The record-union., 1899-11-04
ROMANCE OF 4 FRENCHMAN.
THE INTERESTING STORY OF
YOUNG SABATTE.
Onoe q Fighter In the American
Army in Cuba and at Manila,
Now in the City Jail.

The young intelligent Frenchman,
John D. Sabatte, under arrest for petit
larceny, yesterday pleaded guilty before
City Justice Anderson. The man was
clearly sick and stood shaking with
chill violently and weeping in the dock.
The court remanded him and will con-
slider his sentence.
Examination OF the effects and pa
pers of Sabatte show that that is his
true name: that under a false name,
because he was a French refugee he
enlisted in the Seventy first New York
Volunteers and fought at Ell Caney on
San Juan Hill and in front of Santia-
go, and was wounded in the leg. Let,
ters in large number from friends and
comrades tend to prove that he was
long sick in Bellevue Hospital, New
York, after the return from Cuba: that
on recovery he enlisted as a casual and
was sent to San Francisco.
He says that he was sent to the Phil
ippines, where he was attached to the
Tenth Pennsylvania detached for cler
ical putty at headquarters in Manila,
and returned with the Pennsylvanians
to San Francisco; that he tried to re-
enlist as a casual but was rejected on
account of defective teeth; that to pre-
fer a claim for acceptance because Of
Cuban service he sent his Philippine
and the original of his Cuban discharge
to Washington
An army discharge-which is dupli-
cate-gives him a good character for
service in Cuba and describes him ac-
oil 1af+ ~ IL
we'll of him, and he evidently made
many friends in the East Some of
these letters bear out the main portions
of his story about service in Cuba, and
sustain the recitals of the discharge
paper.
Romance is added to his tale by his
recital that because of his desertion
from the French service, his father
committed suicide: that his mother
and sister came over to the United
States to find him, but as he
was in Cuba they sailed for
France on the Inflated Bour-
gogne and were drowned The ship was
lost the first week in July, 1898.
q" In the list Of passengers lost as teie-
graphed, appears the names of Mrs.
Sabordes and child Sabordes" among
first and second cabin passengers, but
no third cabin list was published.
Sabette says that on his return from
Cuba and his discharge from Bellevue
Hospital he was prevailed upon by the
FRENCH Consul to return to France and
take up his fathers business. and he
was so sent back by the Consul On
arrival he was arrested and put into
irons for desertion and criticism of
military court. But after twelve days
the American Consul secured his dis
charge because he had served in Cuba
III the american army, for that the
Consui being given the privilege of
taking him.
he mad, however, to leave the coun-
Try, and came back to America where
ne enlisted as casual, was sent to
san francisco last December and in
January was forwarded to Manila. re-
turning as stated with the Pennsyl.
vanians
In his papers is a large photogra oh
OF the Seventy-first New York Reei-
ment IN line, and on its back are num-
oeIs indicating the officers and Sabatte
on the extreme flank among the
scouts" While oyerhauline these na.
pers Sabatte wept like child and Sob
bed as if his heart was broken. He
pointed with pride to the duplicate of
ms cuban discharge which gives him
hlgh character, and to letter indorsine
MIN freely. He explained that the dis
enarse Is not IN his name, and his ma
tlvlty is given as Cuban because ne
oouiu not be. enlisted under his true
name or nationality He admits telling
CT
'iial De was frequently misunderstood.
III Is a fact, however that he lied re-
peatedIy about having employment here
ana there But it is said in his behalf
that poor devil sick and penniless
might we'll enough spin yarn to get
Ioothold But only one skilled as a IA
kir would hardly tell such foolish false
moods, those so easy to be found out
inquiry will be made in San Francis
co to-day to ascertain if his story is
true regarding his having been in the
fhilippines. There are letters Though
IN his grip written from friends in the
East showing that he came to San
FRANCISCO to go to the islands as SOL
der
Justice Anderson says he will satis-
fy himself as we'll as he can abou, the
youth, and if he finds his military sto-
ries are reasonably true he will deal
leniently with him. He has also been
requested to do so in writing by the
owner of the wheel Sabatte stole, who
said to the court that If he is satisfied
the mans story is substantially true,
he would wish one who has fought
well for the flag of the country to be
forgiven much. even to Withholding of
a commitment, and if there is no pre-
vious record of crime it would not be
an injustice to permit the unhappy
man to withdraw his plea of guilty.
Mr.. Huntington's Disclaimer.