The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-17
EXCUSES FOR list MEN.
OFFICERS SAT- EFFTGY HANGrNG WAS
MORE IN FUN THAN IN EARNEST.

Chaplain Van De Water Makes n Statement
in Answer to Charges of tho Men-Mus-
tering Out OF the Regiment Completed
Y~esterday-Dr. Tlce Makes More Charges.
Officers OF the Seventy first Regiment yes
terday we're unanimous In their %denunoiation
of the conduct OF the men on Tuesday morn
ing. when they rugged up an eflgy In their
armory, and after clubbing It Van De Water.
after their Chaplain. and Shafter. after the
commander Of the American forces In Cuba,
made II a target for cantaens. pieplates. and
missiles OF various kinds. Col. Downs and
most OF the Geld and stan officers. as we'll as
many OF the company commanders. said yes
terday that while they condemned the affair.
they thought that the incident had been very
much exaggerated and that a serious matter
had grown out OF h was In reality a frolio
with the men. Capt. Brett of the Second
United States Cavalry, the fmusterlnR oflcer.
who witnessed the whole affair. regards the
matter in the same light. and said yesterday
that he laughed himself while the men were
pelting the eflgy.
Many Of the men OF the regiment who took
part in the AFFAIR said yesterday that when the
eflRy' was made the men who made It had
no idea OF labelling It with any particular
name Their idea was simply to amuse them
selves b ykicking It around the floor and throw
ing things Mt Il. Unfortunately, however. they
sd stuffed the old uniform that 1t assumed
great proportions around the waist. and It's
rotundity caused some to yell out, Van De
waterl' and others. ''Shafterl" when 1t ap-
peared upon the floor. Others took up the CRY.
and there was pandemonium until the fl0ure
fell to pieces as the result Of the onslaught.
Chaplain Van De Water was very much dis
turbed over the matter yesterday. When seen
by q sur reporter. he said:
Since 1 have been q member OF the regi-
ment have done my whole duty to 1t and to
the men. My conscience is perfectly clear on
that point. The charges whispered against
statements. why the men should speak III Of
me / do not know, unless 1t be because OF the
conduct Of certain newspapers. which have en-
deavored to make heroes out OF all men VINO
went to the war: These papers t nndert took n to
ing to me the way they kent featuring me;
was not on the firing line. They had me Lead
ing a charge, up San Juan Hill, something !
might might i have end done Il Il / had been ordered to.
as ] might have been a hero II the opportunity
had arisen. but i didn't f. and afoE my yr 9rd xG,n wSre
This necessarily kept me, In the rear q good
part OF the time. although in the line OF my
duty. 1 was frequently obliged to 90 to the
"These newspapers that I speak'oi SO Landed
me that | suppose Ieaionsyarose emonGtne men;
have all already sai1i said. Why that should cause
grace me I'm unable to understand.
Il heard some Kisses when went TO the
a arm GsG yestsrd1 y and NOV | turned W6e w arop pesp az SRGs
for them. No one replied to me and l passed
on. II the men OF this regiment have any
any time; / have heard that they'eharEe me
STuring our absence. That is false. / cannot
say now how often I held services, but 1t was
every day that | possibly could; ny nHrsedS t the
obeyed my orders. in fact. and any statement
to, the. contrary is false.
for the men and gave 1t to the officers, that !
put sick soldiers out OF O tent so that might
s snjoy the o t9 tSe %e IT m XII e. a 5Ses ssa sh l sSss
Of food / had while in Cuba was sent to me By
given by me almost entirely to the men. 1
had but a morsel of 1t myself
and the regulars to prove that these Whisp9red
my full duty under orders, ! can find no n
s seon juan @s; Hill tRe when aa' | stood SaiG my sA post under
run in Cuba and Sertainly shall not run now.
After reading about this outrage on me
this morning. | put on my uniform and went
dfsr on t4 ah tes sId SsmG6fy; called As I ou %sn VINO IF ss Ss9is e car
letters in Cuba2' Another responded. Yen De
lWaterl' ! never had ANYTHING 70 do with the
relatives and friends OF men In, the regiment
came to me. and l answered them as oest l
could fnS SioB But ba this sII ssT Simsd as ss t the t thfS mG 1hat
"As far as the mails In Cuba are concerned"
By, II want to say that DR.. Van De Water had
nothing to do. with them, personally put
Major of the regiment. and sent him back to
And q, to This affair Of Yesterday" con
ing else. The men had been standing on
their feet all the morning waiting for the pay
do tins sort OF thing. looked around for some
thing to, amuse themselves with. some one
PET ef Z T. srd this d ibe 4GGm and they EsTk PFSOS SSs oi n to
s'SSIdier rs%arsed e Re; pointing 81 t6e lsaTs;
on, and Thought nothing more about the mat.
ter: l regard it as unfortunate and am dis
suited their heir Oh Chaplain. but "tAl I do not believe
there were many of the men In that business.
ssHbs thi td tho too ,n mSGh Importance has been at
that Col. Downs did. The second and Third
Col; Smith, Majors White. Koch and willis
and mustered out Yesterday, and the Whole
regiment is now out OF the United States SER
vice. The men will have q chance to re-enlist
in the National Guard after ten days. the time
allowed for the disbanding Of the 171st ReRi-
30 per cent. OF them would avail Themselves OF
II. The men we're talking Yesterday OF petit
tioning the Governor to allow them IS cents a
The State always pays National Guardsmen
81. % a day while they are out on service. but the
men only get 80 cents a day from the Govern
ment. They wnnt the state to make up the
diherepce. This has been done in Massachu-
sets and New Jersey.
Mrs. Marsh. the head OF the Woman's Relief
Association. said yesterday that most OF the
men who had borrowed money from the ASSOC
citation while waiting for their pay had paid
1t back again. Som there were, she said. who