The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-10-04
STARTLING, II TRUB
GhOuls Reported to Have At
tackled Mckinley's Tomb.
Sentry Soldier of the FOurteenth
Regiment Ayers He Was
Set Upon.

| tHO NduIU HIeu d SuOU at man who re
fused to heed his challenge; that the
shot was diverted by another man who
appeared from another direction. BAND
that an effort was made to stab the
guard. Military regulations prevent
either the officers or men of the post
from being quoted on any matter con
nected with their service, and for this
reason Captain Biddle, who is in com.
mand, was obliged to decline to be
quoted at the camp tonight. He will
make full report to his superiors at
once. Reliable authorities make the
| following statement:
Private Debrend was on guard duty
on top OF the vault at point command
ing the entrance below and the approach
from the rear. Shortly before Z O'Clock
he saw what he took to be a mans face.
peering from behind tree about 40 feet
from mis- post. He watched it for 30
minutes, he says. and at 7:45 he saw the
man hurry to tree 10 feet nearer. He
challenged the man to halt, but this was
not needed and the fellow approached
nearer. Deprend leveled his gun and
aimed to shoot for effect, but Just at
that instant another man who came to-
wards him from the opposite side, caught
the gun, threw it up and the bullet was
spent in the air. This same man struck
Deprend on the right side of the abdo-
men with knife or other sharp weapon,
cutting an l. shaped cash in his over
coat an inch and half long each way
and smaller one in his blouse. The
flesh was not broken, but was bruised
under the clothes. Deprend in the
struggle rolled down the side of the
vault. Lieutenant Ashbridge, officer of
the day, was in front of the vault and
rushed to the top on hearing the shot,
but the men made good their escape.
Ali members OF the company on hearing
the shot hurried to the vault and be-
sides searching the cemetery the guard
was increased
Deprend is a recruit enlisted in New
York four months ago. He is said to be
an excellent soldier and to have a fine
record with his officers. He saws the
man who attacked him was masked. but
that the first one he saw was not mask
ed. He says the latter carried a white
package in his right hand and some
thing that glittered in his left.
Since the incident stories have been
told in camp of some iDcendiary con-
versatlOns overheard in the crowds that
have visited the cemetery, including one
today, alleging that some stranger said
Lots of people would like to see this
whole thing blown up"
There are 20 soldiers at the cemetery,
70 OF whom are constantly on guard at
the vault
The Second Report.
Canton, O., Sept. 3O.-The officers and
men of Company e, Fourteenth U. S. in
fantry, on duty at Westlawn cemetery
guarding the resting place of President
Mckinley, worked diligently today in
vestigating the strange story in which
Private Deprend, who was on duty at
the top OF the vault Sunday night,
figured SO prominently. The military
regulations which prevent the officers
and men from making detailed state
ments concerning last night were as
rigidly observed today. The repre-
sentative of the Associated Press saw all
of the commanding officers, several non
commissioned officers and a number of
privates and CLEANED the following:
All the commanding officers and the
members of the company in general last
night accepted fully the story related by
Private Deprend, and really believed the
prOwlers were about the vault with no
good purpose. Today only one of the
commanding officers adhered to the be-
lief that an attempt had been made
upon the sentinel for ghoulish purposes.
He said: at was the real thing; it was
prompted by the pure cussedness of some
people who thought to bring reproach
upon the nation by doing damage to
the resting place of the dead president" :"
All the men who were seen today ex-
press the belief that Private Deprend
acted in good faith and that he related
only what he believed to be the real
facts. With the captain and others he
went over the details of the whole affair
at least a dozen times, and it is said
never varied in matter OF Importance
Particular inquiry was made as to his
sObriety at the time, and it is said that
it is established beyond all reasonable
doubt that he had not been drinking and
that he was in his normal condition.
| The most common belief is that the SEN
tinel was overwrought by the loneliness
Of his position, that his nerves were
Overtaxed and that imagination con-
| tributed some of the details related in
good faith. The post was regarded bv
all as particularly isolated and depress-
ing to the man guarding it at night, and
| it is said more sentinels will be stationed
at the point in future.
Captain Biddle thanked the reporters
| for what he called the fair manner in
which the incident had been described in
the morning papers, saying they gave a
full and complete statement of facts SO
| far as revealed last night. He was fully
convinced last night of the truth of the
story as related, but after investigation
entertained doubts, not OF the sincerity
OF Private Deprend, but Of the correct
ness of the conclusions
Captain Riddle authorized this state
ment: ~ think the sentinel deceived
himself on the occurrence. don't think
an actual attack as related by him Oc-
Cured. When daylight came there was
no evidence found OF struggle"
The matter had been reported in full
to General Otis at Chicago. commanding
the department to which the guard is
attached Whether there is formal in
quiry into the matter remains for Cen
eral Otis to determine Officers at the
cemetery express the hope that mas