Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-03
TRAITOR FIRES ON THE FLAG
Unknown Bryanite Bmpties a Shotgun
Into Old Glory,
NARROWLY ESCAPES WITH HIS LIFE
Veteran John Dcrlcw Glasses the Cow
ard and Fires Dozen shots,
killing His Horse and
WoundinE the Man.

The most exciting incident OF the entire
Bryan campaign occurred at : o'clock on
Sunday evening 1t had all Of the elements
OF treason in 1t, and came very near ter
minatng in a tragedy.
John Berlew, an old soldier, who has a
war record Of which he is justly proud, and
whose patriotism will brook no insult to
! the flag under which he lives and for which
he fought, made a determined but unsuc-
cessful attempt to kill an enthusiastic Bry-
| anitc. Berlew lives at l115 Twenty-fourth
avenue. On Saturday flag day. there was
no residence in that portion Of the city that
| had a more conspicuous or prouder flag
| floating over 1t than the specimen of Old
Glory that Berlew raised above his home.
| 1t was attached to the tallest flag pole he
could find, and that pole was raised on the
| highest gable of his house. Every window
| in the house was adorned with pictures OF
! Mckinley and Hobart, but there was moth
| ing about the place that was SO dear to the
| heart OF the old soldier as the magnificent
| silken banner that fioated from the house
| top. 1t represented a large portion Of the
| last installment of the pension the govern
| ment is paying him.
On Sunday evening the grossest possible
insult was offered to that flag. 1t was fired
The reasonable act was committed just
| before dark. Berlew was sitting In his front
window looking out upon the street. The
| window was Immediately beneath the flag
! pole, and the old soldier could see the silken
| folds OF the flag as it rose and fell on the
gentle breeze. A man came along the street
mounted upon a horse. The tapping fla Z
startled the horse and he SHE'D The sight
| OF the flag and the conduct of the horse
| angered the Bryanite, and, squirting the ami
| NAL up to the sidewalk, he deliberately fired
| Goth barrels OF his gun into the flag. The
| nag was pointing directly toward him, and
| the charges Of shot split it into thousands
OF pieces Berlew saw every act of the
| traitor and observed the remnants OF the
! stricken flag floating down to the ground.
| An oath that would have done credit to
| Fighting Joe Hooker burst from his lips.
The insult to the flag fired him as no sim
liar insult had ever done when he was car
rying musket in the war and shooting at
| men who were shooting at that flag. He
| forgot his rheumatism and his years Two
| big 44-caliber Colts revolyers were in the
| house and loaded for use. In an instan:
| he had these weapons and was out of the
| house.
The fellow who fired on the flag scented
| the danger and was urging his horse out
| OF the noighborhood at the top OF his speed.
! Berlcw took deliberate aim and began send
| ing the bullets after the fleeing horseman..
one struck the horse and bowed him ever.
! The rider went tumbling into the dust. He
WAS nearly two blocks away, and as he
| scrambled TO his feet the sight OF an old
soldier rushing toward him with a smok-
| ing revolver in each hand completed the
| panic. Berlew fired his last shots at the
| follow as he was fleeing. Once he saw him
| put his hand with a spasmodc action TO
| his ear as If an angry hornet was buzzing
around that member. Again he stumbled
and almost fell. 1t is certain this shot took
effect The fellow recovered, though and
| never quit running until he was out of sight
The horse was found to have had one
OF its hind legs broken. The shotgun was
found where 1t had fallen several rods away.
| The shooting created intense excitement
in the nclghborhood, and although that
portion of town is not thickly settled a
| crowd quickly gathered The wounded horse
received much sympathy, and there were
many expressions of regret that the traitor
who fired on the flag had not received the
bullet instead the horse. The horse, saddle
and shotgun were taken to the residence
| of John Teitge, on Seventeenth avenue and
Twenty-eighth street. There was little
prospect of saving the animal and he was
killed to put him out OF his misery
No one has yet appeared to claim the
horse and property. II has been pretty
nearly Identified, and It is probable that
the owner and rider will soon be dis
covered