Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-02-02
Once a spartan-Now a Bum.


was q hero, q gallant defender of the
country he loved and when his beloved
republic called for his services, he vol
unfairly offered to sacrifice his life, in
Its defense. Then he and his kind re-
ceived the laudations and verbal en-
couragement of the general public,
nothing was too good for him and he
was 9 man among men. But nuw as
the song goes "Things have changed
since those times" The gallant de-
tenders, as the head line writers we're
wont to destine them have returned
home, from wars, have hung up their
csrbines and have endesvored to re-
sumo their peaceful occupations, but
true to the fickleness of governments
he is no longer hero, but, instead he is
figured as an outcast, repealed whenev-
or OF wherever he seeks to find en-
ployment.
This morning few minutes before
2 o'clock as John Losier, member of
The day car inspecting force was s'look-
ing over" string of freight cars in
the Northwestern yards, directly OPP
posite the depot in this city, he stumb-
led onto the PROSTATE remains of Pri-
vate Mutt lying about six inches
from the Northwestern's main line,
over which trains were passing every
few minutes. The llfeless form was
clad in the faded blue suit and over
coat, ecumenlcaly worn by soldiers in
the United States army. Thinking
the man dead, Losier summoned q
freight crew from caboose nearby
and, after placing the man on .
stretcher he was carried into the bag
gage room. Here he was placed near
the stove and after being worked over
short time the man partially recover
cd his reason, and, upon the arrival of
DR.. Colt, who had been summoned, he
attempted to tell who he was, but, for
fifteen or twenty minutes his words
we're spoken in such an lncoherent
manner he was unable to make him
self understood. But after the DR..
had worked and manipulated him for
q short time he recovered his faculties,
then he related his experience which
to say the least, would not enable one
to see any advantages to be derived
fighting malaria microbes and Span
iards in the gallant defense of q CRATE
full country.
When the call for volunteers was is
sued last May he entered the service of
the government at q recruiting station
in Portage. Wis.,, ON the eleventh day
of that month. His company, the 3rd
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, under
Colornel Moore, was sent directly to
Porto Rico, where they we're to pre-
form garrison duty, eat embalmed
beef and fight malaria. After about
four months service in Porto Rico, his
company was returned to the United
States and mustered out at the point
of their enlistment, on the 18th day of
January '99. He received at the time
of his discharge the sum Of sixty dol
lars, the greater portion of which he
Immediately sent to his wife in Kansas
City, Keeping for himself barely
enough money to purchase the absolute
necessities. In company with several
of his comrades he found his way to
Chicago. where he was cared for by the
army and navy league of that city.
After q few. days rest he started for
Kansas City, once there to attempt
to make new start in life. He spent
what little money he had left for
ticket which would carry him over
portion Of his long journey. When he
reached the station his ticket called for
he left the passenger coach and then
had to shift for himself. being without
money, food or friends. He started
west beating his way on freight trains:
For the last nifty miles he rode in an
empty box car on train No. 90, which
arrived here at 4:3O this morning. Dur
ing the trip he suffered terribly from
the bitter cold, but soldier, that he was
he continued unfiinchingly on his jour
ney. In an interview this morning he
stated that he remembered everything