Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-03-06
H[ Is NOW A SOLDIER
Former Reform School Boy, Frank
Mooney, Now in the Philip
pine Islands.
Writes a Letter to Postmaster John
Q. Saint, Whom He Met on
a Train.
Takes Occasion to Compliment Prof
Fitzgerald, His Former Musical
Instructor.

Postmaster John @. Saint is IN re-
ceipt of a letter from young friend
a railway car acquaintance whom ne
met on an Iowa Central train hast Oc-
tober The friend is none other than a
former member of the reform school at
I:ldora, named Frank Mooney. Young
Mooney. with several q his compan-
ions. was given his tinie a the state
reformatary providing he would enlist
in the service of Uncie sam IN the
Philippines. This Mooney agreed 70 do
and at present ne ranks as 4 sesgeari
and is With the Thirty ninth Infantry
band
Mooney and his companions were ~
the train on the night Nj Saint met
them. and a the latter IS always ready
10 say a kind word wngl lle Thinks il
deserving III spoke TO t!le b$,.s az a fa-
ther. The lads were jus; arting for
Fort Crooks, Neb.. and sSegs ID the city
between trains. The pestfnsss 81 took
occasion 10 buy the buys -sii,per IA; a
depot restaurant, anG MaGaey pra.n-.
ised To write him and let iliin ktuw
how he had Jared. II did not forget
his promise and under date. jar 20
at Santa Thomas. Bahamas proVince
writes him very Interesting letter
Mooney was for three Or fear years
a member Of he juvenls bard at Ell
dora. and in speaking of his present pc
sition says:
Il am indebted to Professor +. p.
Fitzgerald for my present position as
principal musician in this hanti ard
many young men holdiug Responsible
and respectable positions today can
say the same.
ON Oct. II, when tho recruiting of
| ticer Lieut.. orion asked nj to SWEAR
allegiance 10 Gncle sam, and did 50.
my army life, new and Interesting, be-
gan.
ION the 10Th we We're busted 10 Fort
Crooks and from there were hustled
into barracks at Vancouver, Wash.
where we remained few weeks To
tdrill and otherwise prepare tor duty in
the Philippines. The day arrived az
last and as the two Gnitee States army
transports crossed the bar and the lads
of liberty took their fartwell Of tie
Land they loved il s5iread the feelings
lof Us all. for If course some tpek their
| last look. OF the Journey / have noth-
ling 70 say. for the papers have tlonss
plenty in hat Lire. Suffice it to say we
cast anchor In Manila bay on Dec. {.
I without losing a man al sea Barring
! the bareback and bacon the journey
4 was an excellent Gsse We remained
4 in Manila for a few lays and We're tlief
\ packed into casooes and towed up tbs
! fasig @ Calamba, small town stu
ated on Laguna q Bay The gog 81
/ We're all around u.s. and Ceh isQl3aril
! not being pleased With that fact oon-
scluded to give his boys some sixsicise.
50 on the morning ~ Jan. j , 500, I yotl
had been here yen would have seen i
< battalion Of the Thirty-nintii moving
quietly out OF the town to have a little
fln. The boys Weie in charge ii Mai
! Parker, and after = small scrap the
sg9sos vamoosed, and left Benaag IL
our possession, ard farther on santa
Rosa and other sniail places. All santo
Tomas the insufg ats held us pretty
We'll, bur they eant stand tai .smeri-
ear fire. 50 we have 1t nowqan5l intend
a town farther wst, lately captured.
/ the enemy is pttty thick. and we
cant venture out the guard Without
4 being pecked. jus two days ago they
4 captured a train p provisions en- route
1 70 Lipa and Two i9ar fellows from tbs
1 Thirtieth Infantry az guard, haipenine
70 get separated fram the rest. we're
shot Thea dead bodies stripped ana
/ chopped terribly with bolos ga lasss
knife resembling he Cuban liiaoilste
We're left lying b he road The pa pers
can talk and rilsN all day. but / say
the Americans at,e TOO easy on this
I nalf-savase race and il you eeult
have seen those Wo poor lads yoa
/ would feel like Ki!ling every one You
could, Anyway This can't last long
for they viii haze 10 call quits wiei
they find out tina We Will compel them
Ito. One thing thes fear is tbs aftilie,N.
4 and it would amnse You to see ther
vamoose after shell strikes in ths
vicinity
Well must be going now. FOR il
/ will soon be mess time, so asking yo,
siS5s nis hli4s gssards Is Mr. afsg
Mrs. Miles and Fitzgerald am you
friend,
sERGT FRANK MOONEY.
Thirty ninth Infantry Bard, Ma
/ Mia, p. l.