Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-01-24


munition shipped from Ransom.
Curran was utterly Disguised with
the whole affair. Ten chances to
one" said he, Them fellows will never
come back to the post, and I'll never
get a clint OF me money" Curran, as
the party most interested, was persis-
tent in his cross-questioning of the
major. who was eager enough to ex-
plain, but not to Curran. In brief, he
said ne had brought in that sole-leather
valise nearly twelve thousand dollars
with which to pay Winthrop's COM
mand. The rest of his funds, sealed in
the little iron safe, were turned over
to the express company to be forward
ed to Butte two days later on, by which
time he had expected to return to pay
the infantry at the fort and then go on
to the outlying posts to the northwest.
By evening, too, Rhett had received
telegraphic orders to hold his little
battalion Of foot in readiness to take
train to Pawnee and thence march
across the range to the lower Mini Ska.
Although exaggerated, the reports of
rapine and murder We're only too true.
The Sioux were indeed at their devilish
work. In the subdued hustle of prep
aration the paymaSter'S excitement
and distress of mind created less SYM
pathy than would ordinarily have been
the case. Eagerly he was showing his
dispatch to officer after officer, and
asking whether anyone would not have
acted just as he did under the circum-
stances and on receipt of so genuine
message, and gentlemen who under
other circumstances would unhesitat-
ingly have said yes were now
disposed to be a bit conserva-
tive, to look judicial and suggest
inquiries. Wouldn't it have been bet
ter to stop the train at Alkali and see
if the report were true? The bridge
was only half a mile from the station,
and somebody would have been sure to
know. These are times when every
bOdy's backsight is SO much better
than his foresight. Everybody could
see with half an eye that had the pay
master caused the conductor to stop
the train at Allzali some of the escort
would have been on the platform to
meet him, and they would have told
him that there was nothing in the
world the matter with the bridge, that
the whole thing was a plant. But
Graves pointed out that he didn't own
the road and couldn't make the train
stop unless he meant to get off. which
he didn't. Lieut.. Edwards had wired
him to come on to Minden. Everybody
knew Edwards. He had escorted
Graves on the winter trip to the Black
Hills cantonment. It was most nat
ura1 Edwards should have been Sc
lected to escort him this time. He was
with the battalion, first lieutenant of
Capt. Frank Amory's troop. Trpe, as
n
been sent at all. Old Sergt. DAILY,
with eight troopers, was considered
amply sufficient. Of course it was Il
plant, a most successful plant, and
more than likely, said the paymas-
ter, somebody closely connected
with the cavalry had engineered
the whole scheme. Everybody knew
there were some very shady characters
among the men enlisting during the
centennial year. Everybody knew
what train would fetch him out from de-
partment headquarters. The plotters
would not wire in time to admit of his
making inquiries, but waited until the
last moment, then, dressed and
equipped as the cavalry were dressed
and equipped, they had sent two of
their number in to Minden station
with dispatch signed by an officer
whom they reported a mile or two be-
hind, coming up with the wagon and
main body. Everything looked straight
to the operator, and SO it was sent to
Pawnee and there handed to the Pull
man porter. What could have been
more complete? The troopers who met
him at the platform addressed him
confidently and respectfully, saluting
exactly like old soldiers. OF course, he
hadn't a personal acquaintance with
the entire regiment, but this he would
say and did say, that he believed Mr..
Lacy, his clerk, was willing to swear
that the two men who met him at
Minden were bona fide members of the
Eleventh cavalry; Mr.. Lacy had seen
them before, and could identify them
if he were to see them again. The
sheriff's people were already working
on the c1ew.
ITO BE Continued