Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-07-12

that Pague committed suicide, as bot
Gle 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-
dent approving the findings of the
eourt-martial before which he was
tried. Oct. 3, 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 coloners 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 a 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
next afternoon and went direct to his
home. He entered the house and found
Colonel Crofton talking to Mrs. Pague.
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
arrest, when Pague drew a revolver
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 to summon the Of
ficer 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 vio-
lently insane and ordered him sent to
the hospital. A court-martial was or
dered by the department commander
and the result was that Pague was
found guilty of assaulting a superior
and was ordered dismissed from the
service. This finding was approved by
the president and Jan. 2, 1896, he was
uiouiooCu iIOh thC al lily.
Meantime, Mrs. Pague went east and
procured a 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 n Son of OHIO.
Pague was born in Ohio and received
his appointed to the military academy
at West Point from that state. He
graduated June Is, 1876, and entered
the actual service as a second lieuten-
ant. He was connected with the Fiji
teenth infantry for number of years
and had been stationed at posts all
over the west. When the regiment was
consolidated at Fort Sheridan he was
attached TO Company F as first lieu
teant. Previous to the shooting Pague
had displayed no animosity toward his
colonel, and, in fact. he had referred to
him on several occasions as his best
friend