The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-13
Notwithstanding Reports
Sent Out to the Con-
trary.
THE SEABOARD, AIR LINE
Handled the Regiment With Great
Skill, Which Was Appreciated
There Was No Rowdyism, as
Charged, but to the Contrary n
Returning Fourth New Jersey
Deported Themselves as Best
Becomes Gallant Soldiers.

The Seaboard Air Line, of which Mr..
l.. s.. Allen is the general passenger
agent. has won an enviable reputation
for its prompt, rapid and thoroughly
-well-conducted passenger service, and
when any big passenger movement in
the South is going on it is not as a rule
complete without this big system taking
a more or less prominent part in it. And
SO thorough has been their service, and
so rapid their schedule and comfortable
their trains, that once carried over the
system means a desire to have repeated
the same pleasant experience.
On the 9th of the present month the
Fourth New Jersey Regiment was mus
tered out of the service at Greenville,
s. c., and transported north over the
Seaboard Air Line, it requiring four big
sections to accommodate the returning
heroes. But according to the following
newspaper clipping, OF which more will
be said, the boys did not deport them
selves with that dignity characteristic OF
American soldiers while on their way
home.
TERRORIZED COMMUNITIES.
Atlanta, Ga, April IA special to
1.-THE Journal from G%reenville, S. c.,
says:-"The Fourth New Jersey, which
was mustered out here yesterday, and
left during the afternoon for home, ter
rorized the communities through which
they passed, firing volleys from the cars
with their revolverss and made a bad
name for themselves at various points
by stealing all that they could lay their
hands on. A vender of army badges
and camp souvenirs had ten watches
and 60 badges stolen. AT Chester the
Jersey soldiers stood off the crowd of
spectators with a yolley of revolver
shots, and then raided the waiting and
lunch rooms,s carrying off all they could
find They are also reported TO have
stolen a bicycle at Chester.
Many of the men were drunk when
they left here. and the reports indicated
that they became more intoxicated as
they proceeded. The officers of the reg
iment were with the men,
THE REPORT NOT TRUE.
Now, the American public loves justice,
and there being another side to this re-
port of the rowdy conduct of the soldiers,
it is in order, in justice 10 the soldiers, 20
let the public see that they did nothing to
justify the report autographed over the
| country; but on the contrary their con-
duct was such as TO cause those who were
eye witnesses to it, 10 take enough inter-
est in them and their good names, to vol
unfairly send the following information
concerning il to the yirginian-Pitot:-
BEHAVED EXCEEDINGLY WELL.
Chester, s.. c., April s, 1899.
Editor "Virgindan-PiIot,"
Portsmouth Office,
Portsmouth, VA
Gentleanen-I enclose you a clipping
from today's Charlotte observer in re-
gard to the conduct Of the Fourth New
Jersey regiment at Chester, S. C. My
lunch room being the only one near the
depot. and the soldiers not going uptown
Ct know they did not go uptown),
ed. Now they did not come into our place
and pi1fer anything or modest anybody,
and the dining room and office were both
open. They did come in and get cigars
and cigarettes, all of which they paid for
as willingly as other guests.
I did not see any crowd stand on Wltn
revolvers or anybody terrified or attacked
They did fire some pistol shots, but in a
celebrating rather than desperate style
and they were aimed at or near no person
or property as far as / could see, and
was present While every section of the
| train was here. I write o these facts
because reports of newspapers have gone
| out. from two of our places, of this KIND
| which nave not emanated from us, n as
far as / know are incorrect. As we ia
lost little or nothing by the soldiers, ano
enjoyed a liberal patronage from them
We do lot like to appear as their SANDER
ers, and hence this letter to you. We dc
not care to go into print, but we are de-
termined, at least. to let the officials OF
the road know, as far as our places are
concerned, We have not suffered, and have
no disposition to see these soldiers mis-.
represented so long as it might possibly
appear to come from us.
Respectfully,
GRESHAM e JAMTSON