Waterbury Democrat., 1903-02-09
EROSTS KIND WORDS.
Says The Soldiers We're Not Bad
 AS Represented.

Offered Drink When on Patrol, But
 Refused It-General Frost Says
 There Was No Drunkenness or
 Disorderly Conduct After the Troops
 Were Organized and Settled Down
 to Business,
 South Norwalk, Feb 9.-General Russell Frost returned from Water bury yesterday, and in an interview at his office in South Norwalk to-day gave detailed statement of the con- dttions in that place, and spoke as fol-. lows regarding the conduct of the troops during the week and the CO., operation he had received from the civil authorities:
 The conduct of the soldiers as a body was highly creditabIe to trem- selves and to the state, and the exag- gerated and unfounded rumors sent to the New York papers about their conduct did them gross injustice. A comparatively few soldiers, before the ofncers could get the situation in hand or establish the discipline necessary Tor the occasion, got onto the streets ana some of them got into saloons. put these things were soon overcome and It became rare to see soldier on rhe street, except when they had duty there Those reports that the sol dlers syInpathized with the disorderlv class and hooted and jeered at tha trolleymen on the cars had no suh. stantial foundation. In one crowd near the Auditorium that was velling ar tne cars there happened to be two soiuiers standing near the entrance to tnelr quarters. and the rumor went out that they were joining in the dis ofuer, put there was no evidence of anything of that sort. Repeated ef- Iorts were made to get the soldiers disorderly by giving them liquor, and m some saloons free rum was offered them whenever they could be induced to go. Where soldiers were patrol ling the street car tracks, whis- key was offered them and they were urged to drink and full bottles of whiskey were offered them, some of Which was taken by officers as proof of this conduct ..
 Nine hundred and seventy-one off cers and men were on duty. Out of so large number 1t would be impos- sible not to find some. no matter from what classes they came, who would not be weak enough or wrongly in- clined enough to do something that would reflect discredit on the body as a whole. But the truth is that the soldiers as a class were faithful and obedient, ready and anxious for ser vice. rather than seeking to shirk any duty. Although accustomed to the comforts of life they endured their hardships patiently and without com plaint, oftentimes being on active duty by reliefs all day and all night, sleep ing when they slept on hard doors with nothing but blankets under them and blanket bags for pillows.
 'sThe mayor and chief of police and the sheriff co-operated with me in keeping order and rendered every as- sistance at their command The may or increased his police force and he sheriff organized a force of 9 depu- ties, which he increased gradually to nearly 90 before the troops left. There had been very little disorder during the last two nights before we left, and practically none during the two days, and the civil authorities when we left seemed to have the situation well in hand.'
 The First regiment returned home on Thursday, the five New Haven companies on Friday, leaving the two Waterbury companies there until Gen. eral Frost relieved them from duty on Sunday morning, when he and staff came home.