Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-10
SHORT STORIES OF The DAY
Sergeant Resslsr Receives q Medal Of Honor
for an Act Of Bravery,
FEARFUL MIDNIGHT RIDE ON A pvsH-cAa
wher Did You Get that Hatt.-Mys-
terry of n Fire I'm a Rear Pocket
IL Explnined-How a Grocer
Lost n Customer.

SlSues army To-Day Is sergeant Norman w
Ressler OF Company D.. Seventh infantry,
now g~arfisoning Fort Crook. The cause fol-
his happiness is the receipt OF the medal OF
honor voted him by congress for rallantry
on the field Of FL Caney, Cuba, a little oven
a year ago,
The sergeant Is a young man OF rs and has
already served one term Of enlistment In
the regular army, having enlisted in 1895
with the Twelfth infantry. During this
period Of service he was stationed at Fort
Smelling and was there discharged. Taking
a forty days furlough he spent some weeks
with his parents, but the longing for army
life returned and he re-enlisted In the Sew
enth infantry. When the Spanish war broke
out the regiment was stationed at Fort To-
gan, Colo, and in April was ordered to
Chickarnausa, from which camp It was sent
to Tampa and there embarked upon the frst
expedition to Santiago. The transport ar
rived at its destination on June 20 and a few
days later was at the front It was during
the battle OF 81 Caney that Sergeant, then
Corporal, Ressier distinguished himself. He
himself talks very little OF the affair, and
modestly says that there are a half dozen
men In his own company who deserve a
medal as much as he.
I'VE were lying on our faces under a
terrific FIRE." said Sergeant Ressler, land
one OF our men fell in front Of the line.
The officers withdrew the company a few
feet for better protection and he was lying
In the open. A comrade named Sheppard
and myself edged our way forward until we
could get hold OF his feet and then we
dragged him back Of the line. When we
examined him we found he was dead, the
bullet having entered Just alongside the left
eye, coming out at the base OF the brain. OF
course had we known he was dead II Is prob
able We would never have gone for him, but
in a place like that ono doesn't stop to think
whether his comrade is wounded or not. I
didn't know whether he was dead or had
died while we were carrying him back OF
the line. 1t was all over in a minute, and
didn't amount to much, although It was
risky work while 1t lasted. I was lucky
enough to have the act seen by the officers"
Sheppard, the man who, with Ressler,
carried the man back of the line, also re-
ceived a medal similar to that worn by the
sergeant. He has been discharged from the
service and Is now in the east. The medal
itself is Of bronze, being a fve-pointed star,
one side having in relief Columbia with her
shield, thrusting Tyranny aside, and the
other bearing the Inscription: 1.-THE Congress
of the United States to Corporal Norman W.
Ressler, Company D, Seventh Infantry, for
gallantry in action at Ell Caney, Cuba, July
l, 1893" Above the star are two crossed
cannons, surmounted by an American eagle.
A broad silk ribbon of red. white and blue
connects the medal to the pin bar, on which
is engraved the recipients name.
Accompanying the medal Is a certificate
of merit stating that Sergeant Norman W.
Resslel has been given the certificate in
recognition OF his distinguished bravery in
assisting the wounded before the lines under
a heavy fire from the enemy" This certif-
cate entities the holder to an addition Of 50
to his monthly pay.
Not satisfied with his experience in the
Cuban campaign Sergeant Ressler is now in
hopes of his regiment being ordered to the
Philippines.
Rushing helplessly on a brakefess push
car down one of the steepest railroad grades
in the country at midnight Is not an ordi-
nary experience, but such was the thrilling
predlcament in which two Omaha men re-
Gently found themselves. At a speed Of a
mile a minute, the wheels making a shrill
shrek in the moonlight and death staring
them In the face at every turn. four men
were dashed down 1000 feet in seventeen
miles In an adventure they win remember
as long as they live.
A. B. Rutherford and r. P. Patterson OF
this city, II. w. Hill, superintendent OF the
& Northwestern railroad. and ].
travelling freight agent OF the
Union Pacific, rode from Mount Alto park
to Boulder, Colo, one night last week In
was probably the fastest time ever
made in that state. They were caught dur
Ing a days outing in the mountains OF the
park ard their only alternative was to take
\ push-car or camp out in the chilly noun
atmosphere until morning. They de-
10 taka thair phapcaa with thu NIGH
ear. One was gotten at the depot and a
strong piece OF 2x4 scantling was rugged to
as a brake. The start was made at mid
hight. The drop was from 10000 to 5000
and the party was entirely ignorant Of
he danger 1t was to encounter.
After tho start the speed increased until
he air stung their faces and the car quiv-
,red like a living thing. AS they were
along they discovered that their
brake would not work. The
knowledge that the car could not be con-
rolled froze their blood. They were gath
,ring speed with every revolution OF the
wheels. the car was leaping instead of run
ling smoothly and in the moonlight the
'ails glistened cruelty in a oonverged point
ar away In the darkness. Is they shot
through space. they crouched on the car.
Ringing to the edges with every muscle
strained and aching.
It seemed an eternity before the car
dashed up into the depot at Boulder, slow
ng up as a slight grade was encountered
nd crashing into a box car. Although the
light was cold and the men were wet with
respiration, half delirious and staggering
ike drunken persons they made their way
O town suffering from the reaction OF the
earful nervous tension experienced during
heir thrilling drop through space.
Herman Bellstedt, the director OF the
,ellstedt- Ballenberg band, formerly tray
led with Patrick Gilmore's famous organ
in the capacity OF cornet soloist. It {
,as Mr.. Bellstedt's task to be always on I
he lookout for something novel and new ,
omething out Of the ordinary that would
Ickle the public fancy. One day he was :
a a certain town In the east, and as he !
along he spied a bootblack stand !
nd concluded TO have a shine. :
The cornetist took his seat, and the .
rchin, as he started to shine the shoes, :
egan to whistle. Bellstedt started sud. !
emily and exclaimed: What is that you :
re whistling. my boy?" !
The lad looked up in establishment and
aid: where are you from, anyway =.
lister? That is Where Did You Get That :
II is being sung everywheres." :
The tune struck Mr.. Bellstedt's fancy :