Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-11-06


now, and wanted to continue the
conversation. Ill.,. - -. e. = 49,
"Sure he amt in the cavalry ?"
| asked the same man. ~: =.
"Cocksure!" was the blunt reply.
What's it to you, anyhow
"Oh, nothin';, thoug ht I'd seen him
before. Know his name?"
"Name's Benton, far as I know.
Come on, Hunter" said Clarke, OBJ
vlously unwilling to stay longer in
such society, and little more was
thought of it for the time being; but
now the provost-marshals assistant
wished further particulars. Was
there )anything unusual about the
questioner's teeth? And hundred
men looked up in surprise and sud-
denly rearoused interest.
eyes, SIR" said Clarke, zone tooth
was missing, upper jaw, next the big
eye-tooth," and as the witness stood
down the general and the question
ing officer beamed on each other and
smiled.
An adjournment was necessitated
during the early afternoon. Lieut..
Rays statement was desired, also
that of Private Connolly, of the ar
tillery, and an effort had been made
through the officers Of the, cavalry
at Pace to find some of the recruits
who were of the detachment now
quite frequently referred to in that
command as '*the singed cats" But
it TRANSFERRED that most of them had
been assigned to troops of their regi-
ment not yet sent to Manila, only
half the regiment being on duty
foot duty at that-in the Philippines.
The only man among them who had
Travelled with Foster from Denver as
far as Sacramento was the young re-
cruit, Mellen. He was on outpost,
but would be relieved and sent to
Ermita as quickly as possible.
Connolly, said the surgeon at the
Quartet de Meysic, was too i'll to be,
sent thither, unless on a matter Of
vital Importance, and Sandy Ray,
Fastening from Maidie's bedside in
response to summons, was met by
the tidings that a recess had been
ordered, and that he would be sent
for again when needed.
It was after three that witnesses
of consequence came up for examina-
ton. DR.. Brick had got the floor and
was pleading for post-mortem at
once. In this climate and under such
conditions decomposition would be
so rapid, said he, that ''by tomorrow
his own mother couldn't recognize
him." But the provost-marshal
drawled that he didn't see that fur
Their mutilation would promote the
possibility of recognition, and Brick
was set aside.
It was quarter to four when
young Mellen was hidden to tell
whether he knew, and what he knew
of, the deceased, and all men hushed
their very breath as the lad was
| conducted to the blanket-shrouded
form under the overhanging gallery
in the open patio. The hospital
steward slowly turned down the
coverlet, and Mellen, well-nigh as
pallid as the corpse, was hidden to
look. Look he did, long and earnest
! ly. The little weights that some one
had placed on the eyelids were lifted;
the soft hair had been neatly
brushed; the lips were gently closed;
the delicate, clear-cut features wore
an. expression of infinite peace and
rest; and Mellen slowly turned and,
facing the official group at the neigh
boring table, nodded.
"You think you recognize the de-
ceased" came the question. IF so,
what was his name?"
II think so, yes, sir. It's Foster
at least, that's what I heard it was"
Had you ever known him?-to
speak to?'
''He was in the same detachment
on the train. Don't know as I ever
spoke to him, SIR was the answer.
''But you think you know him 10y
sight? Where did you first notice
him?''
'Think it was Ogden, sir. didn't
pay much attention before that. \
man called Murray knew him and got
some money from him. That's how !
came to notice him. The rest of Us
hadn't any to speak off,
ever see him again to speak to
or to notice particularly after you
left Ogden? Did he sit near your
was the somewhat caustic query.
mo, sir, only just that once.''
"But you are sure this is the man
you saw at Ogden?"
Mellen turned uneasily, unhappily
and looked, again into the still and
placid face. That meeting was on 9
glaring day in June. This was a
clouded afternoon in late October ant
nearly five months had slipped away
Yet he had heard the solemn story
of the murder and had never, up t.
now, imagined there could be ;
doubt. In mute patience the sleep
ing face seemed appealing to him tt
speak for it, to own it, to stand be-
tween it and the possibility of it's be
ing buried friendless, unrecognized
Visits him or his twin brother
SIR" said Mellen.
zone question more. Had 70,
heard before you came here who wa:
killed?'
eyes, sir. They said it was Foster.
And now, with pencils swiftly ply
ing, several young civilians were edg
ing to the door. =,
James Farnham was called, and :
sturdy young man, with keen, wealth
er-beaten face, stepped into the little
open space before the table. Three
fingers were gone from the hand hi
| IN stinc{ivn1v hold IN &c, +hourh nv