Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-08

= DOOMED DEsERTeR WHO pLAxeo
POKER AND WON.

A. Preliminary to His Ex.
He Had His Winnings Di.tr,hr...
Among the Members of tb, 60.
That Shot Him to Death.
1T Is curious fact" said q mo,,
Der of Company A. Third MARYLAND
shat military execution had n peculIo,
fascination for men who were d.ur
accustomed to see hundreds slain IN
battle. Men who shovel a breastworl
In on a trench full of slain comrades
and chew bareback or eat salt norn
while at the job with a callousnrss
which only such frequent scenes or NO.
currences would make possible in the
human heart became peculiarly sens.
tive and alive to the solemn parade
and formaIities of a military execution
I'm 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 had de-
serted off vedette post one night and
some two months afterward came into
our lines, where members of his own
company happened to be on pickle,
duty. Thompson did not calculate on
this. His idea in coming In was to sur.
render as Confederate soldier and be
sent north. 1t happened near to the
Weldon railroad, where our division of
the Ninth corps was then posted. OF
course, on being recognized. he was
taken to headquarters. and court
martial was Immediately convened. 1t
leaked out somehow that Thompson
was not the humble soldier he seemed.
but Confederate officer and spy. He
had been an officer in the United States
navy before the war. He resigned and
went south, where he secured the COM
mission of colonel of infantry.
"Being Marylander Of family, eff
forts were made to save his life, but in
a quiet way, as his relatives feared to
disclose his real identity for fear he
would be hanged as a spy instead of
shot as deserter. Friday, the day
set for execution in the Army of the
Potomac. came around too soon for
Thompson and his relatives. The night
previous he had been informed that all
efforts had failed at Washington. I
was on guard duty over him, and my
brother was one of the detail of twelve
men selected as the firing squad. My
brother didn't like the job. and came
to the tent where was on guard to
consult with me how to get out of it.
Thompson overheard our conversation,
and, knowing my brother by name. lie
broke in: Say, Tip, you must not back
out. l want you in the squad, as
know you are u dead shot and will
save me from the sergeant
1T was the practice for the sergeant
K the firing squad failed to kill the
man with volley to place the
Of his rifle against the temple
IT the prisoner and blow out his brains.
after Tip had consented the officer
If the guard permitted us to play cards
With the prisoner. He had roll OF
bills, and we We're soon in a stiff poker
zane. Two guards, including myself.
ny brother Tip and Thompson, COM
'osed the quartet. We played until
ray daylight, and Thompson skinned
he parts Of every dollar. He had
phenomenal luck and watched the
anne closely.
"In the afternoon he was to die, and
bout noon he asked to see the lieuten-
mt of the firing squad. Handing the
fticer $500, he asked him to divide it
qually among the men detailed to
boot him.
"The division was drawn up and
ormed three sides of square. the
ourth side being open. where the grave |
Thompson was freshly dug. The
and played the dead march in SAUL !
nd Thompson, at the head Of the fir |
ig squad. marched around the three
des Of the square. with the coffin in
'hich he was to be inclosed carried i'm |
lediately behind him. Reaching the
pen space, the coffin was set down.
thompson seated himself on the end of
, facing the firing squad, about twelve
aces distant The death warrant was
lad. and the chaplain tied his hand
erchief over the prisoners eyes.
atched Thompson. curious to note if
would hear the reports of the mus
cts that killed him. Presently heard
le lieutenant's low voice: Ready!
i'm! Fire.
In the next instant Thompson top
ed back into his coffin a dead man.
be reports Of the muskets he never
lard, as saw him swiftly fall over
fore heard the guns crack, and 50
settled this disputed point to my own
and to that extent the ex.
ution Of Thompson interested me and
more. "-Washington Post.