The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-06
LATE WAR ROMANCE.
Sent to Prison For Desertion r. L
Mooney Marries Ayers Niece.


Chillicothe, Mo, June 6.-Private
Robert L. Mooney, a former member
of Company H, Fourth Missouri volun-
teers, has returned to Chillicothe, after
having varied experience since he left
Chillicothe with his company in May,
1898, to fight for Uncle Sam and Cuba.
Since that time he has served term
in a military prison and has figured as
the principal in a pretty war romance,
trlumphing over all ViciSSitudes and
winning a bride, a Virginia belle, who
is niece of Secretary of War Russell
A. Alger.
1t was through the influence of his
sweetheart that Mooney secured free
dom.
When the Fourth Missouri left Jeffer-
son Barracks at st. Louis 1t went to
Camp Alger, near Falls Church, Vir-
ginia. Camp AIger was located on
tract of land belonging to wealthy
and heir of Campbell was his handsome
daughter, Miss Anna Campbell, who
also possessed the distinction of being
the niece of Secretary Alger.
Mooney became acquainted with Miss
Campbell, and, being a young man of
much intelligence and excellent appear
ance, he made good impression on
Miss Campbell. Before the soldiers left
Camp Alger to go to Camp Meade, near
Harrisburg, Pa, and subsequently to
Camp Wetherill, near GreenVille, S. c.,
the soldier boy and the heiress had told
their love and agreed that when the
war was over they would be married.
AT Camp Wetherill matters did not
go smoothly for Mooney, and several
months before the Fourth Missouri was
mustered out he was arrested, charged
with desertion, and sentenced by a
court martial to serve one year in
prison at st. Francis Barracks, at st.
Augustine, Fla. Mooney pleaded in ex-
tenuatiOn that he had received word
that his mother was sick and needed
him badly, and that he had her upper
most in his mind when he left camp
4 clio, -Ar,I a. 80 ],
but returned to camp, ready to suffer
for his breach of discipline.
When Miss Campbell learned that
Mooney had been sent to prison she at
once began to use her influence to Sc
cure his pardon. While the Missouri
soldier lay inside the walls of the old
prison at ST. Francis Barracks his
sweetheart labored earnestly to secure
his release.
Her Iabors were effective. officers and
men, who liked Mooney, added their
efforts to hers, but it was the Virginia
girl who worked the strongest pull
and who is held to be almost entirely
responsible for a pardon which Presi-
dent Mckinley issued to Mooney a
short time ago. The pardon brought
not only freedom for Mooney, but re-
stored him to full citizenship
Immediately upon his release Mooney
went to Falls Church and he and Miss
Campbell We're married without any
loss of time.
Mooney did not bring his wife to Chill
licOthe. She is visiting his parents near
Milan.
Il believe that it was almost entirely
through my wife's influence that 1 was
released he said. "She worked con-
stantly and never gave up hope until
L had been pardOned.
Il was in wretched health when I
was sent to prison, and I regard my
sentence as an outrage under the cir
cumstances. In reviewing the report of
the examining surgeon and the manner
of my conviction, Adjutant General
Corbin severely censured the command
ing captain and colonel"
Mooney is suffering visibly from lung
trouble and he and his wife think of
summering in the mountainous part of
wyoming.