud the prohibition against thelr
having any dealings with the reputable
merchants in the city. ON the other
hand. the merchants who have been 30
unfortunate as 10 trust the officers are
not able to collect their bills AT all. ana
are absolutely forbidden to enter the gar
ri>on when they seek 10 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 TINS
morning to see for himself how far the
facts would Justify the allegations, ana
if a lingering doubt remained IL was 9t
once and forever rudely di>pelied. a
case of peculiar hardship had been
brought 10 our attention and We desired
10 see Trooper Welsh in person. lie 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. SlezlnS moment
when the officers were away al drill Mr..
). sent a message asking the young sol
der 10 come ont.
"A fine looking. intelligent man OF
about - years was presented to your
and briefly and simply
told his story. IL was enough 70 make
an Americans blood boil in his veins 10
note the emotion and humiliation II
seemed 10 cause him. He came Of an
excellent family in the east, but having
long desired from patriotic motives 10
become a soldier of the nag he had
against their wishes enlisted under an
assumed name. From the very start his
captain had compelled HIM towork about
his house like common drudge. He
had 10 black boots. build fires. sweep
the kitchen. actually do chores for the
raptaip's cook. In vain he begged 20 be
allowed TO Join his troop and learn MS
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 AZ the /
barracks the sergcantS abused him lik7
4 thief. But the man who particularly .
bounded him was Second Lieut.. hearh' /.
a Young martinez fresh from West /
Point. who never lost a chance Of ours /
ing him for errors ON drill or mistakes /
made afterward.
The captain had taught him that /
when at work for him he must lot qrlt /
IL 10 lump up and salute every lleuten- /
ant who happened along, and Just be- /
cause he remained seated aud a. WORK [
when Lieut.. Hcarn passed by. the latter !
cursed him like a dog. had him thrown /
into filthy dungeon. and there ne .ay .
until he was tried by court martha. ana .
by a gang of Hearn' COM
rades 10 fine and Imprisonment Tor obey !
inc his captains orders. Another time.
when he was cleaning the captain
horse, the lieutenant'S horse, which was
next him on the line, kept backing over
him treading on him, and knocking his
brushes out Of mis- hand. and because he
simply pushed him back and spoke
sharply Lieut.. Hearn rushed in and
swore ne had mind 10 kick aim black
and blue. IF he had said WeiSA-and
the Young soldiers eyes blaZed with
pent ND feeling could no longer nave
controlled myself. would have knocked
him down and appealed 10 the people OF
America TO uphold me. For this ne
was again thrust into the yermin haunt
ed dungeon. and this made him so i'll
that the Surgeon himself had been com
pelled TO interpOSe in his Dehail. i
would desert and end il all. SAID the
poor fellow, with tears in his eyes, put
have sworn to serve my country, ana
shall keep my oath. When tod that
the Palladium wOgld see him righted,
though the heavens fell, his emotion was
something that would have melted the
StouteSt heart.
..Bnt now comes the crowni.g peak OF
blackguardism. Warned by some spy.
doubtless, of the fact that his victim
uas telling his story TO citizens. Lieut..
Hearn suddenly appeared or the scene
and before our eyes, with vulgar abuse
and tvrannical bearing. ordered Private
Welsh instantly TO leave. Il vain the
voung soldier respectfully pleaded that
he had right TO speak with friends who
came 10 see him. In vain he pointed
ont that ne was not on duty at the time.
In vain Mr.. 5. interpoSed in behalf OF
Justice and decency. The brutal bully
seized the weakened invalid M an iron
grasp. dragged him like a dog TO the
9utter in front and then, with cuffs and
curses, drove him before him into the
guard house. Meanwhile Mr.. ;. VINO
had formerly many friends al the post
FASTENED into the officers club room,