Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-12-27
ANOTHER'S CRIME.

Shortly after Mr. Boyd's return to West
Point he missed sums of money brought
from homs, but said nothing about 1t. In
the class with Mr.. Boyd was a man who
had entered West Point at the avowed ago
Of 25, though undoubtedly much older, as
his appearance indicated During war
time tho extreme of age for admission
there, which before and since was and Is
limited to ~ years, had been extended to
25. This was done in order to permit
young men who had achieved distinction
In real warfare the opportunity Of acquir-
Ing military education. So this man.
named Casey had entered at the acknowl
edged age of rs.
He was absolutely without money and
belonged to an Irish family in humble
circumstances, and his superior age and
cunning untitled Mr.. Boyd to cope with
him. Mr.. Casey was compelled to procure
money at all hazards. Before entering
West Point ne had married. That fact II
known, would have dismissed him at once
from the academy, In accordance with the
laws governing that Institution, which
permit no cadet to marry In the academy
at that time were several cadets, sons of
very wealthy parents, who, contrary to
West Point rules, kept in their rooms at
barracks large sums of money. That was
Casey's opportunity, for he had constant
need of 1t with which to silence his wife,
who had threatened his exposure
So great was the confidence of the acad-
envy classmates in each other that the
money was simply placed in trunk, to
which all the clique had access and used
as a general fund The government sup
plies cadets with all necessary articles, SO
that only Injuries need be purchased.
Even to those generous young men the
disappearance of money in large sums be-
came puzzling and led to inquiries which
developed into suspicious, and plan was
formed to mark some of the bills, and thus
discover the evildoer.
Mr.. Boyd, by reason Of his unpOpularity,
was unaware of those movements, and he
had told no one Of his own losses. The ca
diets had informed their immediate COM
mandant that money was constantly being
stolen In the corps. Aghast at such state
of affairs, he had authorized and selected
committee of eight-two from each COM
pany-to find and punish the thief. In an
unguarded moment the commandment had
said, "If you find the offender, you can
deal with him as you deem advisable"
The most prominent member of tho
committee was Casey, himself the real
culprit. After a perfunctory search
through quarters occupied by other cadets.
they reached Mr. Boyd's and found moth.
ing to reward their efforts. At that juno
turc Casey glanced upward at pile Of
books lying on some shelves and said,
"I.et us look at that large dictionary"
Casey's room was directly opposite that
occupied by Mr.. Boyd, who roomed alone
because of his unpopularity. Mr. Boyd's
room was unguarded and accessible SO no
doubt Casey had frequently entered 1t and
taken money from the man he now pub
licly accused. The search took place at
noon, when the main body of the corps
were at dinner On Mr.. Boyd's return to
his room he found 1t filled with cadets,
who madly accused him of the crime.
White with horror and shame unspeaka-
bic, he answered their charges in a way
which would have convinced any judge OF
human nature that he was entirely inno-
cent Sinking to his knees and raising his
eyes to heaven, he cried, by the memory
of my dead mother, swear | know moth
ing whatever Of this money!
But tho supposed culprit was in the
hands of Philistines. No thought of mercy
impelled them. now quote from pub
lished account by All eyewitness the scene
later in the day: cit was cold, sad, llls-
terless day Tho air was full Of snow, and
the cold was bitter Orders were given to
fall into ranks in tho area of tho barracks
for undress parade. Tho cadet adjutant
commanded, Parade restP After pause
he continued, Cadet captains will place
themselves opposite their respective com
pany fronts and arrest any man who
leaves the ranks There was an interval
of the most profound stiffness. Then
above the winds bowling came the sound
Of tramping feet.
ACROSS the broad porch of tho barracks
and down the steps came four cadets, bear
ing between them q mans form. They
advanced along the battalion's 'front.' AS
they turned the adjutant raised his right
hand, and forthwith the drums and flies
beat and walled out in uninelodious and
unearthly harmony the terrible tune OF
the 'Rogues' March On they came, and
now saw affixed to that mans breast a
large white placard, and on it the words,
Coward 'I.iar. 'Thicf' The face above
the words was marble white as tho face Of
the dead, but the wild, staring, blood red
eyes seemed to wall and shrink In their
horrible misery. The four cadets passed
along the full length of the battalion, and
with their victim turned down the slope
beyond the buildings and disappeared. 7"
General Cullom was then in command
ut West Point. On that particular even
Ing he was returning from the dock to-
ward which those hcartless cadets had
driven Mr.. Boyd when he met the young
man face to face.
The generals first and natural thought
was that Mr.. Boyd had dressed himself in
civilians clothes and was stealing off the
post in search of amusement, but second
glance showed him face full of grief and
shame He took the young man at once
to his own quarters, questioned him and
found, to his dismay, that the cadets had
perpetrated most unprecedented and
cruel outrage. General Cullom determined
that the matter should be sifted to the
bottom.
The court Of inquiry, later instituted by
General Cullom, resulted in verdict Of
mot guilty." In the eyes of the cadets,
whose insensate cruelty had warped their
Judgment, 1t was simply Scotch verdict
Of mot proved, and though acquitted
the defendant was thenceforth a disgraccd
and dishonored man. Mrs. Orsemus Bron-
son Boyd in New York Commercial.
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Serious.