Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-26
OF NATIONAL NOTE.
The Case Of Private Ians
Threatens to Become.
HE Is LOOKING FOR THE COLONEL


And Promises to Make 1t Interesting for
Hfm in the Courts-Colonel Streator
Offers Some Correspond ents Oppor-
tunity for Prominence-Young Iams'
Story-Pittsburg Police Trying to w ork
UPa -Berkmann Getting
Lots of observation-disclosures Frick Do
ing well-Hugh O'Donnen Admitted
to BaiI-More Men in the Mills.
HOMESTEAD, July 26.-An indirect re-
suit of the shooting of Frick gave Home
stead its one existing topic yesterday. 1t
was the case of w. l.. Iams, the private of
Company X, Tenth regiment, who shout
ed "Hurrah for the man that did it" when
told Of the act of Berkmann, and as pun
ishment was strung up by the thumbs,
had one side of his head and half his
mustache shaved and was drummed out
of camp. The Iams case threatens to be-
come national. Homestead people talk
of nothing else. Even the return of Hugh
O'Donnell after his release from prison
was subordinated by it. Letters and tel
egrams denouncing the treatment of the
young man have been received in Home
stead, in Pittsburg and by the governor
of Pennsylvania.
Correspondents Better Look Out.
When Colonel Streator was told of
the action of the Washington cor
respondents he said that if these
correspondents came over to his
camp and made any such reasonable re-
marks as those made by Iams, he would
treat them in the way he had treated
Iams. Young Iams threatens TO bring
suit against Colonel Streator and Major
General Snowden, but this is by no means
the most serious aspect of the case, if re-
ports be true. 1t has caused much feeling
in the National guard, particularly among
the rank and file, aud members of the
Tenth regiment are authority for the
statement that Company X, to which
Iams belonged, will have to be disbanded
because its men do not intend to re-enlist
after their present terms of enlistment
have expired.
The Omcers Stand by Streator.
Officers of the troops almost generally
approve Colonel Streator's action. Colonel
Case, of the Fourth regiment, told his
men that if any of them indulged in any
jubilation oyerBerkmann's s crime he would
treat them the same way. Officers of
1am's regiment were seemingly a unit in
upholding Colonel Streator. They grew
heated in their condemnation of the dis
graced private and landed their COM
mander for his action A few of them,
however, made comments not f1attering to
Colonel SIreator's action.
Iams Looking for the Colonel.
Iams, the disgraced man, came to Home
steod yesterday from Pittsburg, where he
spent the night. He was looking for
Colonel Streator He crossed the river
to the camp Of the Tenth and was told
that Colonel Streator had crossed to the
other side. Iams came back, but did not
q I l.
| PittsburG Before leaving Homestead, he
| told United Press reporter his story.
| Il was lying in front of Colonel Streator's s
| tent Saturday afternoon" said 1ams,
| "when the news came that Frick had been
| shot. l shouted out 'Hurrah for the man
| that shot him. in thoughtless manner.
His Manner Was Insolent
@Soon after Colonel Streator mustered
| the regiment and asked who shouted
| 'Hurrah for the man that did it I stepped
| forward and Colonel Streator asked me to
make n retraction. He asked in such an
| insolent way that l refused to retract.
Then i was taken to the Euard-house,
| where Colonel Streator again asked me to
| retract. i again refused and he ordered
| me to be strung up by the thumbs. / was
| hanging there twenty-eight minutes.
| Every few minutes Colonel Streator or
| some officer would ask me if had enough,
| or if would apologize. / refused to apollo
| gize."
Iams Will Sue for Damages
Iams said he did not like Frick, but
| that he would have retracted what he
| said had he been asked to do so in a gen.
| tlemanly manner "I am an American
| citizen and l propose to take civil action
| to have this outrage righted. Nearly all
| the men and many of the officers sympa-
| thize with me-" The most interesting
| feature in the case is whether corporal
| punishment can be inflicted on soldier
| in militia camp under any circum-
| stances even when martial law is in force,
| and whether a sentence such as that
| passed on lams could be legally executed