The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-31
OVERPOWERED.
San Francisco Women and
Children in HOrdes
Attack the Camp of the goth
Kansas Regiment.
SWEPT AWAY GUARDS
And Enter the Lines With
Food,
Clothing and Everything to
Bring Comfort.
SWEPT AWAY GUARDS


San Francisco, May 26.-The principal
and in fact the sole issue at Camp Rich
mond this week with the Kansas boys
has been that of food and clothing.
Thanks to the hospitable people of
San Francisco and an addition to the
quartermaster's department both these
questions have been satisfactorily set
tied. The issue now is what to do with
the surplus.
For the first few days rations were
not plentiful enough. Something
seemed wrong in the quartermaster's
department. Yesterday Col. Little ap-
pointed Capt. Green to take charge of
the work and he has proven the right
tent is full and provisions in the shape
of halves of beef, sacks of flour, SUI
gar, onions, beans, potatoes and all nee
essaries are piled high on the outside.
Today the quartermaster of each
company was given five days rations
ahead in order to clear the tent to make
room for contri from San Fran
cisco people and the Red Cross dona-
tiOnS.
Col. Little was compelled to turn
away many ladies and children with
great baskets full of cakes, pies, canned
fruits, etc.
1 stood at the entrance of the grounds
and saw teachers of the public schools
with hundreds of their children massed
about with baskets of food on their
arms trying in vain to beat back the
double set of guards at the gate. To the
left equally anxious to enter were a
dozen ladies of the Red Cross society
with two wagon loads of food.
After some parley Col Little instruct
ed the guards to allow them to enter
but to turn over their supplies to the
quartermaster. This did not suit the
teachers and children who desired to
go among the men and distribute their
delicacies personally, and they went too.
There were not guards enough in camD
to have stopped them. In five minutes
every soldiers tent had a group of lit
tie ones passing out food and begging
for buttons.
But the next lot were barred, and
when left the gate there were appar-
: emily as many at the gates as before
implOring to be let in.
This order on the face of it would
seem harsh but the doctors and hospital
force have requested the headquarters
to shut off on pie and cake as the men
would fill the hospital quicker gorging
themselves with sweets than any other
way.
But on the farther side of the camp
from the officers quarters and next to
the Topeka company handsome women
daintily gather up their silken skirts
and with the aid of some gallant volun-
| teer scale the fence. \ About this time
the guard invariably goes blind.
A dozen groups of girls so raided the
camp today with baskets of dainties
that will never see the quartermaster's
tent.
An order was issued from headouar-
ters today that the first man caught
complaining of the food to outsiders
and begging for anything from visitors
would be promptly given a season in
the guard house.
A personal inspection shows me that
the men are now getting a sufficiency
of food.
Captain Mallory today inspected the
guns and declared the or
demned- The men will be given new
ones of the Springfield make at once.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
government promised to have shoes
and equipment for the men yesterday
it came not nor yet today. But some
of the good ladies of this city went
about among the boys, took their num-
Der and the size of the shirt needed
and sent in several hundred
If there is more hospitable people on
earth than in California campaigning
there would be a paradise indeed.
Mrs. Rainey, wife of a noted Frisco
politician. did the right thing today by
the Topeka company. A huge bundle
was struggled into the line. Behold
when opened it contained a fine towel
a bar of CASTLE soap, a pair of socks
suit of underwear and a handkerchief
for every man. Three cheers and a
tiger were promptly given for Mrs.
Rainey.
This proved an occasion for a good
word from Captain Towers who eau
toned his men to always use the same
polite dignity on the grounds towards
lady visitors that they would at home
and it is having it's effect. The captain
is becoming noted among his men as
being popular with the ladies, scores of
them visit his tent daily to rest a while
and ask questions.
Among the sick in the Topeka COM
pany are John johnson, son of As
sociate Justice johnson; Corporal Has
kins, whose father keeps the Sixth ave-
hotel. and Fred Graft former
Santa Fe machiniSt.
Lawrence has one sick man in the
person of Corporal Benson.
P1ttsburg company has Joseph Mil
lock and Clark Dewitt in the hospital
and Bert Meet, Albert Prick and Rob
ert Short on sick duty.
Sutton of Leroy, Johnson and Lieut..
Craig of Garnett represent Comany E
in the sick list.
Kansas City has Lewis J. Moon,
formerly of Topeka, and De Beque off
duty with bad colds.
In this company Clad Hamilton and
Charley Kleinhans are listed. Both boys
are in the best of health. Hamilton
has been instructing the bugle corps
and sending occasional letters to a
Kansas City paper. He bemoaned his
fate today for enlisting so early mas
much as in the second call he might
have gotten in with his company.
Klefnhaus is detailed on Adjutant De
Ford's staff.
Abilene has three men on the sick
list: Simmons, Gamble and Tate. The
three men they left behind sick at To-
peka have arrived.
Corporal Leavitt of Leavenworth is
the only sick man with that company.
Miama-Paola company have Putnam
and Bell off duty.
Not a man in the Fort Scott company
is complaining. They are the rugged
crowd.
At this writing there is nothing to in
dictate that the Kansas boys will get
| away for two weeks.
The Minnesota and PENNSYLVANIA
1 troops are slated next But of course