The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-05-17

.ha " eStern COmpan! III new IOrk
XIV Sarvis works in Washington.
furnishes from that point financial
vows to Wall Street, occasionally turn
mo that thoroughfare upside down by
The startling stuff which he puts or the
4 military funeral passed in front of
the hotel. The band was playing the
Dead March in Saul"
That tune said Ludwig, gives me
, .ort of a chill" Sarvis asked how
that was. Ludwig told:
In 1861" he said, Il was stationed
., Hsrner's Ferry, in West Virginia. |
charge Of TIE United States tel
cgnril office there. There had been a
of deserters from the Union
forces. The military authorities de-
termined to stop them. They decided
to make an example of the next who
deserted and was caught. Two men,
Shea and Doanc, We're taken afterthev
hal deseltcd. They we're taken before
a tourt martial and sentenced to be
.aot. The evening before the day
! umei or the execution L was sitting
In my office at headquarters. The post
chaplain. Il Catholic priest, came in.
u wanted to send directly to Presi-
Lincoln a message lmplOrlng
for the condemned. | told him
l secure the Endorsement of the com
! uiIng General. This he did. and |
5 eft the message directly to the Wan
i Department at Washington and waited
f. au answer. AS Il general thing we
closed the office at o'clock. That
lieht | remained until after 10 o'clock
talking with the chaplain, the General,
kal several members of his staff, who
pal dropped in. all anxious to hear
from Washington. and hoping that the
kn,cuce would be mitigated. Moth
b. vas heard. Bright and early the
pct morning | was again at the office
/ 4 found. to my dismay. that | had
b. z single wire working. All were
/ oeu. | tested every few minutes for
h circuit. but got none. The chaplain
Called early, but went away with a sad
learc. The General came i'll and,
P4ht ulSlIS CAtIt NiSilduCc vi lily
part. left to make the final preparation
f. the execution. La a few minutes l
beard the band coming down Shenan-
E9lh Street. The prisoners were sit
fmg on their collins in the ambulance
Phi a company of the Fifth New York
Heavy Artillery was the guard. The
tand was playing the Dead March in
Paul. The General and his staff were
front Of the ambulance. AS they
passed the Office he looked up at me
p luIringly. shook my head-therc
fere no wires vet.
The execution was to take place
pcarlr two miles from the Office, out on
b'lFar Heights, and up hill all the
Eay. grew very nervous, and made
tleWed efforts to get a wire through,
PIT IN vain. | ran down stairs and
faIled up my orderly. ii little Dutch
mn named Frank, who was Il member
4 Pennsylvania regiment which, by
way, always had the good luck to
Where the enemy was not. l made
IH get out lis horse and make all
erly to carry il message to the gen
pa. SiOuld II come. | went up
1hfN again, and taking up pen, adj
frSSed all envelope to the general,
PIT prepared Il blank for receiving IL
'@''9c. Just as | finished there
aHar upon my waiting ear the click of
r'lay. | heard Baltimore calling
Isdcrlch City, Mi.
tf!et to break in and ask if he had
Nometiiing for me. but Baltimore
P4'.4del Tor the circuit and | had to
away. As soon as he got the
'i'" he Il think it was Billy Gent
N'd oven the wire: For Gods
4e let me get Harpcr's Ferry and
~ tnoSc mems lives" | oSned the
IKE lightning and said, "G. A, H.
meaning go ahead Harper's Fer
| "broke' and he rushed the
'Nage, which was a reprieve for
''ie and Shea, in fine shape. With
SWING the usual 20. H." | ran
'H" stairs, folding and sealing the
'SiTe' ana yelling for Frank at the
''' nay voice. Frank heard me and
pNlFeilended the situation. When l
iVde'' the foot of the stairs he was
'He saddle and ready for his ride for
lives. 1t was II :O3 o'clock. and
~'Aerutlon vas to take place be-
Pen l. and l..
INK had nearly two miles of up
country before him. He dar, ed
"IuS his whip and both spurs.
"of'e' II big iron gray, responded
and the two were soon out of
r." } went back to the office. u
"'e'i there but a short time, being
"''rh excited oven the possibility
''hh arriving too late. | set out
'p High Street toward Bolivar
7nl'' | had not gone o than
mile before L met the general
MS staff returning. BY the
"'es On their faces l knew that