Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-09-07

udS OSSh -
the newspapers about the way the
volunteer soldier who went to the
front when war was declared with
Spain, was treated. There seems
to have been great deal of scandal
stirred up and from the story which
will be given in this article, If the
other officers were like the ones in
this particular regiment, it is very
little wonder there is scandal to be
investigated.
A few days ago Hiram M. Rib,
a popular and we'll known young
man of this city, who at the first
call for troops quit lucrative situ-
alton in the oil field and joined the
United States Army of volunteers,
arrived home. having been muster
ed out of the service on account OF
disability incurred while taking
part In a sham battle. Mr.. Rib
is young fellow we'll known and
very popular in this city, and he
has the reputation OF being very
careful in his statements. He is not
prone to exaggeration, and when
being interviewed last night, he
stated to the writer that he would
go before notary and make affl
davit to all that is contained in this
article.
The story that is told by young
Rib is positively shocking, and it
is little wonder that every effort is
being made by the war department
to have matters hushed up. The
treatment of the men in the ranks
up until the time peace was declar-
ed between the two countries-the
United States and Spain-was all
that could be desired, and the Of
fcers were deservedly popular with
their men. La speaking of the mat
ter, Mr.. Rib told the following
story:
Il have not thug to against
any Of the officers of either the
company or regiment I was in I'M
til after the matter of being mus
tered out was brought to the front.
As soon as it mad been decided that
it would only be a matter OF a short
time until there would be treaty
of peace, and it became evident
that a large number of soldles would
have to go to the countries recently
occupied by this country, where
they would be put on garri-
son or police duty, everything in
our regiment had been very harmo'
NOUS and things moved along as
smoothly and pleasantly as it was
possible for them to. But when
this matter OF being mustered out
came up then is when the trouble
commenced.
There are a number of men in
the volunteer army and especially
is this a fact in the regiment and
company to which I belonged, who
are married and have families who
look to them for support. When
il was evident that the country
would have to have men to defend
it, these men at once offered their
services and were accepted. AS
soon as the war was over and peace
had been declared, these men
wanted to get back to their families
get to work and make money
enough to support them. The
miserable pittance of little over
fifteen dollars a month did not
amount to anything and would
hardly keep their families in some
thing to eat. while in a great many
instances the soldier was not able
to send his pay home for the reason
that he had to spend great deal of
it for something to keep himself
from starving.
"As soon as the peace question
came up petition was circulated
among the members of the Seventh
Ohio volunteers stating that so
many members OF the regiment de-
sired to be mustered out of service