The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-20
NOT a t.RYMAN.
Uncle Sam Refused to Board the
Fourth Illinois BeerhOrse.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
The President has come to the relief
of a colonel of a German regiment who
was court martialed and sentenced, to be
suspended for six months on half pay for
feeding at government expense horse
whose duty consisted in transporting the
beer drunk by the members Of the regi-
ment The joke, if there be any, appears
to be on the chaplain, for it was alleged
to be the chaplain's horse that was thus
fed by the federal treasury, when, as a
matter of fact the chaplain trudged along
with the rest of the regiment afoot.
Col. Andell is in command of the Fourth
Illinois Volunteers, ia regiment recruited
from the southern part of the state, in
that portion known as Egypt. The great
majority Of his command are Germans
and like all patriotic Germans they love
their beer. 1t Is with them one of the
necessities of life. Ordered to one of the
Florida camps, these men soon found life
amid the duilness of camp routine I'M
bearable without their allowance of the
beverage that cheers but does not inebrl-
ate when INDUCED in in moderation. A
mutual assessment plan soon provided
them with a daily invoice of beer, but
how to transport it from place to place
especially when on the move, was the
question over which tlesei patriotic Ger
mans long pondered without reaching a
satisfactory conclusion.
They were willing to buy a horse for
the purpose, but when they found that 1t
could not be cared for by the government
this idea was abandoned. But there was
a brilliant mind In that regiment who
solved the difficulty. The chaplain was
entitled to a horse, 10 be fed at govern.
ment expense, but the chaplain did not be-
lieve himself able to purchase the animal
n he fire or rro mai md
never had been mounted. Why not then
buy a horse and carry II on the rolls as
the chaplain's horse and have Il cared for
by the government? The government stood
to feed the chaplain's horse, If he had one
and the government would not be out
cent. The suggestion was made to Col
Andell, and that official, not stopping TO
think of the fine distinctions made in the
war department and other branches of
the service, agreed and the travelling can
teen was established.
Subsequently Fiction arose in the reg
iment and several charges were made
against the colonel which finally took the
shape of a court martial. He was tried,
and conviction resulted on the sole count
in which the horse incident played a prom
nent figure. Then Col. Morrison OF Hi
no.s the well known politician and states
man. who has grown gray, looking after
the interests of his constituents and one
OF TWO OlneI personal llieuuS OF Col An
dell came to Washington posthaste TO in
tervene.
Great scottr' said Col Morrison, IF
you are 10 court martial officers for such
a thing. where will he army be inside OF
the next sixty days?' Col. Morrison
thought It an outrage and talked freely
10 the President about the case. Assistant
Judge Advocate General Major Morrison
was called to the White House Saturday
night. and all he could say was that Col
Andell had been guilty Of technical VIC
iation of the law. tt'H
Wen" replied the President I'VE must
settle these things on a broad basis The
lines must not be drawn too finely The
chaplain was entitled 20 the feed Of the
horse. and as this horse seems to have
been used for the general good Of the reg
iment with the possible exception Of the
chaplain" added the President, with
smile, Il can see that no harm has been
done. afa ~
The order was then issued reversing the
finding Of the court and restoring Col
Andeh 10 his full rank and pay. The Pres
ident evidently believes that German
regiment Is entitled 70 Its beer 20 long as
IL pays for II. si"ff e
u.n.+tt r1fEn