The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-01
is STILL A MYSTERY
NO EXPLANATION FORTHCOMING OF
ALLEGED ATTACH ON SENTRY
AT M'KINLEY,S TOMB
FACTS OR HIS IMAGINATION
Officers in Doubt as to Which Play
Greater Part in Details of
Private De Prends
Story.

CANTON, O., Sept. 20.-The officers and
men of Company C, Fourteenth United
States infantry, on duty at West Lawn
cemetery guarding the resting place of
President Mckinley worked diligently to-
day investigating the strange story in
which Private De Prend, who was on duty
at the top of the vault Sunday night, fig
ured SO prominently. The same reticence,
imposed by military regulations, which
prevented the officers and men from
making detailed statements concerning
the incidents last night was operative to-
day The representative Of the Asso-
ciated Press saw all of the commissioned
officers, several commissioned OIL
GERS and number of privates and CLEAN
ed the following:
All of the commissioned officers and
the members of the company in general
accepted fully the story related by Pri-
vate De Prend last night, and really
believe that the providers about the vault
were there with no good purpose. To-
day only one of the commissio Toned OIL
GERS adhered to the belief that an at
tempt had been made upon the sentinel
for ghoulish purposes. He said: lit
was the real thing. 1t was prompted by
the pure cussedness of some people who
thought to bring reproach upon the ma
ton by doing damage to the resting place
of the dead president.
All the men who were seen expressed
the belief that Private De Prend 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 matter of Importance. Particular
inquiry was made as to his sobriety at
the time and it is said that it established
beyond all easonable doubt that he had
not been drinking, and that he was in
his normal condition. The most common
belief is that the sentinel was over
wrought by the loneliness of his position,
that his nerves were overtaXed and that
Imagination contributed some of the de-
tails related in good faith. The post was
regarded by all as particularly isolated,
and depressing to the man guarding it at
night, and it is understood that more sem
tinels will be stationed at the point in
the future.
Capt. Biddle was fully convinced last
night of the truth of the story as re-
lated, but after investigation entertained
doubts, not as to the sincerity of the SOL
der, but as to the correctness of the
conclusions.
Capt Biddle authorized this statement:
81 think the sentinel
DECEIVED HIMSELF
on the occurrence. I do not think an
actual attack as related by him. occur
red. When daylight came there was no
evidence found of struggle"
The matter has been reported in full
to Gen. Otis at Chicago, commanding
the department to which the guard is
attached. Whether there will be a formal
inquiry into the matter remains for Gen.
Otis to determine Officers at the ceme-
terry expressed the hope that inasmuch
as no actual harm had been done that
no formal action would be taken.
Sergeant Cook, who is also known as
Sergeant Koch, through the misspelling
of his name on one of the rolls, and who
was reported to have heard remarks Sun
day afternoon among visitors, further
explained as follows:
Il was on duty at the guard tent near
the vault Sunday afternoon. There 1yere
three funerals at the cemetery and MANY
people passing all the time. Three men,
representative looking men, such as come
by the scores every day, spoke to me-
one asked how long the sentinels in front
of the vault gates were kept on DUTY
and L told him half an hour at a time.
He said he had read that they were kept
there two hours and thought that was
hard service I told him that at first
they were kept there two hours, that the
time had been shortened. He asked if
there were other guards. I told him there
were several on the hill over the vault
and at other places. The second man
SAID he did not see the use of all this
russ; that no one would try to do any
harm. The third man said he was m s.
taken; that there were lots of~people who
would like to see the whole thing blown
up. No, I had not then nor have I
now any suspicion that any of these men
would have any interest in or would
sympathize with any act of violence. I
think they were speaking of the DISPOSE
ton of other classes who might be
prompted to such acts
The usual guard and patrol was on
duty today. Last night after the story
of Private De Prend, the force was in
creased by the addition of ten men.
Lieut.. Ware arrived from Fort Wayne.
Mich, today and relieved Lieut. Avery,
went back to the fort.