The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-08-17
ANOTHER,S CRIME.

from nome, put SAID nothing about II. In
the class with Mr.. Boyd was a man who
had entered West Point at the avowed age
of 25, though undoubtedly much older, as
his appearance indicated. During war
time the extreme of age for admission
there, which before and since was and is
limited to % years, had been extended TO
20. This was done in order to permit
young men who had achieved distinction
In real warfare the opportunity of acquir-
ing a military education. So this man,
named Casey, had entered at the acknowl-
edged age of p.
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 vas compelled to procure
money at all hazards. Before entering
West Point he had married. That fact, if
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. was
Cascy's opportunity, for he had constant
need Of it 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 a 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 luXurieS need be purchased.
Even to those generous young men the
disappearance of money in large su1ns be-
came puZzling and led to inquiries which
developed into suspicious, and a plan was
formed to mark some of the bills, n thus
discover the cvildOer.
Mr.. Boyd, by reason Of his UnpOpularity,
was NV of those movements, and he
had told no one of his own losses. The ca
diets had informed their immediate coz
mandant hat money was constantly being
stolen in the corps. Aghast at such a state
of affairs, he had authorized and selected
a committee of eight-twO from each com
pany-to find and punish the thief. In an
unguardcd moment the commandment had
said, If you find the offender, you can
deal with him as you deem advisable"
The most prominent emb of the
committee was Casey, himself the real
culprit. After a p~crfunctOry search
through quarters occupied by other cadets,
they reached MIR. BOyd's and fOunu moth
ing to reward their efforts. At that juno
ture Casey glanced upward at a pile of
books lying on some shelves and SAID,
Let us look at that large dictionary
Casey's room was directly opposite that
occupied by Mr.. Boyd, who roomed alone
because of his un~pOpularlty. Mr.. Boyd
| room was unguarded and accessible, SO no
doubt Casey had frequently entered it and
taken money from the man he now pub
ljcIv accI1SaH The search took Mace at
noon, when the main body Of the corps
were at dinner. On Mr.. BOyd's return to
his room lie found it filled with cadets,
who madly accused him of the crime.
White with horror and shame unSpcaka-
bic, he answered their charges III a way
which would nave convinced any judge OF
human nature hat he was entirely inno-
cent. Sinking to his knees and raising his
eyes to heaven, he cried, BY the memory
of my dead mother, l swear / know moth
ing whatever of this money!"
But the supposed culprit was in the
hands of Philistines. No thought of mercy
impelled them. l now quote from a pub
lished account by an eyewitness the scene
later in the day; 1t was a cold, sad, lus-
terlcss day. The air was full of snow, and
the cold was bitter. Orders were given to
fall into ranks in the area of the barracks
~ UIlNlNSS pCIIbNiC. III VI a
commanded, Parade rest After a pause
he continued, Cadet captains will place
Themselves opposite their respective COM
ANY 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 our
of tramping feet.
"AcrOss the broad porch of the barracks
and down the steps came four cadets, bear
ing between them n 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 unmelOdiOus and
unCarthly harmony the terrible tunc OF
the 'ltOguCs' March, On they came, and
now | saw affixed to that mans breast a
large white placard, and on it the words,
'COwardu Liar 'Thicf!' The face above
the words was marble white as the 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 II disappeared.
General CullOm WIS then in command
at 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 a second
glance showed him a 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
pcrpctratcd a most unprecedented and
cruel outrage. General Cullom determined
that the matter should be sifted to the
bottom.
The courr # inquiry, later instituted by
General Cullom. resulted in a verdict OF
mot guilty. In the eyes of the cadets,
whose ~iuscnsate cruelty had warped theil
judgment. II was simply a Scotch verdict
Of not proved, and though acquitted
the defendant was thcnccforth a disgraced
and d~ishonored Mrs. Or>cmus Bron-
son Boyd in New York Commercial.