The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-22
ISLAND CITY NEWS ITEMS.
Federal Government Purchases Land
for Modern Fort.
WILL NOT INACCURATE A BEER WAR.
The Iocnl brewery VIII Enter the
Field on Its Mcrits--A Dcscrtcr
from the Army surrcndcrs. 4

Galveston, Texas, January 2l.--Anothcr
biz land dodl was made in Galveston to.
dhy. This time the United States govern
ment has purchased from the Adams heirs
100 acres OF land, more or less, on Bolivar
Point. at $500 an acre. the whole aggregat-
ing 100000. This land Is to be ccdod 10
the government, and n modern fort. which
Will form n part OF the system Of defense
at Galveston. will be erected. just how
soon work on the fort will be commenced
is not known. as there are many formaities
to be gone through even after the land Is
cedod. The property is south OF the light
house, on the extreme end of \he point.
DESERTER SuRRENDERS.
Haunted by fear OF detection and arrest,
William +. krcuger. late Of company Il.
Eighteenth United States infantry. went to
Chief OF Police Jones this morning and
asked that he be taken into custody and
sent back to his command for trial There
was no reason 10 doubt the truth OF his
statement that he was a desertor lie an
swered a number of questions, showing
familiarity with life in the army, aud lie
infantry is stationed at Fort Sam Houston,
near San Antonio. and the commander VIII
be communicated with.
Krougor. who is a rather bright youne
fellow. after little pcrsuading. told his
story, as follows. II am Il little past ~
years Of axe and have spent seven and a
half years in the army. My home was IN
Cincinnati. and | first enlisted In troop Il
of the Fifth cavalry. At the expiration of
INV first enlistment | went home for
while. and afterwards enlisted In the Eigh-
teenth infantry. | was attached to com
pany Il. and trouble soon commenced. A
sergeant and corporal did not take kindly
TO me. and when private lncurs the dis
Ike %; his non commissioned officers. he
suffers q thousand petty prosecutions Of
which the world outside OF the army knows
nothing. For instance, while In the ranks,
the sergeant who acted as file closer
would call my name and direct attention
to the fact that my heels were perhaps an
eighth Of an inch apart. This would. Of
course. attract the attention Of the captain.
and would catch It, This might not look
Ike much to a citizen. but 1t is great deal
to u soldier. Al other times when there
was dirty work to be done In quarters, II
would fail to my lot or to one OF two other
equally marked men In the company !
stood this thing until could stand 1t no
longer. aud last Friday made up my mind
10 desert. That was easy enough, and /
loft,
why didn't | apply for redress to the
commanding officer Why, that would have
done no good. He would have upheld his
non commissioned officers and would have
votton the worst OF It all around. But my
doserton may help the boys who are left.
! shall probably get year or. at the most,
eighteen months Imprisonment and lose all
nav. but then will be out OF IT, and Will
be free again"
Krerger then told how he had come to
Galveston hoping TO obtain employment.
But every man who looked at him he ex-
pocted to hetray him TO the police and ho
momontarlly expected arrest This fonr
haunted him so he finally went to the police
and surrendered Just to escape the ever
present dread that they would find him
out. Krcuger takes his situation philosOph-
ically. and declares that he is not bit
sorry of the step which Will cost him his
liberty for a year or so.