Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-10-01
Alleged Attack On Mckin-
ley's Tomb Is Not Con-
firmed.
IS NO EVIDENCE OF 1t
Daylight Inspection of the Scene
Reveals No Trace OF the Soldiers
Reported Struggle.
CAPTAIN of the Guard Thinks the
Sentinel Deceived Him.
self.


and men of Company c of the 14th
United States infantry, on duty at
West Lawn cemetery, guarding the
resting place of President Mckinley,
have worked diligently investigating
the strange story in which Private
Deprend, who was on duty at the top
OF the vault Sunday night, figured so
prominently.
All of the commissioned officers and
the members of the company III gen
eral accepted fully the story. related
by Private Deprend, and really be-
Heve that the providers were about the
vault with no good purpose. Only
one of the commissioned officers ad-
cred to the belief that an attempt
had been made upon the sentinel for
ghoulish purposes. He said: 1T was
the real thing. 1t 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 express
ed the belief that Private Deprend
acted in good faith and that he related
only what he believed to be the real
circumstances. 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 a matter Of
Importance. Particular inquiry was
made as to his sobriety at the time.
and it is said that it is established be-
yond all reasonable doubt that he had
not been drinning and that he was in
his normal condition.
The most common belief is that the
sentinel was overwrought by the lone
illness Of his position, that his nerves
were overtaxed and that Imagination
contributed some of the details re-
lated in good faith. The post was
regarded by all as particularly isolated
and depressing to the man guarding 1t
more sen,sa~ss ,.a.s' s,o,ssslel;stood that
point in the future. Captain Biddle
says: Il think the sentinel deceived
himself on the occurrence. l do not
think an actual attack as related by
him occurred. When daylight came
there was no evidence found of a
struggle"
The matter has been reported in full
to General Otis at chicago. command
ing the department to which the guard
is attached. Whether there will Zoe a
formal inquiry into the matter re-
mains for General Otis to determine.
Officers at the cemetery expressed the
hope that inasmuch as no actual harm
had been done that no formal action
would be taken.
Sergeant Cook. who was reported to
have heard remarks Sunday afternoon
among visitors. fur1ler explained as
follows: Il was on duty at the guard
tent near the vault Sunday afternoon.
There We're three funerals at the GEM
etery and many people passing all the
time. Three men. representative look
ing men, such as come by the scores
every day. spoke 10 me. One asked
how long the sentinels in front of the (.
vault gates We're kept on duty. and
/ told him half an hour at a time. He /
said he had read that they We're kept /
there two hours and thought that was
hard service. l told him that at FIRST
they We're kept there two hours. but I
that the time had been shortened. He /
asked if there were otner guards. l /
told him there were several on the /
hin over the vault and at other places. I
The second man said he did not see |
the use of all this fuss. that no one
would try TO do any harm now. The /.
third man said he was mistaken: that
there We're lots of people who would
like TO see the whole thing blown up
No, l had not then. nor have l now.
any suspicion that any of these men
would have any interest in or would
symrathize with any act of violence !
I think they We're speaking of the
of other classes who might
be prompted to such acts"