The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-06
He is READY.
Captain Leicester Will Organize
Militia Company.
Will Probably Locate at Arr
kansas City.
FELL ON STONY SOIL.
Says People of Clyde Are Not
Warlike.
Hopes to Inspire Kansas Ware
riOrs in South.
7ELL ON STONY SOIL.

William E. Leicester pronounce 1t
Lester, please,) late member of his
majesty's Royal Horse artillery, but
since 1904 captain of the Kansas milf
tia company at Clyde, called at the Of
flee of Adjutant General Hughes yes
terday, en- route to Arkansas City.
It is said that Captain Leicester is
going to Arkansas City with a view OF
locating there permanently, to take
charge of q new company of the Ma
tional Guard which may be organized
there.
There is no martial spirit among
the people near Clyde" said Captain
Leicester, as he flung back his big
army overcoat, heavy with black braid
TT is hard work to keep up the organ
ization- The other day when the par
ents of some of the members of my
company heard that there was danger
of war with China, they came around
to me in great indignation, and were
going to compel me to let their boys out
of the guard. OF course when man
enliStS in the guard, he's IN for three
years. But their opposition to having
their sons involved in a military or
ganization when there was any danger
of that organization doing what 1t was
organized to do was very strong.
Captain Leicester is a man with a
past; not a discreditable past, but 8
past worth telling about
How did you come to be at Clyde p
was asked him yesterday by a State
Journal reported. How did you drift
so far from home ?"
Captain Leicester crossed his long
legs, twisted the corners OF ms lnlll-
tary looking moustache Of tawny yell
| low, and said:
"A man is likely to turn up any
where in this world. / came to Amer
-.
get mad at my superior officer, and tell
him what I thought Of him. I hurried
to the headquarters, resigned my COM
mission before they could court-mar-
tial me. and came to America. Then
I drifted to Kansas, and settled at
Clyde
Leicester looks the part Of a soldier
of the Royal Horse artillery. He IS q
big man weighs about 225, and talks
with a rich British slurr. He has q.
huge Roman nose. such as all soldiers
wear, and a great massive chin Wh1ch
balances the upper part OF his race IN
good shape. His eyebrows are long
and shaggy. and hang down so that
you can't see more than half of each
of his eyes. He comes from military
stock. He said
ssAfv father is a lieutenant colonel in
the British army. I myself was born
in India, and lived there until I was
years old. Then I was sent to England
to be educated entered the service
India and Egypt.
1T was while I was in Egypt with
the Royal Horse artillery that I got
this sabre cut across my hand'-and
Captain Leicester showed long,
lumpv scar extending downward from
the base Of his thumb-"and in the
same little affair I got that piece
taken out of my ear. That nick in my
ear isn't as big as it was once Tt
seems to be gradually filing up When
IL was made I thought the side OF
my head had been shot of The
Arabs were shooting at US with a
couple of old cannon they had gotten
hold OF somewhere. A shell burst
about ten feet in front Of where 1 was
standing, and a piece of it hit my ear.
I put my hand up, and found the
blood squirting out. never knew be-
fore how much blood could come out
of a little wound I bled like stuck
hog.
''But I didn't have time to bother
with that. A few minutes later we got
orders to swing our battery around a
long detour to the support of the in
fantry. We started off at a gallOp.
was riding hard watching the gums,
and not paying attention to anything
else First thing I knew. we rode into
a flank ambush of Arabs. One of
them came riding down on US. and
was right on me before I saw him.
He made a slash al me with his sword,
and I lust managed to ward off the
lick with my sabre. His blow glanced
and got me on the hand. Just then
the lieutenant Of the company shot the
Arab dead"
At the time of the Spanish American
war. Captain Leicester was IN charge
Of the company of the Kansas National
Guard at Manhattan He ged to
get 3 5 men of his company enlisted IN
the first call for troops. He was
elected captain of the company, and
though the Populist politicians tried
to get Governor Leedy to dispIace him
because of his Republican politics.
Leedy refused to do so. Leicester's
com npany was assigned to the Twenty
second regiment and saw nothing but
the embalmed. beef service at Camp
Alger. They didn't get outside the
states. Captain Leicester withdrew
from the guard at that time. and did
not re-enter the service until 1904.
when he located at Clyde.
It is now planned to organize a new
company somewhere In the southern
part of the state and the chances are
that It viii 90 either to Arkansas city
or Winfield. There Is a lot OF rivalry
between the two towns for the COM
pany, and If Captain Leicester decides
to locate at Arkansas City. It may re-
suit In the company going there, for
the guard officers prefer to place
their companies where they know
there are competent officers to handle
them.
Stow vryapeF,o,.se rs.,~,-