The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-24
POSED AS A ROUGH RIDER
J. f. TURNER ARRESTED, HOWEVER,
AS A TENNESSEE DESERTER.
He Was a Hero at Northumberland
Insists He Was at San.
tiagO.

James F. Turner, young man twenty
three years old, is under lock and key at
the police station charged with being a. de-
serter from the Second Tennessee Regiment
of Volunteer Infantry. He was brought to
the city yesterday evening from Martins
vile by Corporal G. McIlhenny of Company
X, One-hundred-and -ffty-eighth Indiana
Regiment, who reached his home at Mar
tinsville a few days ago on thirty days
furlough. Corporal McIlhenny arrested Tur-
ner on instructions from Camp Meade, Pa.
Turner says that Martinsville is his home
and declares that a great mistake has been
made. Information from Martinsville is to
the effect that Turner had been parading
the streets there for two weeks, passing
himself off as a Roosevelt Rough Rider 1t
is said he had attentive audiences listening
to his recitals of narrowing fights. His
feathers began to fall, it is claimed, when
Company K, OF the One-hundred-and-fift
eighth, arrived in town. Turner's arrest
quickly followed the receipt of the follow
ing telegram yesterday morning by Cor
poral McIlhenny:
Camp Meade, Pa, Sept. %.
Corporal G. McIlhenny, Martinsville, Ind
Frank Turner deserted from camp from
Company H Aug. l, Camp Alger, Va. De-
scription: Age twenty-three, height five feet
hair. Apprehend him and turn him over to
nearest military post He is wanted: Re-
port action. ANDERSON,
Colonel Second Infantry tennessee Volun-
teerS.
Turner admits he is five feet eight inches
in height. His eyes are gray and he has
dark brown hair. He insists that he is not
the man wanted for desertion. and those
who have heard his story are of the opinion
that he is either the victim of unfortunate
circumstances or an artistic liar. He relates
without hesitation the details of the first
battle Of the Rough Riders in Cuba when
young Hamilton Fish was killed. He says
he served with Roosevelt during the entire
Cuban campaign, returning with the Rough
Riders to Montauk Point, N. Y, about Aug
IT, The young man says he was employed
on a cattle ranch near San Antonio, Tex,
when the war with Spain broke out and
was one of the first of the cowboys to en-
list for cavalry service. He was a member
of the troop which came up Immediately in
the rear of the one in which Hamilton Fish
belonged. Turner tells how he assisted in
burying young Fish and describes how the
grave was marked.
When the Rough Riders arrived at Mon
tauk Point, according to the story of Tur-
ner, he was the bearer of some notes which
passed between Captain Day, of Troop L.,
and the father of Hamilton Fish in New
York. Turner exhibits one of these alleged
notes addressed to Mr.. Fish, which he says
the latter gave him as a keepsake. There
is nothing in the note that relates to young
Fish. 1t refers to a soldier named Bell, who,
Turner says, Mr. Fish had been asking
about Turner claims that he was given a
pass" to come to his home at MartinSville.
He says this pass was granted by the
War Department and that he was instructed
to report at San Antonio in thirty days. He
says he was not granted a furlough. Tur-
ner claims that his is a case of mistaken
identity. He says 1t is William f. Turner
who is wanted for desertion. He does not
explain who William +. Turner is.
The prisoner claims to have been wound
ed in one of the battles in which the Rough
Riders took part. and to back up his story
exhibits a dark blue spot on his chest. He
says a bullet passed through his clothing
so close to his body that it scraped the
Gosh