The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-21
A VETERAN IN Il PooRHoUsE.
Joseph Deakin Says ne Cut or an Enemy,
Head with q Sabre Stroke In India

SYRACUSE, N. Y. Juno 2o.-In tho county
poorhouse at Onondaga Hill is aman who boasts
Of having performed the same feat attributed In
a recent cable despatch to Col. Mahmoud Bey Of
the Turkish army, who Is said to have cut OF
with one stroke Of his sabre the head Of q Greek
officer.
Tho man IL Joseph Deakin. Ho Ii IS years
old, and has been in the poorhouse two years.
He was born In Pontpool, Monmouthshire, South
Wales, and the early part of his life was spent
in the coal mines. On June Is. 1912. he enlisted,
and, after seeing service in various parts of the
British empire. served through tho Crimean
war. During one engagement Deakin suddenly
found himself confronted by three stalwart Rus.
SLAMS, who were advancing upon him with fixed
bayonets. He parried their thrusts for a time,
when help came in the form of Martin Haley.
tho funny 1rishman Of the regiment. Haley
made q rush at one of tho Russians and pinned
him slick as a whistle on the end Of his
bayonet. and Deakin himself took caro- OF one
Of the others. The third man ran away. Deakin
had three front teeth knocked out by one Of the
fellows. and q little while afterward q bullet
struck him in the chest and kept him ut the
graves edge for a couple Of weeks. Whom
Seoastopol had been taken he went with his
regiment to Malta, and thence to Gibraltar.
Then came an order to start for Bengal and join
the thousands Of troops England was sending
out to quell the Sepoy rebellion. Upon his
arrival in Calcutta a cavalry company was
wanted. and although Deakin had always fought
on foot he offered his services.
W marched to Lucknow" said Deakin.
and there we got hold of a lot Of old plugs Of
horses and began to get in shape for the attack
on the rebels. We started up country In o few
days to a town called Capree and struck q band
of 800 rebels. We waded right into them, and
when we got through there wasn't enough Of
them left to tell the story. 1t was in this fight
that l cut Off a native cavalryman's head while
going at full speed.
" In the front rank Of the enemy. just as We
were getting into, fighting position. two of tho
enemy came rushing straight at me. one on
ala Sfsh not oia Quite ! G Tesc cfa @ oe 'h Th ero oth aa r fsIior f0f Fo ss
in his saddle and made a swing at my head. I
wasn't very green with my sabre, and warded
elbow cap. but l didn't know it at the time. As
he was passing me saw my. chance to get in
word and took him on the neck. i sliced his
bead of as ncst at a carrot and It rolled to tho
that the horse with his hcadless rider went for
ftty yards before the mans hands let go the
re at, fn@ close Sas D Of he su@ reSeifio % DC bes sFGnn returned
a nnd En Mas dis 81 wSy OF H The re cspe q t GOOD nh Hon. Pc
for service in the Crimea, but these he lost ono
night, when he was out for a high old time
shortly after his return home. Deakin says he
but he does not expect ever TO get it. He shows
seven scars OF wounds received while IN tho
service. The most serious of these is an injury
to his kneecap. which was smashed by a flying
she'll. and has brought on rheumatism that has
made him a cripple of late years. Besides this
he has a bullet mark on his breast, a shortened
funny bone where the sabre of the Indian struck
him on the elbow, three. front teeth which are
false. and a scar over his eye. the result of
premature explosion of a mine near Balaklava.
Deakin came to this country in 1868 and first
lived at WATERFOWL. He went into what was
probably the tiercest battle OF his life when he
picked out a pretty little girl OF 16 at Porr
Byron and asked her TO hc his wife. He was 10
but everything did not run smoothly and thev
separated. Deakin ran an elevator in the
Grouse block until two years ago, when his
rheumatism compelled him 10 seek the poor
house. Dcakin draws 500 a year pension money
from the English Government. This he received
first one year ago. He thinks he is entitled 10
back pay.
III could get That" said he rehectiyely, IT
would have ahout 90 400 ana 7 vroniS rot 6,vs
to worry the rest of my life and live on other
peoples charity"