The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-10-01
SENTINEL'S LONELY POSITION
AIDED IMAGINATION.
M'KINLEY TOMB INCIDENT
Captain of the Guard Believes
Private Deprend Deceived Him
self in the Matter.

! Canton, Ohio, Sept. 3O.-The Of
| ficers and men of company G of the
Fourth United States infantry, on
duty at Westlawn cemetery, guard
/ ing the resting place Of Precedent
Mckinley, were working diligently to-
day investigating the strange story
in which Private Deprend, who was
on duty at the top of the vault Sun
day night figured SO prominently. The
same reticence imposed by military
regulations, which prevented the Of
ficers and men from making detailed
| statements concerning the incidents
last night was operative today. The
representative of the Associated
Press saw all of the commissioned
officers, several non commissioned Of
ficers and number of privates and
cleaned the following: All Of the
commissioned officers, and the mem
bers of the company in general, ac-
cepted fully the story related by Pri-
vate Deprend last night, and really
believe that the providers were about
the vault with no good purpose. To-
day only one of the commissioned
officers adhered to the belief that an
attempt had been made upon the SEN
tinel for ghoulish purposes. He said:
ut was the real thing. 1t was prompt
ed 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 presi-
4 dent
All the men who were seen express
the belief that Private Deprend act
ed in good faith and that he related
only what he believed to be the cir
cumstances. With the captain and
} others he went over the details of the
) whole affair at least dozen times
and it is said never varied in a mat
ter of Importance.
, Particular inquiry was made as to
: his soberiety 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.
sentinel was over wrought by the
2 loneliness of his position, that his
nerves were over taxed and thai
Imagination contributed some of the
deails related in good faith. The
1 post was regarded by all as particu
' larly isolated, and depressing to the
: men guarding it at night, and it is
p understood that more sentinels viii
!. be stationed at the point in the fu
ture.
Captain Riddle was fully convinced
( last night of the truth of the story
as related, but after investigation, en-
tertained doubts, not as to the sin
cerity of the soldier, but as to- the
correctness of the conclusions. Capt
Riddle authorized this statement: :"
think the sentinel deceived himsel
! in the occurrence. do not think al
actual attack as related by him oc
= Cured. When daylight came there
/ was no evidence found of a struggle
s The matter has been reported in full
S to General Otis, at Chicago, command
n ing the department to which tht
guard is attached. Whether there
J. will be a formal inquiry into the mat
ter remains for General Otis to de
+ termine. The officers at the cemeter!
J. expressed the hope that, inasmuch al
o no actual harm had been done, NJ
k formal action would be taken.
IL Sergeant Cook, who is also known
n as Sergeant Koch through the mis-
It spelling of his. name on one of thu
d roofs, and who was reported to have
l. made remarks Sunday afternoon
n among visitors, further explained al
follows:
l. II was on duty at the guard ten
e near the vault Sunday afternoon
e There were three funerals, at the Gem
y etery and many people were passing
n all the time. Three men, respectable
It looking men, such as come by tn
o scores every day, spoke to me.
zone of them asked how long tn
l sentinels in front of the vault gate
e were kept on duty. and told hin
= half an hour at time.
'sHe said he had read that the