The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-24
HL0BE'S MINNEAPOLIS OFFICE,
~ 20 WASHINGTON AH SOUTH.

EX-CoropraI John w Hayes, or Haze,
as he sometimes wrote his name, a menu
Der of Company ID. First California vol
urteers. who was shot dead in a slirmish
with the insurgents outside of Manila
March II, while firing upon his former
comrades, is believed TO have been a
former resident of Minneapolis. The de-
scription of the deSerter tallies in every
respect with that of the man who became
very will known in certain quarters dur
ing the years that he spent in this city
between 1892 and 1895.
Hayes was. in the common acceptance
OF the term soldier OF fortune. He had
led d very checkered career, acknowl-
edged no country his native land, and
in his time had fought under at least
three different flags, and apears to have
been a professional: deserter He drifted
into Minneapolis with the nondescripts
who came here during the Republican ma
tiona convention, and, like many others
who led as aimless an existence as he did,
decided to remain while. -,, -
He resided most of the time during his
residence here in a house on Fourth
street. between Second and Third ave-
nueS south, and, so far can be learned,
put in the greater part of his time at
neighboring saloons. He appeared to
have no. visible means of livelihood, and
apparently belonged to that class of men
who are said to live by their wits. He
was of rather pleasing address. a good
talher, and had a wonderful faculty of
scraping acquaintance.
If there was any one thing that Hayes
liked to talk about it was of his own ex-
perienCeS. and it was in his frequent Off
hand recitals that his acquaintance
gradually learned the story of his life
1t seems that he was an Englishman
by birth. and being, as has been said.
Of an adventursome turn, he natu-
rally enough joined the army when he
was old. enough to shoulder a musket.
From the army he drifted into her mai
esty's navy AS a jacky he saw service
In many climes and participated in naval
engagements. He helped keep a gun
hot on board a British man of war at
, the stormipg of Alexandria and could
give very graphic account of that af-
fair.
Hayes finally tired of the navy. and.
awaiting a favorable opportunity, as he
had no hesitancy about admitting, de-
serted and shipped before the mast on a
merchantmen. which landed him in the
United States. He had not been in this
country long before he again decided to
become a soldier and enlisted in the reg
ulaF army. A year or two of army life
in times of peace was enough for Hayes,
and. as he had no means Of obtaining
discharge, with long term of service
still ahead of him, there was nothing to
do but desert. So he again took French
leave, and from that time until he came
to this city constantly busted himself in
avoiding arrest.
He was once captured at Denver by
United states officers on the watch for
deSerters but managed in some way to
elGde them. Fearful that he would
again get in the clutches Of the author
tiles. Hayes concluded to make a stand
ard get out of the scrape. He became
quite active in politics In the campaign
of 1882, and in that way obtained the
support of friends who used their in
fuenee to square him with the authori-
ties. They introduced. him to Attorney
d b. johnson and circulated a petition
asking the president to pardon him. The
attorney interested Senator Washburn,
who secured for him a discharge