Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-04
AN INJUSTICE.

AN I'M USIlCE.
Shortly after Mr.. Boyds return to West
Point he missed sums of money brought
from home, but said nothing about it. In
the class with Mr.. Boyd was man who
had entered West Point at the avowed age
of 25, 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 22 years, had been extended to g. This
was done in order to permit young men
who had achieved distinction in real war
fare the opportunity of acquiring a militia
ry 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
cumstances, and his superior age and cum
ming untitled Mr.. Boyd to cope with him.
Mr.. Casey was compelled to procure mon
ey at all hazards. Before entering West
Point he had married. That fact, if
known, would have dismissed him at once
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
Casey's 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 trunk, to
which all the clique had access and used
as general fund. The government sup
plies cadets with all necessary articles, so
that only Injuries need be purchased.
Even to those generous young men the dis
appearance Of money in large sums be-
came puzzling and led to inquiries, which
developed into suspicious, and plan was
formed to mark some of the bills and thus
discover the evildoer.
Mr.. Boyd, by reason of his unpopulari-
ty, 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
lected q committee of eight-two from
GuCll COUliItuy-UO llllu dllu PuuAoA uLC
thief. In an unguarded moment the COM
mandant had said, If you find the Offend
er, you can deal with him as you deem adj
visable."
The most prominent member Of the
committee was Casey, himself the real
culprit. After perfunctory search through
quarters occupied by other cadets they
reached Mr.. Boyd's and found nothing to
reward their efforts. At that juncture Ca
sey glanced upward at a pile of books ~
ing on some shelves and said, Let us look
at That large dictionary"
Casey's 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 1t and
taken money from the man he now public
" accused. The search took place at noon,
dinner. On Mr.. Boyd's return to his room
he found 1t filled 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, "By the memory Of my dead moth
er, I swear knew nothing whatever of
this money"
But the supposed culprit was in the
hands of Philistines. No thought Of mercy
impelled them. 1 now quote from pub
lished account by an eyewitness the scene
later in the day: "It was cold, sad, blus-
terless day. The air was full Of snow, and
the cold was bitter. Orders were given to
fall into ranks in the area of the bar
racks for undress parade. The cadet adju-
tant commanded Parade rest. After a
pause he continued, Cadet captains will
place themselves opposite their respective
company fronts and arrest any man who
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-
vanced 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 a
large white placard, and on 1T the words,
'Cowartlp 'Liarp Thief! The face above
the words was marble white, as the face of
the dead, but the wild, staring, blood red
eyes seemed to wall and shrink in their
horrible misery. The four cadets passed
along the full length of the battalion, and
with their victim turned down the slope
beyond the buildings and disappeared.
General Cullom was then in command
at West Point. On that particular evening
he was returning from the dock toward
which those heartless cadets had driven
Mr.. Boyd whom he met the young man
face to face.
The generals first and natural thought
was that Mr.. Boyd had dressed himself In
civilians clothes and was stealing off the
post in search of amusement, but a second
glance showed him a face full Of grief and
shame. He took the young man at once to
his own quarters, questioned him and
found, to his dismay, that the cadets had
perpetrated most unprecedented and
cruel outrage. General Cullom determined
that the matter should be sifted to the bot
tom.
The court Of inquiry, later instituted by
General Cullom, resulted in a verdict Of
mot guilty" In the eyes Of the cadets
whose insensate cruelty had warped theil
Judgment, it was simply Scotch verdict
Of Anot proved" and though acquitted
the defendant was thenceforth disgracet
and dishonored man. Exchange
The Sultan.
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