The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-03

Others Are Holding Back, and
There Is n Schism Among the
| Men in the Ranks of the Company
| That Was Hardly Looked for In
Capt. Beams Almost IdoIized
Drill Squad.
The disintegration of Company D is
the talk Of the First regiment at Camp
Ramsey and the cause of much specu-
lation among the other regiments in
the brigade. The crack company OF
the Northwest has vanished and is a.
thing OF the past. In one short week
1t has become only a memory a rem
! iniScence.
Company D as it is composed today is
| collection of raw recruits without ex-
perience or knowledge of war, and in
stead of being the pride it would be the
laughing stock of the state if it was
| put on exhibition.
The patriotism that distinguished this
company above all others when the
troops were called out has ooZed away.
out OF sixty-six men who were iden-
tined with the company and who We're
| expected to show great things for the
prowess Of Minnesota, only twenty-six
are on deck. The forty others have
| disappeared and no one knows what
has become Of them or their patriotism
1t is a proud showing for the best
drilled company in the Northwest. St.
Paul is f1attered by 1t.
There were tears of devotion in the
| eyes of the men of Company d last
| Thursday evening when rney gathered
In their company room at the armory
and swore to Capt. Bean that they
would follow him to the front if they
were killed for it, and they all swore
| they would gladly die fighting for the
flag. 1t was a moving spectacle and
capt. Bean was envied for having such
a patriotic company.
| There were sixty present at that
meeting. OF these forty-one declared
| they would surely go to the front: fou,-
| teen were doubtful, but eleven said
| they could not possibly go. OF the lat
| ter, two gave excuses that were con-
| Sidered lame.
On that same evening Capt Bean
was appointed major and Lieut.. Metz
| was promoted to captain.
The change apparently made no diff
| ference with the men. Capt. Metz has
always been a popular officer and en-
joys a reputation as one of the most
skilled tacticians in the United States.
/ he Is thorough soldier, and so the
| opinion was universal that the CON-
| pany would maintain it's high standard
| under Metz.
But when the men were mustered to
go to camp Friday morning there were
| many absentees from among the old
| members. All the recruits were there
and went out with the regiment but it
was not the old company that marched
under the hot sun to the camp. 1t was
made up of recruits and spectators were
| hardly able to recognize it,
Since the men have been in camp
| a census has been taken of the old
members who are now with Company
| d. 1t shows only twenty-six. All the
| officers are there, but there are hardly
! enough privates for on-commissioned
| officers for the company.
| Here are the names OF the men who
| proved loyal to the traditions of Com
pany D:
| Capt. Metz.
| First Lieut.. Merrill
Second Lieut.. Tenvoorde
@. M. s. Iltner.
First Sergeant Kahlert.
Sergeant Krembs.
| Sergeant Krch.
Corp. Knocke
Privates-
| Pohler. Keogh
Bennett. C. Schcoley.
Mindrum Henschel.
| Miss, Sobotka,
Bach Downs,
French Parker.
| Jackson Lange,
Middents, Dwyer,
| SieboId, Shabert.
The balance Of the company Is made
up of recruits.
The men who stand true to their pro-
| fessions of loyalty feel indignant at the
| manner in which Company D has been
! deserted.
| "It Is a burning shame" said one of
| the men yesterday to a reporter for
| The G o b e, that the company has
| been so abandoned. Company d was
| the pride of ST. Paul, and we supposed
| the men in it were made of the right
stuff. We thought they would stand to
| their colors and go to the front We
| did not expect they would show the
white feather as soon as war called
| them to their duty. They turn out to
be a lot of towards. 1t Is the duty of
every man in the national guard to
when it needs him. Company d, it
seems, was largely a dress-parade af-
fair 1t is wrong to say that the change
of captains had anything to do with
the mems failure to come with us.
Capt Metz is splendid officer, and We
are all proud of him. 1t is simply a
case of pure cowardice. The men had
no intention of going to the front when
they were weeping their tears of devo-
ton to their country. They deserve no
consideration from their former COM
rades or from the public
'"The men in Company d. said an
other, want to remain home so they
may organize Gov. Clough's new ma
tional guard. They will have a chance
to get commissions in the new regi-
ment, and they would rather wear gold
lace and a few titles than win them
in the field. The governor will feel
flattered to be commander-in-ch chief of
such troops. They will be handsome
ornaments to the state while we are in
Cuba