The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-11
TERRoRIzED BY SOLDIERS.
Abolition of the Canteen Blamed for
the Chicago Riot.

! CHICAGO. March iO.-Army officers
| here declare that the adjustment of the
canteen at military posts is responsible
| for the disorderly acts of soldiers from
| Fort Sheridan in the saloons of High
wood. a fashionable Chicago suburb,
| where drunken soldiers from Fort Sheri-
dan. one mile distant, have demolished
| several saloons. fired shots at inoffensive
| citizens, and so terrorized the vicinity
| that all day Friday. until two companies
of regulars had been sent from the fort
to patrol the town, arrest the culprits.
| and preserve order, women were unable to
venture on the streets for fear of insult.
Since the canteen at the army post was
dispensed with dozen saloons have been
| opened at Highwood. and attractions
nave been provided by the propriotors to
induce soldiers to visit their places. Cen
eral Otis, commander of the Lti,.-t ment
OF the Lakes. said yesterday:
While / have received no official re-
port of the trouble at 'Higi.wood, / am
led to believe from the statements
made by the officers at the post that
things are lively up there. Fights and
brawls are likely to occur when soldiers
leave the reservation and drink a lot OF
vile whisky. Take a lot OF your citizens
and pen them up as soldiers are and see
what they would do. There are large
number of men at Fort Sheridan, just
now, including about 40 new recruits for
the Tweuty-ninth Infantry Regiment,
which is being organized. New men may
be relied upon to help debauchery along.
Il was strongly opposed to the army
canteen when 1t was first proposed, but
the War Department issued orders 10 es-
tablish them, and the drinking places
We're opened l was one of the officers
detailed to study the operation of the
canteen and note the effect on the men.
From the investigation L found the can
teen worked so much better than i ex-
pected 1t would that | was compelled to
endorse ii. Under that system the profits
of the canteen went to buy delicacies for
the mems table so that they got the full
benefit of all that was spent for beer on
the reservation. Now the men spend
more money than before and the prohts
go to the owners of private gin mills.
Although General Otis has issued no
official orders on the subject. the COM
mander at Fort Sheridan will endeavor
to arrest the men responsible Tor the
trouble at Highwood and have them tried
before a court-martial. The great diff
Guilty in prosecuting soldiers in cases OF
this kind is, as rule, the saloonkeepers
refuse to testify for fear of losing the
favor of their patrons. Nearly every sol
der at the fort has spent all the money
he drew last Wednesday, and no further
trouble is expected in Highwood before
next month, when the paymaster makes
another visit. There was scrimmage in
one of the saloons last night, and 1t
looked for a few minutes as IL the place
would be as thoroughly wrecked as If
Mrs. Nation had visited it, When front
window was broken the soldiers departed.
Fortunately for the citizens of High
wood the soldiers cannot all leave the
fort at the same time. AS result or
this il takes the men about three days
to distribute most of the money left by
the paymaster. During these days drunken
men are as numerous on the streets as
sober ones.
Friday night four of the recruits at
tempted to force a bartender to serve
them hot whisky under the threat that
they would put the place out of busi-
ness if refused The barkeeper drew a
revolver and the recruits vanished.