Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-04
NEY AN AMERICAN.
A CLAIM THAT THE FAMOUS MARSHAL
 WAS BoRNiN GEORGIA.


 schsolmates Who Recognized Him as He
 Rode With Napoleon In Paris.
 About year ago. when I was in Camp Anderson serving as sergeant major of the Third squadron of the Fifth regi- ment of cavalry, the drill call was sound ed and the squadron marched out on the field. The major commanding them gave tho order, Captains take charge of your companies and drill them, and as had nothing to do, in company with Lieutenz ant A. s. Way, adjutant of the squadron, lay down on the grass in the shade of a tree and between the puffs from a fra grant Havana he told the following story as toll 1t to you:
 Over 100 years ago, down on the coast of Liberty county, Georgia had city of LOGO or 5000 inhabitants. Situated on high bluff amid the grand old oaks festooned with waving fringes of the Spanish moss lay old Sunbury, now naught but pile of decayed ruins. In the distance across the harbor, where men-of-war might lay at anchor, St. Catherine's rose blue and misty, and beyond was the great void of trackless ocean. Near by was fort with its iron mounted war dogs and pacing sentries, while over all shone the bright, warm sun of the semitropics. Here lived, loved and died the forefathers of many of Liberty's many citizens and many who oftimes sedately paced the quaint old streets now lie sleeping heath the waving trees of the little cemetery near by.
 The town was the birthplace of many noted men, but none moro so than one of the brothers Rudolph, whose name rung through the world as one of France's greatest marshals-Ney.
 Born in Sunbury, of wealthy and aris- tocratic parents he attended the Sunbury institute of Dr. McQuire, where into him were instilled the rudiments of the educa- tion which he afterward went to France to complete
 A few years passed and young Rudolph again visited his American home, French man in everything but birth. His man. ners were those of the Parisian, and the language of the French fell far more flu ently from his lips than that of his native land. Sudbury, quiet and isolated, after. the gay life of the French capital was too dull, and one day, as the sun was glim- mering over the sound, young Rudolph left home to visit Florida, then the land of the Spaniard.
 Months passed, and no word was heard of him. The months passed into years, and still the fate of the young man was Il, which threw much light on the subject A native of old Sunbury visited Paris at the time Napoleon was at the zenith of his power and glory and ohanced to be on the street one day when the emperor, &C., companied by his magnificent train, passed Among the followers, clad in all the panoply of war and rich materials of his high office, rode Ney, Napoleon's great est marshal
 The gentleman from old Liberty recog nized him as his old playmate, Rudolph, and starting forward exclaimed, "Why that's Rudolph" As the familiar name and language struck the ear of Ney he quickly turned his head, but rode on with face as immovable as statue
 Soon an aid presented himself to the Georgian, and saluting announced that Marshal Ney wished to see the gentleman at his headquarters and under the guid- ance of the officer the gentleman soon found himself alone with the man before whom armies had trembled. Ney fixed on him keen, scrutinizing glance and in the language of the French said, "Why did you call me Rudolph on the street today?" "Because you are he" answered the American. A moments thought and Ney asked, "How do you know l am he?" "Why, because I knew you as a boy in old Sunbury, in Georgia, where we used to play together and went to school to Dr. McQuire"
 "Yes," said Ney, ''I am Rudolph, but never let that namo again pass your lips, for its price would be my head. To Na- poleon am Frenchman. Rudolph never lived. Goand never breathe that name again"
 Time went by and this same gentleman ,s-s4 ID, eoft f hn md equalization, and Ney stripped of his glory and power, lay in prison. His sentence came, and he was sentenced to die the death of traitor by having his head sev- cred at the block. When he heard the yer dict, he asked that three requests might be granted him, and after duo consideration they were allowed. They were, first, that as he had always been a soldier he might die a soldiers sdeath; second, that he would not be shot in the face; third, that as he had commanded the most famous armies of tho world so might he command the squad who were to exe- cute him.
 Two days afterward, Dec. 2, 1915, the gentleman from Sunbury was strolling in the Luxembourg when his attention was attracted by rapidly approaching file of soldiers carrying with them a prisoner.  his place against the gray, blank wall he raised his head, and the American recog- nized the playmate of his youth, Rudolph ito the French Ney.
 Ney drew himself proudly erect and glancing over the small crowd which had gathered recognized his old Sunbury friend and gave him a smile of recognition, then, turning to the soldiers, in clear voice in the English language, gave the command: Ready Aim Fire" The soldiers stirred not muscle, and then Ney gave the command in French, at which the rifles cracked.
 Marshal Ney Rudolph was no more The soldiers rapidly returned to the city, and Ney lay on the frozen ground, face downward, with one hand above his head and his military cloak around him. So perished one of Georgia's sons, for he was one despite historys ontradiction.-Al- bert D. Akin in Jesup Sentinel.
 Russians Are Economical.