The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-04
.ROSEfROM RANKS
Clad Hamilton Will Return as
Captain of Co. A.
To Be In Command of His Home
Company.
NO PLACE AS PRIVATE
First Refused Enlistment In
the HumbIest Capacity.
Trials In the Life of an Ambi-
ti0us Young Nan.
NO PLACE AS PRIVATE


many friends when he arrives home
from the Philippines with his regiment
Hamilton is a popular man and relln-
pushed a lucrative position in the law
office of GIeed, Ware & Gleed, to join
the volunteer army.
Captain Hamilton was anxious to go
to the front and organized a company
in this city, which like two or three
others organized by patriotic and viii
Hng-to-fght citizens, was not accepted
for the service by Governor Leedy.
Hamilton was nonplussed as the de-
lay caused by Governor Leedy's atti-
tude found the companies filled. There
was doubt in the minds of the COM
handing officers as to their ability to
enlist Hamilton in the Twentieth and
permission was asked in long teIe-
gram to the secretary of war This
MESA ge was forwarded on the morning
of the day the regiment expected to
start to the coast The time for the
departure of the train came and no an
swer- Hamilton was pacing the side
walks in his excitement. He wandered
over to the Union Pacific depot carry
ing what clothes he wore as though
they were a burden. He wanted to get
into the army blue.
AS last resort Hamilton got on the
train and went to San Francisco. He
journeyed with the Twentieth as cit
izen and landed in San Francisco a cit
izen. He soon enlisted as private and
by his proficiency in those discourag1nS
days of the TWentieth's history was
made a sergeant. Additional promo
lions followed and he was made second
lieutenant by Governor Leedy. The
Oregon troops departed for Manila be-
fore the recruiting officers had filed the
quota for that regiment The recruits
came and Hamilton was assigned. on
detached duty, to drill them. Later he
rejoined his own regiment and since ar
irving at Manila has advanced through
two grades. He was commissioned as a
first lieutenant and later sent to a
captaincy on the field.
The war department officials who
have been informed concerning HaTnil-
ton say that he viii come home in COM
mand of the Topeka company which is
in the Twentieth. So it is that Hamil-
ton, who left Topeka as a camp follow
er comes home in command of his home
company
Hamilton is a Howard. Kan, boy.
Years ago he sat patiently on a high
stool and picked out the type which
made up the reading matter of the
Howard COurant. He was the leader of
the town band and was one of the crack
cornet players in southern Kansas. His
fame was limited as he was a home
man and did not CAD about over the
country. Later he went to Emporia.
Setting type and playing his cornet in
the orchestra which furnished the
music for the society dances he man
aged to get enough money to keep the
wolf out of the house
7 have heard the animal bowling in
the yard said Hamilton often, but he
can't get in yet awhile
During this time Hamilton formed the
acquaintance of a young man working
as a reporter on the Emporia Gazette
which was at the time a POpuliSt pa
per. BY the aid Of his friend, Hamilton
was established as a feature of the pay
roll. his place being at a type case in
a dingy back room upstairs. The need
of help in the business Office was re-
sponsi Bile for a call upon Hamilton. He
was apt behind the counter and pleased
his employer but wanted outside work.
BY some scheming Hamilton was put
on the street in the place of the re-
porter who had befriended him and the
predecessor in chasing local items was
established in the Office. Hamilton sue
ceeded. He was a student and when
not engaged in his official duties read
law books. He saved his money and
continued to play in the orchestra. At
ter two years Hamilton resigned with
out notice. He packed his trunk, his
possessions having outgrown the red
bandana which he once used and start
ed west. The opportunities of his
friends could not deter him from his
purpose. without thinking of his uItf-
mate destination Hamilton got on a
Santa F'e train headed west. He did
not stop until he landed at Pueblo.
Then he looked for a job. He expected
to take his old place at setting type
but there was in him an ambition to
continue news work. He spent a half
Morning
Chieftain Office and asked for work To
his utter amazement the managing ed
itor said:
Go to work at o'clock this even
ingS'
Hamilton stayed in that office two
years saving sufficient money to return
to Kansas. He visited his old friends
few days then went to the state uni
versity and completed the law course.
Thereafter he was established in GIeed,
Ware & Gleed'S Office.
An incident in Hamilton's newspaper
life is worth recalling here. Soon after
he was installed as chief local chaser
on the Ernporia Gazette one of the old
est citizens, in a drunken frenzy. went
out to his barn and with the aid of
string fired the charges in a double
barrelled shotgun into his breast 1t
was a terrible wound and Hamilton IN
abe discharge of his duty went to view
the scene. He looked at the suicide and
turned deathly pale. He waited to Sc
cure no further facts and hastily re-
turned to the Office. He was a sick man
and no mistake. He sought his friend
who Immediately procured whisky and
quinine.
Take this Clad said his friend, rails
ing the sick mans head from the table
on which he was lying with an over
coat for a pillow.
What is. it ?'' he gasped
Whisky and quinine."
''That'n kill me. never tasted
whisky in my life.T
OLneF sIlmulanCS were procured from
q nearby drug store and the young man
was soon restored. He plucked up his
courage and returned to the scene Of
the suicide and secured the facts with
which to write the news for his paper
Another time Hamilton got into trou-
bic with a police court character, be
cause he had assumed the liberty of
publishing what was g public record.
The offended bully came to the Office to
thrash the reporter. Hamilton was
busy at the time but gave the ruffian
his attention upon hearing the storm of
oaths which that worthy was exploding
nNar. the haaas CO She manila n Tia q