The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-16
KIPLING'S 'MULVANEY'
THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER Is NOW
LIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Nerifies the "Reincarnationv OF
MuIvaney ut Delhi.


San Francisco Call
new literary sensation has been un.
earthed on the Pacific coast A writer
has found the original of Radyard Kipling's
Private Mulvaney." the jovial dare devil
crown of the Soldiers Three" Mulvaney's
real name is William McAIanus He has
been resident of San Francisco for more
years than his biographer has been famous
BY picturing to the world the adventures
of Privates Mulvaney. ortheris and Lea
royd. of the BLACK Tyrones"
In fact" says the writer. there was
no such regiment as the Tyrones in the
East Indian service. but the Eighty-sxth
Regiment was the Royal County Downs.
and it is identified as the one OF which
kipling writes in his tales.
william McManus started for San Fran
cisco few months after the .Relncarna-
ton OF krishna Mulvaney' actually oc-
CURED at Delhi. He has lived here ever
since and is well known to the few East
indian veterans on the coast. Rudyard
kipling has generously bestowed upon the
hero OF the Incarnation OF Krishna Null
vaney' a considerable quantity Of rupees
and massive geld chain that the priest
In the temple gave him as hush money for
sdeserting his palanqun without exposing
his Identity as mere human being-and
one not very sober at that. The fortune
and seme other fiourishes that Kipling
has given the narrative to make 1t good
book story. but the facts of the case are
ABOUT as interesting and nearly the same
as kipline relates.
Yes. ii was William McManus who rode
in that palanquin; IL was William McManus
who gave kipiing the sound advice not To
place which Kipling carefully follow followed in
his tales III was William McManus who
cOurteQ Dluah Shald- hilr he did
PER- Priva IL was r he Of whom kPli,ng wrote In
aled tender and very Mise uiysses sWe-
tering on the earthwork of Central India
line-aJudge Il 1 have forgotton old days in
in a gang OF native track layers on the
government railroad says William McRfan-
us. Well, 1 remember kipling I'm those
days-a. plucky. inquisitive little fellow in
the civil service. whom first met at Gavin
pore. where he passed his bottle around
him all the yarns of the barrack room He
had little, stubby black. mustache and
low on the railroad and helped me out
on square meal. And was mighty glad
of the chance 10 be civil TO him."
McManus-was born in the Grecian archi-
peiago, on the Island OF Cephdl0nla, In 1859.
Both his father and mother were Irish born
and reared, and his father was private in
the Thirtieth Regiment OF the line. Two
years and half later. when the army was
died at Usa and was buried of the Island OF
Malta.
When William was eighteen years old his
mother married again, and 1t was then
that he took up the sword OF his father
ana entered her Majestys service. He en-
listed at the Royal Barracks in Dublin as
volunteer for the Crimea. but the peace
of Odessa was signed Nov. IL of that year,
and his draft was sent TO the schools OF
instruction at Curragh of Kildare and AL
de .r,as a., g. ,,,-,,
McManus; that was at the We'll OF Gavin
pOre-the place of the know
Five of US were sitting around the well
one afternoon; when civilian rode UP and
ried satchel. He wasn't cleanly shaver,
1 remember that Charley Hood was with
me, and Jack Crothy and Bill Gun, and I
don't remember the others. .srts---
Were any Of you in Bloofs Battery
Kipling said, as he came over and took a
seat. OF course, we didn't know who he
was. never found out his name till was
just going to leave India, thongh saw a
good deal Of him after that time.
'Bill Gun said he was in Bood's Battery.
Then Kipling out with his bottle and
asked IL we had any objection to tasting
his bottle Oh, we had no objections, and
went off and got another bottle We soi-
diers couldn't buy it-regulatiohs strict
Then he sat a6S down WI and had long talk with
the first relief of Lucknow and was heulmed
in there by the natives. He told Kiplng
started in to undermine the residence and
then how Outram undermined their mime
he tOld MIN ABOUT digging Dig pit where
the women and children were placed for
safety, and how il was the women down in
the pit who first heard the pipes playing.
and ss called sailed out to the soldiers that the
him about the Mana Sahib's doings and all
of those things.
He used to come into the canteens at
night and hear all the stories that were
going. He was always sociable, but never
had much to say himself"
When Kipling came to witt McManus
the railway, the latter said to him, in the
language of private Mulvaney
I'm a civilian now. Cud you tell that
was liver martial man? Don't answer,
scr. If you're strainin' betune compliment
1T was that time" says McManus,
that .Kipling had brandy and tiffln In my
a hand-car. pushed by two natives. along
with Mr.. Curling, the assistant engineer.
The first thing he said to me was;
"'Yes, sir, at Cawnpore.' said. and
then he remembered men and stayed and
well. then / went a-diving. 1t was big
pay but bad work. II was scraping ves-
sells and the like of that. 1 saved up
good bit and then went down to Delhi on
h faad' lots ts of fun while IL lasted When Il
was over L was broke again. But while
was diving / met Kipling often. He used
SO to tbs he asked eG iak e the t
want a better job than / had but / was
satisfied then, and told him was.
Penang. and was in Charge there Of the
waterfalls at Prince Edward island In the
Straits of Malacca, between India and
tlme he told DIR me his name and ssid he was
going to Hong Kong, and that IL ever I
wanted a friend TO send TO him I'm care OF
the pi navy at Hong Kong Then. after Kip
ling went to China, i got a pass 10 Ram
goon- That's where ! shipped on the