The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-16
SEVEN OF THE FLAGS SENT FROM
WASHINGTON MYsTERIOUsLY
DISAPPEAREY
DURING ENCAMPMENT WEEK.
-FOUR MINIATURES OF GOLD GLORY,
GOT AWAY FROM THE ARMY
BUILDING.
THREE FROM THE KITTsoN HOUSE
Followed the Unknown Course of
the other FOur-Ladfes' Conn
mittee Much Annoyed.

AS is quite natural in case of a big
affair like the G. A. r. encampment
just over, and which was carried to a
most satisfactory contamination, by
the people of ST. Paul, there has just
developed an affair which is causing
those who had the event in charge no
small annoyance. Certain of the flags
sent here from the war departments at
Washington and Philadelphia, for pur-
poses of decoration are missing, and
consequently were not in the big bud
gets which were returned to those
cities last Saturday. At best, it is q
delicate matter, and both the ladies on
the decoration committee and the at
taches at the army building are Ioath
to- discuss it's details. Certain it is
that the flags are gone, and as no.
body seems to know who should pro-
coed in the premises. it is quite i'm
probable that they will ever be re-
covered
1t will be remembered that shortly
before the encampment opened Mai.
simpson, quartermaster, received a big
consignment of flags which included
corps flags, storm flags, designation
which were turned over to Gen. John
r. Brooke, whose wife is chairman of
the decoration committee. The bunting
was to be used to adorn the palatial
k1ttson residence, and those of the
flags not used there were returned for
use in the local army building.
Some fifty silken flags, relics of the
war of the Rebellion, which came, were
never unpacked in obedience to a. tele-
graphic order from the East.
Conspicuous in the display Of bunting
in the army building were four small
flags miniatures of "Old Glory" about
two feet square, which had proudly
Hoated above some of the federal
camps during the War of the Rebellion
Intrinsically worth perhaps little, these
little red, white and blue bits of bunt-
ing are gone, and can hardly be re-
placed. They were sent on from Wash
ington, and it was the precise system
of checking them in and out Of ST.
Paul that showed them to be missing
when the old vets had returned to
their homes, and the colors which
Americans worship were being laid
away until another encampment shall
call them out for new duty. Diffident
as the army officers are to put an af-
front upon the old soldiers, it is sur
missed that some gallant old warrior,
WILL that rove Vi dSSOCldIIOL,
permitted it to outweigh his scruples
That this can only be surmised is
obvious. Of this loss the ladies have
no knowledge, and will be appraised of
it for the first time when they see it
in the G b e this morning, but for
all that they have their own little
mystery, and it is causing some of them
considerable annoyance.
1t develops that messenger w. J..
Wilson, of Adjutant General Sheridan's
office, who was detailed to adorn the
ladies headquarters, had available,
among other flags, seven of the regu-
lation United States army storm flags
in size about 5x10 feet Four Of them
he put up, and the remaining three
were left for a short time in the hall
on the third floor of the big building.
From here they were taken, by mis-
take or otherwise no one can TELL and
Wilson Immediately reported the loss
to Mrs. Brooke. Every effort was made
to locate the missing bunting. 1t was
innocently by some of the ladies to be
used in decorating, and would be re-
turned, but when the balance of the
flags were shipped back to the East on
Saturday, it is understood that the
missing ones had to be replaced in
some manner by the army building
authorities, for inquiry yesterday re-
vealed the fact that nobody had re-
turned with them. The matter has not
been generally discussed. To date, no
action has been taken by the COM
mittee.