The Helena independent., 1892-04-13
The Missing Officer Of the First Cav
airy Did not Commit
Suicide.
Discovered on the Streets OF New
York In a Demented
Condition.
The story Of Domestic Trouble Told by =
Brother Officer That Accounts for
Many Strange Actions.

News was r6oe1Veu III 1loAeHa "oon ~A
more ago that Lieut.. Geo. B. Baekus, OF
the First United States cavalry, stationed
at Fort Custer. had disappeared II New
York. He WAS we'll known in Helena, and
his friends Immediately concluded he had
been foully dealt with. Il now develops
that he was given sick leave that expired
tho latter part OF March. About the 10Th
at that month he arrived in New York, ana
.tonned at the Sturtevant house. April y
the war department at Washington Eeoelvsd
. note from him, informing the othcials
that he was going to kill himself. saying
he had found it impossible to fght ON An
insane desire to do so. At Washington IL
was believed the dread of court maftiaA
and the pressure of numerous debts no WAS
.l1.oed to have contracted were ths cause
of his trouble. Another reason advanced
vas shat the heutenant had been severe
snfferer from neuralgia for several years,
and this had driven him into stats OF
melancholla.
News was received from New YORK yester-
day that the lieutenant had been found Dy
a policeman wandering about the streess.
He vas taken to the police station ana
identified by the manager OF the bsnrtevan'
house. He could give no account 81 nm
self and appeared to BE- dementsd.
There is a sad story in connection Wlsn
lieut.. Backus' army life told BY Capt.
Huston. OF the Minneapolis recruiting
Office. the other day. The captain sald:
.sI.ieut, Backus went on leave OF ao-
sence al the beginning Of the year, and
came through this city and remained With
hat Thriakma9 ana
New Years. He has always been re-
markably efficient officer and very popular.
He is subject to attacks OF neuralgia. from
which he suffers intensely at tlmes, ana
have no doubt that all his official troubles
have arisen from that maiady. nave seen
him in the field with me when was salts
fed that he did not know what he WAS do
mo. when he was utterly unconscious OF
his surroundings, practically insane ana
this condition arose from an attack OF neu-
ralpia. Backus is about Az years OF age
and a graduate of West Point. His wife,
fron, whom he was divorced, was very
beautiful woman, and the daughter OF .
collector in the state of Washington. l
think yery likely that he has sent
II his resignation from the army, and It
will probably be accepted, IS his dlsease
will eventually unfit him for GUY; III
The shadow Of great sorrow resse
on his life. In 1884, when the
First United States cavalry was sta
toned at Fort Walla Walla. the vito
Of Backus was the most beautiful woman
in the garrison. Among tho officers sta
toned there was young man I ON Mary
land. He was infatuated with Mrs. Backus,
and she did not discourage his attentlons.
One day Backus made g discovery. Aftor
an interview with his wife, the last time he
ever looked upon her faoc, he went TO the
young officer and said:
"'Any other man in my position would
shoot Won dead on sight. will not harm
Won now, but in short time my wife Will
be y free woman If in enc month after
that time you have not married her, by the
eternal, will kill you.'
"Backus then obtained leave of abscnce
for short time. His wife obtained a
divorce for desertion, he allowing the suit
to 90 by default. Within month she and
the Southerner were married. There is also
story in circulation to the effect that when
Backus was in st. Paul he became inter
ested in an English girl who was singing
in a concert garden there. Canadian
officer made sighting remark about the
girl. Backus promptly challenged the man,
and q duel was the result IN which the
snow was Redeemed by the blood Of both
combatants. Since then Backus has broken
down greatly