The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-30
LOOKS LIKE FORGERY
Militiamen Called Out at
Night on a Telegram
Signed by Their
Captain.
READY TO GO TO FLORIDA
Colonel Abernethy Should As
certain Who perpetrated This
Outrage on His Men.
READY TO GO TO FLORIDA

Captain B. NJ. Gerardin, Adjutant of
the Fourth Regiment, delivered the first
of a series of lectures to the n-on-commis-
stoned officers of the regiment at the
Armory on Saturday night. The lectures
are Intended to give the ''non-coms'' a
theoretical as well as practical, knowledge
of military science and are being delivered
under orders of Colonel Abernethy.
Adjutant Gerardin on Saturday night
chose for his theme Discipline"
Discipline" Adjutant Gerardin said,
makes the soldier. If a man shows the
proper spirit of discipline he is looked
upon by all as a good soldier The
fdjutant spoke on the value of discip-
: line in battle and in camp and instructed
! the men in several points Of good con-
educt.
The Adjutant told the ''non-coms'' that
fifteen strokes on the frebell was the
signal to assemble at the Armory. There
was heard a commotion in the ranks of
the delegation from Company NJ, of Ho-
boken. and a voice called for recognition.
It was Sergeant Snyder. He asked the
Adjutant whether the non-commissioned
officers should assemble on notice given
by a telegram This query occasioned
surprise and created a laugh from the
Hoboken delegation.
The story came out at last. Sergeant
Snyder is of course a squad leader. One
night last week he read in a New York
paper that the regiment was to hold itself
in readiness to move to Florida he went
TO bed and dreamed of eating oranges
talking to dark-eyed damsels and Incl
dentally shooting a few Spaniards. About
half-past two he was awakened by a
tremendous ringing of the doorbell. He
threw a robe about him and ran down
TO the door. There stood a messenger.
Does Sergeant Snyder live there2" he
asked
That's me-" sleepily responded that
Well. here's a telegram. Twenty
cents, please" said he little fellow in
blue.
charge and opened the envelope. In the
dim light of the street lamp he read:
Assemble your squad at the Armory at
once. F. 6. Seymour"
Two minutes later an excited individual
might have been seen s~currying around
Eoboken clad in. the Uniform of the New
Jersey State Militia. Half an hour later
eight tired and sick looking men might
have been seen standing at attention in
front of the City Hall waiting for the
rest of the Besides their rifles
each carried some other weapon On
held a revolver whose term of service
might have occurred anywhere between
the battle of Bennington and the Brook
1yn trolley strike, another gripped a razor,
still another held the handle of a carving
knife. The gallant sergeant displayed a
broken water pitcher which he had picked
up on his wild chase for his squad.
1t was kind hearted policeman who hap
pened along that dispelled all thoughts of
war from the eight sleepy minds, and
home they went to finish their nights
sleep.
Adjutant GeNrdin informed Sergeant
Snyder that a telegram was not author-
itative. (
Tho lecture concluded with an examina-
ton Of the snon-coms1 IN the Insignia Of
rank Of the officers from the Major Gen
eral down to the Corporal.