Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-07-12

a
tie containing poison was found in one
Of his coat pockets.
Lieutenant Pague was formally dis
missed from the army Jan. 2, 1896, in
conformity with the order of the presi-
den. approving the findings of the
court-martial before which he was
tried. Oct. 8, 1895, Samuel F. Pague of
Company F. Fifteenth infantry, then
stationed at Fort Sheridan, shot at
Colonel Crofton three times. Two bull
lets pierced the colonel's overcoat and
the other went wild.
Pague Had Been Drinking.
The evening before his assault upon
Colonel Croften he appeared on parade
and was under the influence of liquor.
He was extensively courteous to the
colonel. and even went so far as to Of
fer him cigar while he was reviewing
the parade. Colonel Crofton ordered
Lieutenant Pague removed to the hos
pital. where he gave orders to have
him confined indefinitely. In some
way Pague escaped about O'Clock the
next afternoon and went direct to his
home He entered the house and found
L
According to Colonel Crofton's state
ment, he had heard of Pague's escape
and had walked over to his quarters
to learn If he had gone there. He was
asked into the parlor by Mrs. Pague.
and there 1t was that the lieutenant
found him few minutes later Colonel
Crofton told the lieutenant he would
have to return to the hospital under
xfyho
1 and, aiming 1t at the colonel, pulled
the trigger. There was the look of a
wild man in Pague's eyes, said Colonel
Crofton afterward.
| Rushed Upon His Assailant.
| The weapon missed fire and the COL
onel rushed at Pague and pinioned his
arms, while he wrested the revolver
from the subaltern. The gray-haired
commander left the house with the
weapon, intending TIC summon the Of
f1cer of the day and the guard to place
Pague under arrest Mrs. Pague tried
to quiet her husband. but he managed
to get another revolver from some un-
known source and reached the porch
of his quarters as Colonel Crofton
reached the sidewalk. He raised the
revolver and fired at the aged COM
mander three times. Mrs. Pague was
behind the lieutenant and gave a cry
of warning to the colonel, but did not
reach her husband until he had shot
twice, and then struck down the arm
supporting the revolver. Two of the
shots passed through the overcoat of
the colonel, while the third buried It,
self in the ground at his feet. Before
Pague could fire again Colonel Croft
ton. who never lost his cool-headed-
ness. was upon his assailant, and other
officers came to his aid.
Dismissed from Service.
Lieutenant Pague was placed under
arrest and ordered confined to the
guardhouse in solitary cell. That
night Post Surgeon Girard examined
the prisoner and pronounced him VIC
lently insane and ordered him sent tt
the hospital. A court-martial was or.
dered by the department commander
and the result was that Pague wal
found guilty of assaulting superior
and was ordered dismissed from the
service. This finding was approved b,
the president and Jan. 2, 1896, he wa.
formally dismissed from the army
Meantime, Mrs. Pague went east ant
procured divorce from her husband
He followed her east. but failed to eff
feet a reconciliation and subsequently
returned to Chicago. where he has In
dulged in liquor to excess
Was IL son of OHIO.
Pague was born in Ohio and received
his appointed to the military academ,
at West Point from that state. HI
graduated June Is, 1876 and entered
the actual service as second lieuten
ant. He was connected with the Eff
teenth infantry for number of year.
and had been stationed at posts al
over the west. When the regiment wa,
consolidated mt Fort Sheridan he wa.
attached to Company + as first lieu
teant. Previous to the shooting Pagu,
had displayed no luminosity toward hi.
colonel, and. in fact. he had referred tt
him on several occasions as his bes
friend