Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-01
FEW BELIEVE 1T.
Private De Prend's Experience
at Mckinley Vault
Not So Generally Credited by the
People at Canton.
Family Strongly Doubts That Attempt Was Made
to Destroy Vault.

Canton, Ohio. Sept. 30-The officers
and men of Co. c of the 14th L.. S.
Inf. on duty at Westlawn cemetery
guarding the resting place of the late
President Mckinley. worked diligently.
today. Investigating the strange story
in which Private De Prend, who was on
duty at the vault. Sunday night, figur-
cd so prominently. The retiCence inn
posed by military regulations, which
prevented the officers and men from
making detailed statements concerning
the incident, last night, was operative.
today
All the commissioned officers and the
officers of the company in general ac-
ccpted fully the story related by Phi
vate De Prend last night, and really
believed that the providers were about
the vault with no good purpose. Today.
only one of the commissioned offic ers
adhered to the belief that an attempt
rad been made upon the sentinel for
ghoulish purposes. He said:
1T was the real thing 1t was
prompted by the pure cueScdness Of
some people who thought to bring re-
proach upon the nation by doing dam
age TO the resting place Of the dead
President"
All the men who We're seen, today,
expressed the belief that Private De-
Prcnd acted in good faith and that he
related only what he believed to be the
real circumstances. With the captain
and others lie went over the details
Of the whole affair at least a dozen
times. and. ii is said. he did not vary
in matter Of Importance. Particular
Inquiry was made as to his sObriety
at the time and it is said that it is es-
tGhliShed 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 Senti-
mel was overwrought by the loneliness
of his position. that his nerves were
tributed some of the details related in
good faith. The post was regarded by
all as particularly isolated and de-
pressing to the man guarding it at
night and it is understood that more
sentinels will be stationed a the point
in the future. Capt. Biddle was fully
convinced. last night. of the truth of
the story as related. but after invesfi-
cation entertained doubts, not of the
.'incerity of Private De Prend but Of
the correctness of his conclusions.
Capt. Biddle authorized this state
ment: II think the sentinel deceived
himself as to the occurrence. ] do not
think an actual attack as related by
him occurred. When daylight came no
evidence of struggle was found
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 il for
NAL inquiry into the matter remains
for Gen. Otis to determine.
Sergeant Cook. who was reported to
have heard rumors among visitors.
further explained as follows: II was
on duty at the guard tents near the
vault, Sunday afternoon. There We're
three funerals at the cemetery and
many people passing all the time.
Three men, representative looking
men. spoke to me. One asked how
long the sentinels in front of the vault
door were kept on duty and told him
half an hour at time. He said he
had read that they were kept there two
hours and thought that was hard ser
vice. | told him that at first they We're
kept there two hours but the time had
been shortened. He asked if there
were other guards. l 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
fuss: that no one would try to do any
harm now. The third man said he was
mistaken, that there were lots Of peo-
pie who would like to see the whole
thing blown up. No. | had not then,
nor have l now. any suspicon that
any of these men would have any in
terest in or would sympathize with
any act of violence. / think they were
speaking of the disposition Of other
classes who might be prompted to do
such acts.
The usual guard and patrol was on
duty. today. Last night. after the
story Of Private De Prend. the force
was increased by the addition of 10