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

"Restp The men looked quickly about
at one another. Some Of them stretched
their arms to full length and gave a long
sigh, as though to find relief from the
strain. And then little Duffy announced
his opinion:
by cad, fellers, If Id been the lieu
tenant Id have knocked the top Of his
id heal off"
The gzrrison court which tried Trooper
Welsh for insubordinate conduct had
found him guilty, despite his statement
that according to the tactics lie wasn't
required to get up and salute, he being
at work. The evidence Of the sergeants
established the fact that he was playing
cards when the lieutenant approached,
and that the spur cleaning was trans
parent sham, introduced for the occasion
and for evident purpose. But in view
of the fact that he claimed to believe
that, as the captains orderly, he was not
under the lieutenant's orders, in view Of
the fact that he had apparently been
only ten months in service, and Of the
further fact that his captain gave him
an excellent character and pleaded for
clemency for the recruit, the court saw
fit to let him off easily with fine Mr..
Mason, the adjutant, and Mr. Hearn
were strongly Of the opinion that he
ought to be returned to the troop at
once and taught his duties as a soldier.
But the colonel was away just then;
Maj. Kenyon, Of the infantry, was tenn
porarily in command, and he would not
disturb old Blauvelt's striker
Indeed, it seemed as though the troop
commander was disposed to resent
Hearn'shavingo ordered the man tobe con-
fined, though the young officer was actual
ly in command that day, the captain be-
ing on sick report. 1t is certain, too, that
Mrs. Blauvelt made some very acrinoni-
GUS criticisms of the lieutenant's action,
and that the first story in circulation in
the garrison was by no means creditable
to either his tact or temper Welsh
spent only two days in the guard house
this time, but his language during that
brief incarceration was such as to in
tensify the feeling among the men that
he was no novice in garrison affairs.
He was loud in his threats against the
lieutenant, and full Of argument as to
the propriety Of his conduct.
II was at work, by Godl and had par
ticular occupation to use the language
Of the Tactics, and you'll find it in para
graph 797, and wasn't required to rise
and uncover. Look at it and you viii
see for yourselves, 2 he complained.
And it was Sergt. McKenna, of the in
fantry, who retorted:
ssAnd where did you, a cavalryman,
learn the numbers of the paragraphs i'll
infantry tactics, Welsh? And while you
were about it why didn't you learn par
agraph S03 as well? That's the one that
covers your case, me buck, and, begadl
, if I'd been there you'd IA dropped that
spur-r and got on your feet id quick,
or I'd a. jerked the backbone out OF
yees. Where did you learn your in
fantry tactics, say?"
And here Welsh could only redden
with mingled wrath and confusion.
From this time on the impression gained
ground that he was deserter from some
foot regiment, and one who had again
enlisted in the army, but under an az
sumed name.
Within the week after Capt Blauvelt's
4 departure Trooper Welsh was twice
again confined and brought before a gar
rison court. He had accompanied the
captains family to the train, and carry
4 ing Mrs. Blauvelt's numerous bags and
baskets into the sleeper was borne away,
apparently unavoidably. The conductor
/ wired back that he had safely landed
him at Barclay, a thriving little town
I ten miles to the east, and that he had
abundant means to buy his ticket back
but he was gone forty-eight hours, and
at the expiration Of that time was
/ dumped in disheveled condition at the
post by the town marshal, with the in
formation that if it had not been for the
crossed sabers on his cap he would have
had him in the county Jail for drunken
and disorderly conduct and resistance *
\ the officers of the law. ssWhere does he
VI get his money!" asked that official. 'sHe
smashed about twenty dollars worth d
glass windows and paid all fines, cost;
and damages, and yet had some ten dol
lars to spare"
The men in @ troop could have tolt
where he got hismoney, but, as that was
won in gambling, nothing w>s said By
them about it. Welsh was tried for alb
sence without leave. and coolly pleaded
that he had been carried away while
serving his captain and was then de
tanned by the civil authorities. Lieut.
Hearn, however, testified that he, who
carried one of the children aboard, had
ample time to get off, and that Welsh
preceded him in getting on the train
The town marshal testified that Welsl
was drunk around the village for thirty
six hours, but that nobody interfered
with him until his conduct became sc
outrageous that he was compelled to ar
rest him. Welsh, therefore, was sen
fenced to a fine Of five dollars and to ten
days in the guard house, simply for alb
sence without leave, attending all drill;
and stable duty. Three days later, while
he was grooming one Of Capt. Blauvelt's
horses at the picket line, Lieut.. Hearn's
spirited little bay, which happened K
be next him playing with the trumpet
er's steed across the line, suddenly
switched around with his powerful
launches and knocked Welsh's curry
comb out Of his hand.
The gypsy fellow Strengthened up
glanced quickly about him, saw that th'
heutenant's back was turned, and then
with vicious gleam in his piercing eyes
drew back his heavily booted right foo
/ and with all his force kicked the young
bay in the stomach. Keogh plunged
madly with the sudden pain, and in al
instant little Dooley, who was grooming
the lieutenant's horse, had thrown dow
curryconlb and brush and smote tn
gypsy under the eye, knocking him NJ
against tho captains bulky and placi,
charger In another instant. too, Sergt
Wren leaped in and separated the men
Welsh wild with fury, Dooley dancing
about in glow Of righteous wrath.
Hearing the noise the ieutenan
Eprang to the scene. Silence, both D
your he ordered. 'sWhat does thi
mean, sergeant
ssHe struck me, the internal little cur
and I'll kill
Not word more from You, Welsh
What made you strike him, Dooley?"
Look at Keogh's belly, sir" almos
sobbed the little Irishman in his rage an'
grief. See where he kicked him"
Sure enough. there on the glisteninl