The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-21
v. NJ. BACKUs RECRUITING.
Wants a $4,000 Subscription for
KraE-JOrgcnsen Equipment.

Wants a $4,000 subscription for
krag-JOrgcnsen Equipment.
Several men in this city. in the belief
that the government will need more than
the $1,000 militiamen to be called for by
the President to assist the regulars in bring
ing Spain to terms. have organized the nu-
cleus of what they call 1.-THE First Regi-
ment of Indiana Volunteers" The plan.
while it has been under Roadway for over
a week, eliminated yesterday in a call by
Victor M. Backus for meeting to effect
a formal organization. The men respond
ing were "A. A. McKain, L. A. Fulmer. Mil
lard F. Cox. Henry Seyfried, William
Tousey, w. f. Ravens, Charles A. Corbley,
jr., George w. Yarmouth and DR.. Bruce
NJ. Wiley. 1t was stated at the beginning
of the meeting that in case the regiment
was organized the promoters had au-
thority from Governor Mount for the state
ment that it would be put into commission
at once, with v. M. Backus as colonel. The
latter was a comrade in the ranks with
Governor Mount during the civil war. 1t
was also decided to equip the regiment by
popular subscriptions. In this equipment is
to be included the Krag-J orgensen rifles,
which will bring the total cost of equip
ment up to $4,000. In order to give impetus
to the movement toward raising the funds
A. "A. McKain personally pledged 600 of
the needed amount. 1t was thought best to
send the First Regiment of Indiana Volun-
teerS into the field equipped with the high
est degree of excellence and as they had
been assured that the arms to be provided
Tor the volunteer forces would be the
Springfield rifles they decided to equip them
selves with the regular army Krag-Jorgen-
sen rifle This can only be accomplished in
one way. The government holds the sole
right to make this rifle and it is being man
ufactured as fast as possible at the Spring
field armory, but even when worked to the
capacity of the establishment it is not near
ly capable of turning them out fast enough.
III was therefore proposed that permission be
obtained from the government to construct
enough rifles to supply the regiment by pri-
Vate contract with the Remington Com
pany, which claimsl to be able to turn them
out inside of a month if they can get the
ment. II tnls permission can be secured
work will be begun on the rifles at once.
None OF the promoters feel any apprehen-
sion over the raising Of the balance of $l5,-
600 needed.
At the conclusion of the meeting it was
decided to open q recruiting office and ac-
cordingly storeroom on the ground floor of
the Odd Fellows building facing Pennsyl-
vania street was donated to their use with
out charge and free electric light was furn-
ished by the Electric Light Company. Up
to the present time, 1t is claimed, the enroll
ment shows four hundred names, just one
third of the necessary number. 1t has been
decided to admit four companies of one hum
bred men each from outside of Indianapolis
and companies now organized in nearby
towns will be invited to join in a body. 1t
is probable that the regiment will be
augmented by the company of young men
recently organized by Newton Hardin. This
company was recruited unofficially, for the
purpose OF filing the vacancy in the Second
Battalion of the Second Regiment j. N. G.
The battalion is one company short of it's
eighty-five men, he claims, none being
younger than twenty-three nor older than
thirty-eight years Of age. AS little encour-
agement has been held out to them by the
militia it is openly said that the young men
will perhaps volunteer with the new regi-
ment in body.
All last evening fifer and drummer sta
toned in front of the recruiting office be-
meath a large American flag waving IN the
emily breeze ATTRACTED crowds TO the place.
The fire of patriotism seems to have af-
fected nearly every one in this city and one
of the indications is the absence of obstacles
to young men recruiting coming from their
employers. Several firms in the city have
signified their intention of providing places
for any of their employees who may enlist
on their safe return home. Among them so
reported: The National Card Company, the
Cerealine Manufacturing Company, the
Chain works, the Hay & Willis Company,
the Indiana Cycle Company, Kingan q Co.,
the Parry Manufacturing Company and sew
eral wholesale houses, including M. O'Con-
nor & Co. and Schnull & Co.
There are doubtless many more firms in
the city which will be as liberal with their
employees as those mentioned above.
Governor Mount was asked last night IL
the statement was correct that V. NJ. Back
us had been promised the colonelcy of a
volunteer regiment, and that the regiment
would be called.
Mr.. Backus asked to raise a regiment"
said the Governor and told him / could
not authorize him to do this. / said if he
organized volunteer regiment and it was
called into service and the regiment chose
him for it's colonel | would commission him.
There were several contingencies you see.
A great many men have asked me for COM
missions as captains or officers in volunteer
regiments, but 1 have invariably told them
l had no authority now to issue these.
have said that where man organizes a
company or regiment, and it is called into
service. / will issue a commission to that
why j should not issue the commission"