The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-11-21
CARDS, THEN DEATH
A DOOMED OESERTER WHO PLAYED
POKER AND WON.
As Preliminary to His Executors
He Had His Winnings Distributed
tmong the Members of the SquaA
That Shot Him to Death.


He Had His Winnings Distributed
tmong the Members of the SquaA
That Shot Him to Death
1T is a curious fact" said a mem.
Der of Company 4, Third Maryland,
that military execution had peculiar
fascination for men who were daily
to see hundreds slain in
battle. Men who shovel a breastwork
in on a trench full of slain comrades
and chew bareback or eat salt pork
while at the job with callousucSs
which only such frequent scenes or oc-
currences would make possible in the
human heart became peculiarly sensl
tive and alive to the solemn parade
and formalities Of military execution.
In our regiment we had private
soldier sentenced to be shot for desert
ing to the enemy. His name was
Thompson, and he belonged to Com
pany X. This man Thompson lad de
serted off ycdctte post one night ANA
some two months afttrwHrd came into
our lines. where members of bis own
company happened Ia bee on picket
duty' thompson dld not calculate "i
this His idea In coming in was to sur
render as q Confederate soldier and be
sent north II happened near 10 the
Weldon railroad. where our division ui
the Ninth corps WAS then posted OF
course, on being recognized. he was
taken to headquarters. ANA a court
martial was immediately convened II
leaked ont somehow ihat thompson
was not the humble soldier NE seemed
but confederate oIIlcrr ana SPY. lie
had been am officer ~ the hited states
navy before the war. lie resigned ana
went SOUTH where he secured ire com
mission OF colonel OF infantry
Beng Mdr|iah"'F "I laNIil!' ei-
forts We're made TO save ms me- pul III
quiet way as MS fel'uN's le"I'u 10
disclose his real identity lof iear ne
would be hanged as Il spy Ihsieau oI
shot as ucSertef. ffluaF' tue Jay
set Tor execution III the ARMY oil 'lle
fotonlac' came aro'lu 700 soon lor
Thompson ana his relatives. Inc niSht
previous lie had been informed tIlat al
efforts had failed at Washington.
was on guaru duty over MIN ana III!
brothef was one OF lhe uclaI oi WE'VE
men selected as the hrlhS squad My
brother dldh IKE Inc JoO' ana came
10 the tent where was on Suaru 10
consult Win me now TO get OUT OF It.
Thompson overheard our conversation
ana, knowing my brother by name ne
broke III; Say, Up, you must not BACK
out want you III the squad' us l
Know you are deau Shol ana VIII
save me from the sergeant
III was the practlce lor the sergeant
IL the hrlhS squad lalieu 10 Nlll the
doomed man Win Nolle! 10 pace Tue
muzlle oil MS rlhe against lhe Tempe
OF the prisoner ana blow out ms Drains.
After up hld consented lhe olilcer
OF the Suar peflilltted us TO pa! cHrus
win Inc prisoner. lie hau ron Vi
DIS ana we were soon III Il sun poser
game. Two guarus' lncluulhs Myself
my orotner ZIP anu lhoiili'soll' com,
poseu the quartet we pla3eu uh'i,
era! ua!l3ht' ana Thompson sAInil'u
the party oil every doilar. ne mao
phenomenal luck ana Wa'cheu the
game closely
IN the AFTERNOON ne was 10 u.e' anu
ABOUT noon ne aSAeu 10 SEE Tue iieu'ei'
ant OF lhe hrlh@ squad iaho.HI 'nt
ollicer sou ne asked MN 70 u.IiIe ~
elually among tue men ue''iieu u
suoU. MN
Tue ul'lSlon VS. ul""n up anu
ior'le" t'fee s''e> u sl,'"i'' 'n'
.loulth s'"e ocLnS open' " nc'' 'ne $40