The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-14
A Simple but a Most Impressive
Ceremony.
THE OPERA HOUSE FILLED
Not n Man Tool Advantage OF the
Last Chance to Withdrawal Scene
Never to Be Forgotten by
Those Who Witnessed It.

Wds siHipie, Out III. was one OF the ms st
impressive incidents that has ever
been recorded in the history of Mis-
soula. There was but little advertise
ment given of the ceremony, but thnre
were enough people who learned OF Il
to all the Union opera hDusa. There
was no levity about the affair. 1t was
quiet and dignifed. The solemnity
and significance of the occasion v as
fully appreciated and the big theat.r
was as quiet as II IL were IMPLY when
Lieutenant Ahern called the roll IF
the company and the members lined
up. In front. facing the audience,
Captain Higgins and Lieutenant Cave
and Lieutenant Hall took their places.
The non-commissioned officers took
their positions at the head of the i.ne
and the privates formed behind HI n.
Lieutenant Ahern referred briefly 10
the significance of the lie
said that there was one chance fp- a,y
man who did not want to GO to The
front to withdraw. The next step
would place them beyond the polsi-
bility OF a withdrawal. There was not
one man who stepped out of the
line.
Three members who had passed the
examination of the day before did not
report at muster to-day on time. Ths
mastering oficer would not take Them
when they showed up later. az he said
that no uncertain men were wanted IN
the troop. So the line OF young men
in front of the stage stood firm. There
was a moment of GREATNESS siien -
while the crowd waited to see II there
would be a withdra wal. No one
thought that there YOU be, but there
was a bit OF fear lest there might be.
When there was no one and The line
stood u~nbroken, the audience broke out
in a cheer that shook the roof.
This over. Lieutenant Ahern read
the oath OF allegiance and every Iaan
in the troop subscribed to II. The rcII
was then signed. When the 81 do OF
the company had rung out clear ard
firm. some N i'm the gallery sti uck
up America and the whole audie1ce
Joined in. Then the signing teyan.
Higgins first signed the roll
and then followed the others IN a der
or rank. There We're few dry ewes |
In the house as the singing of Amer
lea" ended. IL was a scene never to
be forgotten by those who wit
messed II.
When 1t was over Lieutenant Ab.rp
said to a Standard reporter: This is
The first time since we have been n Us-
ierfng that there has been any audience
Ike this. 1t Is the finest demorstra-
ton that i have seen. and u will do
the boys a world of good. I ann rlad
hat h people turned out as they
lid"
There are Sc men I'm the troop. in
the commissioned officers. The
list Of officers Is as follows:
Captain. y. q. Higgins: first lieuten-
mt. Will Cave. second lieutenant,
'harles ii. Hall: first sergeant. Dan
ieyfron: quartermaster sergeant. r.
raH.
duncan Mcdonnell. Charles f.. Dodge.
f. Burris. Benjamin Searight
nd X. Il. Hill; corporals. Fred Owen,
l.. Francis. Louis n. Kennedy,
larry Dorman. Fred w Poe. George
}. Wilds. Percy Jordan n HersheII
Vance; farrier. J. ID. Campbell:
rumpeters. +. NJ. Cronkrite and Will
nm Monahan: wagner. Joseph G..
saddler. James +. Naugh-
Dn.
In speaking Of the troop. Lieutenant
.hern said this afternoon: You
hould be proud of this troop here.
When l saw the men stripped for the
yesterday I al pleased
18th their appearance. There was not
ne OF them that did not show up ike
n athlete. and I have seldom seen an
more severe tina that
as. When j took the men out in the
fternoon to inspect their riding and
NV the horses pitching and jumping
bout and the men sitting unmoved +,
nd smiling on the backs of the
cunts, j was proud OF them myself.
hey will make splendid cavslrymen.
nd IL j were to be given a choice he !
Seen such a regiment as the eth q
York and these M~ontanans. I
ould take the Montana boys every
me-. They will make good sol
:
Major Carr and Lieutenant Bigelow
the cavalry service arrived this T,
corning TO purchase horses for the !
'oop. The morning was spent i'm ex- J
mining the animals that the boys a !
altered. About 10 per cent of the I
orses were accepted. and in a day or I
NO there Will be more in here for them !
, examine. The boys are mustered I
and the government will mount and !
them as soon as possible. Cap I
lin Brown of the Miles City troop left !
ere this morning after a night here I
nd will be ready with his troop for $
he mastering officer as soon as he
,aches there. The boys OF Troop ID
~ quartered at the Rankin house
nd the Helena hotel. and the horses A,
re located at McI.aughiin's corral. q
The enrolment and mastering OF the t,
Iembers OF Troop ID was not without :
= pathetic incidents. There /,
ere many of the recruits who ,
al enlisted without the con- -,
mt OF their families. and. While a
We're OF age n couid do as they ;
hose. there was In several instances ;
rong pressure brought to bear upon =
he officers and examiners to have
lem rejected. The examiners stood
Their duty was to see IL a man
as physically fit TO enlist. If he was u
ley said SO, and IL he was not they d
I'D so too. That was all that there y
as about IL. All efforts Co induce g
'e doctors To throw out a man be- !
use there was some one who didn't q
ant him to enlist were without re- 9
III. The doctors ATTENDED to their l
isiness and. In many instances. did 4
u know the name or the man who
as before them. OF course. this was
II should have been. but IL would
I've suited many OF the interested N
rites on the outside IL the doctors r,
ID been a little considerable OF their G,