Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-02
A TRAGEDY.

About year ago when we were in
Camp Anderson serving as sergeant
major of the Third squadron of the
Fifth regiment of cavalry, the drill
call was sounded and the SQUADRON.
marched out on the field The major
commanding then gave the order:
Captains take charge of your COM
panies and drill Them" and as we
had nothing to do, in company with
Lieut.. A. S. Way, adjutant of the
squadron, we lay down in the grass.
in the shade of a tree and between
the puffs Of a fragrant Havana, he
told the following story as 1 tell it
to you:
Over d hundred years ago down on
the coast of Liberty county, GeOrgla
had a city of some two or three thou
sand inhabitants. Situated on high
bluff amid the grand old oaks festoon-
ed with waving fringes of the Spanish
moss, lay old Sunbury, now naught
but a pile of decayed ruins In the
distance across the harbor, where men
of-war might lay at anchor, st. Cath
crimes rose blue and misty, and be-
yond was the great void Of trackIess
ocean. Near by was fort with its
1ron-mounted war-dogs and pacing
Sentries, while over all shone the
bright, Warmly sun of the semicropics.
Here lived, loved and died the fore
fathers OF many of LibertyS many
citizens, and many who Ofttimes sed-
ately paced the quaint old streets now
lie sleeping meath the waving trees
OF the little cemetery near by.
I The town was the birthplace of
many noted men, but none more so
than one of the brothers Rudolph.
whose name rung through the world
as one OF Frances greatest marshals-
+ Ney
Born in Sunbury, OF wealthy and
aristocratic parents, ne attended the
Sunbury institute of DR.. Mcclure.
where into him was instilled the ru-
diments of the education which he
afterwards went to France to complete.
A few years passed and young Ru-
dolph again visited his American
home, a t'renchman in everything but
birth. His manners were those OF the
Partisan and the language of the
French fell far more nuently from his
lips than that OF his native land. sun
bury, quiet and isolated, after the
gay life OF the French capital, was too
dull, and one day, as the sun was
glimmerirg over the sound, young
Rudolph left home to visit Florida,
Lnen the land OIL the Spaniard.
Months past and no word was heard
OF him. The months passed inio Years
and still the tate OF the young man
was unknown, but soon an incident
occurred 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 ana glory,
ana CHANGED TO be on the street one
DAY when the Emperor, accompanied
by his magnificent train, passed.
! Among the followers, clad in all the
panoIpy OF war ana rich materials
OF his high office. rode Ney, Napole-
ons greatest marshall
The gentleman from old Liberty rec
cgnlzed mis-. OLD Payment, Rudolph,
and starting forward, exclaimed:
why that's RudClph!% AS he familiar
name and language struck the ear of
Ney, he quickly turned MS head, but
rode on with face as lmmOVabie
as a statue.
Soon an aide presented himself TO
the Georgian and, saluting, announced
that Marshal Ney wished to see the
gentleman at his headquarters, and
under the guidance OF the officer the
gentleman soon found himself alone
with the man before whom armies
had trembled. Ney fixed on him
keen, scrurinlzing glance, and in the
language of the French SAID: Why
did you call me Rudolph on the street
today" Because you are he an
sWered the American. A moments
thought and Ney asked: How do you
know l am he?" why, because l
knew you as a boy in old Sunbury,
in Georgia, where we used to play
together and went to school to DR..
McGuire.'
Yes" said Ney, L am Rudolph,
but never let that name again pass
your lips, for it's price would be my
uCdu- IL NdpOISoh Gill d ICl1CA-
man. Rudolph never lived. Go and
never breathe that name again
Time went by and the same gentle
man visited Paris again. 1t was at
the second capitulation, and Ney,
striped Of his glory and power, lay in
prison. His sentence came ana he
was sentenced to die the death OF
traitor by having his head severed at
the block. When he heard the YER
dict he asked that three requests
might be granted him, and after due
consideration they were allowed. They
were: First, That as he mad always
been soldier, he might die soldiers
death; second, chat ne would not be
shot i'll the race; third, that as he had
commanded the most famous armies
Of the world, SO he might command
the squad who were to execute him.
Two days afterWard, Dec. T. 1915,
the gentleman from Sunbury was
strOlling in the Luxembourg when his
attention was attracted by rapidly
approaching file OF soldiers carrying
with them prisoner. AS they halted
and the condemned took his place
against the gray blank wall, he raised
his head and the American recognized
the playmate Of his youth, Rudolph
to the French, Ney.
Ney drew himself proudly erect, and
glancing over the small crowd which
had gathered, recognized his old Sun
l.