The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-22
AN INJUSTICE.


Shortly after Mr.. Boyd's return TO Wess
Point he missed SUNS Of money brought
from home, bat said nothing about it. In
ths class with Mr.. Boyd was man who
had entered West Point at the ayowed aga
of p, though undoubtedly much older, as
his appearance indicated During wartime
the extreme Of age for admission there,
which before and since was and is limited
to % years had been extended to %. This
was done in order TO permit young men
who had achieved distinction in real war
fare the opportunity Of acquiring militia
y education So this man, named Casey,
had entered at the acknowledged age Of 25.
He was absolutely without money and
belonged to an Irish family in humble cir
cumsta2ces, and his superior age and Gun
ming untitled Mr. Boyd to cope with him
Mr.. Casey was compelled to procure mon
ey at all hazards Before entering Vest
Point he had married That fact, il
known would have dismissed him at ones
from the academy, in accordance with the
laws governing that Institution, which
permit no cadet to marry In the academy
at that time were several cadets, sons of
very wealthy parents, who contrary to
West Point rules, kept in their rooms at
barracks large sums OF money. That was
Caseyis opportunity, for he had constant
need Of it with which to silence his wife,
who had threatened his exposure
So great was the confidence Of the acad-
envy classmates in each other that the
money was simply placed in q trunk, TO
which all the clique had access and used
as a general fund The government sup
plies cadets with all necessary articles, so
that only luxuries need be purchased
Even TO those generous young men the dis
appearance Of money in large sums be
came pulling and led to inquiries, which
developed into suspicious. and q plan was
formed TO mark some Of the bills and thus
discover the eviIdoer.
AIr. Boyd, By reason Of his unpopular
u, was unaware Of those movements, and
he had told no one Of his own losses. The
cadets had informed their immediate com
mandant that money was constantly be-
ing stolen in the corps. Aghast at such a
state of affairs, he had authorized and Sc
Iected a committee of eighU-tw0 from
each company-to find and punish the
thief. In an unguarded moment the com
mandant had said, . If you find the offend
er, you can deal with him as you deem ad-
visable-"
The most prominent member Of the
committee was Casey, himself the real
culprit. After a perfunctory search through
quarters occupied by other cadets, they
reached Mr.. Boyd's and found nothing to
reward their efforts. At that juneture Ca
sey glanced upward at a pile of books "
ing on some shelves and said, Let Us look
at that large dictionary
Casey room was directly opposite that
occupied by Mr.. Boyd, who roomed alone
because Of his unpopularity- Mr. Boyd's
room was unguarded and accessible, SO no
doubt Casey had frequently entered it and
taken money from the man ne now public
ly accused The search took place at noon,
when the main body of the corps were at
dinner. On Mr.. Boyd Is return to his room
he found it filed with cadets, who madly
accused him Of the crime White with hor-
rOr and shame unspeakable, he answered
their charges in a way which would have
convinced any judge of human nature that
he was entirely innocent Sinking to his
knees and raising his eyes to heaven, he
cried, 9 By the memory of my dead moth
er, swear knew nothing whatever of
this money
But the supposed culprit was in the
hands of Philistines- No thought OF mercy
impelled them now quote from a pub
hshed account by an eyewitness the scene
later in the day: 1T was a cold, sad, bIus-
terless day The air was full of snow, and
the cold vas bitter. Orders were given to
fall into ranks in the area OF the bar
racks for undress parade. The cadet adi u-
tant commanded, Parade rest After
pause he continued, Cadet captains will
place themselves opposite their respective
leaves the ranks. There was an interval
of the most profound stiffness. Then above
the winds bowling came the sound of
tramping feet
Across the broad porch Of the barracks
and down the steps came four cadets, bear
ing between them mans form They ad-
vaneed along the battalion s front As
they turned the adjutant raised his right
hand, and forthwith the drums and flies
beat and walled out in unmelOdious and
unearthly harmony the terrible tune Of
the 'Rogues' March On they came, and
now saw affixed to that mans breast q
large white placard, and on it the words,
Coward sLiarP Thief The face above
the words was marble white, as the face Of
the dead, bat the wild, staring, blood red
eyes seemed TO wall and shrink in their
horrible misery. The four cadets passed
along the fun length of the battalion, and
with their victim turned down the slope
beyond the buildings and disappeared -
General CullOn was then in command
at West Point On that particular evening
he was returning from the dock toward
which those heartIess cadets had driven
Mr.. Boyd when he met the young man
face to face
The generals first and natural thought
was that Mr.. Boyd had dressed himself in
civilian clothes and was stealing OF the
post in search of amusement, but a second
glance showed him face full Of grief and
shame. He took the young man at once to
his own quarters, questioned him and
found, to his disInay, that the cadets bad
perpetEated a most unprecedented and
cruel outrage. General CuIlom determined
that the matter should be gifpsd to the bot
tom
The court Of inquiry, later Instituted by |
General CuIIor. resulted in a verdict Of
not guilty In the eyes Of the cadets, /
whose insensate cruelty had warped their /
Indictment il was s7rsuIv a Scotch verdict {