The Washington times., 1906-10-10
TeLegrapherS Relate
Tales of Early Days
Thrilling Incidents Wherein MoSbYs Men
Play Part and Cowboys TerrOriZe
the TenderfOOt.

wartime telesraphing wasn't all
cakes ana ale. / can tell you" said
r. F WeitbTec. an Old-time operator In
the Army of the Potomac during the
strenuous days Of SO. and who is at
| tending the Telegraphers' convention
here. Mr.. Weitbrec is now a wealthy
contractor IN Denver. Col. but never
misses a chance 90 Join a gathering Of
the knights of the key.
"In March, 1863. / was operator for
General StOughton, whose headquarters
were at Fairfax Court House. about
twenty miles south of Washington
continued Mr.. Weitbrec. "Stoughton
had several thousand with him. and
Hooker had more than a hundred thous-
and between as and Lees Army. so we
felt as safe as If we were in Boston.
My ofice and living quarters were IN
a tent In the yard Of the generals
headquarters. About 3 o'clock one
drizzly night, 1 was rudely awakened
by some one playing Rlde-a-Cock-
Horse on nay stomach with an energy
that made the performance exceedingly
annoying. There had been a couple Of
gay young Iieutenants around camp
who had made a practice Of coming
to my tent at unseemly hours and
having fun with me; in the darkness.
mistook the playful person on my
stomach for one of these, and with all
my force tried TO throw him of, at the
same time expressing my opinion OF
such jests ia language not found IN
she catechism.
A Clutch in the Night.
Instantly there was a clutch at my
throat 1 felt the cold muzzle Of q
navy-six pressed firmly against my
temple and in language that made
mine seem a poor phantom of 'cuss
words, ! was commanded 10 get up Al
that moment light hared up and
found the intruders were TWO ferocious
| looking Confederate cavalTymen. They
told me they were AIosbys Men that
they had gobbled up the general and
a lot OF prisoners and horses Ihey
gave me about sixteen seconds TO dress
but I had time TO spare, you can Del
Then one Of them Whitfield my tele-
graph instrument up INTO JUNK sald
he didn't want the incident 20 get into
Jhe morning papers, or something Ike
that
u was taaen out and mounted on
horse without saddle or bride ana
away we went on the widest GeFA
ride that ever human being TOOK. mere per
were only two dozen or the NunlTa
crates and they had nearly a hundred
prisoners and horses; besides, they
were surrounded by thousands or our
soldiers, 50 they didn't stop IoT sen
tries. except 10 grab them ana t5Ae
them along. By day we had covered a
score OF miles and those Rough Riders
had us, general and all. saIeiE out5loe
the Northern lines But we dldn STOP
them IL wasn't until late that even
ing that anybody got any oreakIasl;
j spent several months I'm prison. ana
when 1 was exchanged, vent " es..
Indians was tanner lndn thal lite III
pastoral Virginia
Cowboy Runs Amuck.
ct didr't find the West so very tame,
spoke up Frank Howell, New Yorker
I prominent IN telegraph circles.
In the early SOS / was at KAN
sas City, out OF a job ! wired the
superintendent OF the local division that
I wanted job just as far West as
things went He said he'd give II 10
me. and sent me to Gunuison. Col
found there that he'd sent me the other
side Of where ! wanted TO 80. The hrst
evening / was there, was sitting on
the veranda Of the hotel. admIrlnB the
Rocky Mountain sunset, when q big
negro. who. = found later. worked IN
the hotel. -ama through the open WIN
dow nearby with the speed nI tele-
gram and right at mis- heels was cow
boy with a gun. cutting tac dust out
{ from under the negro AT every jump
Z Ii was a beautiful race down the street.
but fear viii beat fun and the Colored
man won out.
Open House in Jail.
There was great excitement in Gun
nison that night. because they arrest
/ ed the cowboy. People were astonish-
/ ed But Il seemed there had just been
! erected a very hne new jail and the au-
thoriJies were anxious 10 try il on some
! body. SO they held a court-martial, or
something. over the cowboy and SEN