The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-11
MACON MERCHANTS ROBBED.
SECOND OHIO SOLDIERS LOOT
WAGONS AND STORES.

Colonel of the Regiment Seems to
Have sanctioned the Course of the
Men-oIHcers and Men Sign "a state
Inent DeprecatiDg the OutraSes.
Retaliation for the Colonel of the
Regiment May BE Made on the
Governor of Ohio.
Macon, Ga, Feb. 10.-The merchants
and business men of Mscon are highly
indignant tonight over the atrocious rob
berries committed by the members of the
Second Ohio Regiment to-day as they were
being mustered out of the service of the
United States.
A large number of the merchants sent
wagons loaded with merchandise out to
the camp to sell to the discharges SOL
diers The colonel ordered them to leave
the camp. They refused to do so and the
goods were forcibly carried away by the
men.
The robberies committed by the men
did not end here, but they came to the
city and while under the influence of
whisky went into several stores and walk
ed out with goods right in the face of the
amazed merchants. Several Of them were
arrested and after turning over the goods
were released. They also went 10 houses
of in repute and committed all kinds of
depre dations, one of the charges against
one of them being rape.
Condemned by Officers.
This conduct was moi general with the
members of the regiment and is deeply de-
plored by a large number of the better
class of the men. A number of officers of
the regiment signed the following written
statement:
The officers and men of the Second
Ohio, with the exception of the colonel,
j. A. Keurt, feel very much chagrined at
the outrage perpetrated this morning up
on several of your merchants al the camp
ground. They were there as free Ameri-
can citizens, selling their goods and deliv
ering them to men, who had previously
engaged them. The colonel ordered them
out of the grounds and threatened TO turn
the boys loose on their wares, if they did
not go. This was practically telling the
men to go ahead and rob the merchants,
and was an outrage by which a majority
of the men are very much Inundated"
The statement is signed by Capt. r. D.
Smith. Lieut. c. C. Rutledge Lieut.. J. f.
Henkle, e. e. Sykes, w. H. Wilson, Maj.
Worthington Kaufman, John Corey, Maj.
Campbell,
This statement was prepared hurriedly
Just before the train started, otherwise
many more signatures would have been
added.
Seems to Have Been Habit.
When the regiment came to Macon a
number of the men looted stores along
the way. and were furious when the local
papers took the matter up The regiment
left the city in disgrace, and a number
of those who were not included in the
riotous set stayed behind because they
were ashamed of the conduct of their
comrades Three of the men are held at
police headquarters now.
The loss to the Macon merchants will
amount to considerable. One merchant
had to close his store, so heavy was his
loss, and he says that he is ruined for
ever He was even robbed of his over
coat. and his negro driver, who had on a
pair of gold-rimmed speetacles, was re-
lieved of them.
requisition will probably be made on
the Governor of Ohio for the return of
Col. Keurt to this state for prosecution
for aiding and abetting robbers.
Denies Responsibility.
Col Keurt of the Second Ohio Regiment
was waited on before he left to-day by
one of the merchants, and he said that he
was not responsible for the conduct of the
men, as they were no longer under his
command, and he had nothing 10 do with
them,