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

not be tolerated here, sir, and you will
stand your trial for it. Take him back
to the guard house, sergeant"
II kicked him because he kicked me, \
growled Welsh.
Its He. sir,' cried Dooley, bursting
in. Sure the horse was lust playing,
like, and never touched him at all.
Never mind, Dooley; your evidence
will be called for when it il wanted
by God! if Tn To be punished for
hitting a horse, what's to be done with
him for striking man, | want to
know" exclaimed Welsh, as with a
curse he hurled his currycomb to the
ground.
"Come on, you blackguardr muttered
Sergt. Wren, as he collared the man.
''You can thank God 1 didn't see you do
it. I'd farn you never to kick a horse"
1t was this affair which led to Welsh's
third court martial in less than a month.
Ard it was Welsh now whom, Col. Nor
rls believed to have been the assailant
Of Corp. Brent the night before, and the
inshgator as well Of more or less Of the
mischief that had been going on. 1t was
Welsh whom bfr. Hearn more than half
suspected 1t was Welsh whom Sergt.
Wren himself had openly accused when
the troop came back from stables Sun
day morning. But when Wren was
called into the colOnel's presence at the
Office and asked what he knew he was
compelled to say it could not have been
Welsh 1T all.
What are your reasons, sergeant?v
asked the colonel. And the eyes Of the
group Of officers were fixed on the veteran
trooper who stood 50 sturdiIy and re-
spectfully before them.
Because went through the quarters
just after tattoo last night to see how
the men had been cleaning up for today.
Their boots had all been carefully
blacked, except the stable boots, and set
at the foot of the hunks, and their
blouses and trousers, except the ones
they had on, were brushed and folded
on their boxes. took particular note
Of Welsh's, for he was stubborn about
cleaning his things, and about Goss',
too, for Goss has been surly ever since
he was made to drill and attend inspec-
ton. Sergt. Ross says no man passed
through the door before lie went to
sleep, but any man who wanted to could
slip out Of a window III his stocking feet
and 60 down the rear stairway, and then
run down to Mulligan's place just out
side the reservation and get what liquor
he wanted, and come back the same
way. was one Of the first, sir, to get
\ dressed TO 60 out after Corp. Brent was
hurt.
I ''The other corporal Of the guard
came into my room to get my lantern,
and just as soon as they had carried
/ Brent to the hospital ran upstairs and
made an inspection. Welsh was there
in his bunk, undressed, and apparently
asleep. His boots and clothes hadn't
been touched. Goss was in his under
clothing, half awake. There were his
( boots covered with dust, and In places
still damp with dew. There were the
trousers that had been folded, lying
I loosely across the box. Goss swore that
he hadn't been out at all, but pointed
\ to his boots and trousers, and when the
man started up, as though in surprise, to
look at them pint flask half filed with
\ whisky slid from under his pillow
But this was not all, said Wren. Scan
Ian and Murphy had admitted being
joined by a trooper AZ they came up
past the stables. He Joined thern again
after they had reported at the guard
house a trifie late, had given them a
drink Of whisky from his flask, told
7 them the coast was clear and they might
Y just as well slip through the gate and
4 run across the parade; what was the
odds so long as no one knew it? But
/ the instant they heard Corp. Brent's
! voice they started and ran until behind
the officers quarters, and then they
noted that their cavalry acquaintance
/ had staid behind. They did not know
his name at all; could not describe him,
I for it was too dark. All they knew was
that he was tall and had thick, bushy
beard. Welsh's face, except the black
mustache, was always clean shaved.
Not SO, however, with Goss. He wore a
full beard.
At noon on Sunday therefore Trooper
" Cfoss was behind the bars awaiting the
result Of Corp. Brent's injuries. When
searched at the guard house, and bis
pockets were turned inside out, the cor
poral Of the guard began to sneeze; and
then it was discovered that some tiny.
tawny coIored particles sticking about
the seam were grains Of cayenne pepper.
a small packet OF which, half empty,
was found lying in the roadway midway
between the quarters and the southwest
gate.