Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-29


members, as '"The Outcasts" ThaI
title, while not term of opprobrium or re
proach, is not largely favored by Company G.
and is not generally considered one of honor. II
was won IN the summer of '94, when the sheriff
OF Glucose county called on the Governor for
aid, and the seventyfve officers and men of G
Company went to Oropolis in answer to the call
1t was three o'clock in the morning when they
reached Oropolis They had expected to find a
bowling mob in control of the station, and per-
haps, to fight their way through, so il was with
very natural disappointment that they found the
platform deserted, save by sleepy agent, who,
as soon as the train had pulled out, followed its
example, and pulled out also, leaving the station
and the troops before the later could ask single
question. No one in the command knew anything
about Oropolis, save that it was small mining
town; and the sheriff was nowhere visible to re-
ceive them. No one knew the sheriff by sight,
but the troops knew he was not there; if anyone
had been there it would have been the sheriff,
but but since ne one at all there it was plain
that the sheriff, also, absent.
A cautious reconnaissance developed public
square, not far from the station; on one side
stood what appeared to be the town hall; on the
other three sides were rows Of houses, small and
dark; in the centre was a grass-plot, with trees,
and here the command proceeded to make it
self at home. just as they were settling them
selves, there loomed through the gray dusk the
figure of the police force of Oropolis, who said,
in tone of imposing official dignity, "Move on
there, move on" whereat the command laughed
Then the men brealfasted on the rations in
their haversacks, and, when the haversacks were
empty, sat down to wait for the sheriff.
Eight o'clock came, and no sheriff When the
clock in the City Hall tower struck nine, lit
Al - Hall -+zw
walked the public square. He wore a
linen suit, very short to the trousers, and he
mopped his red face and shiny, bald head as
he walked, for the July sun was hot. Stopping
in front of the captain, who sat upon empty |
cracker box which he had coniscated from the
sidewalk in front of a grocery, the fat man
made speech.
The burden of it was that the troops were
looked upon in the light of unwelcome interlop-
ers, and that they must get out of that square
and out of the village. At this point the leu
tenant and the assistant surgeon grouped them
selves behind the captain and listened attentive
". Warmed by his increased audience, the lit
lie became eloquent. With a pudgy wave
Of dirty hand he explained verbosely that he
vas the Mayor of Oropolis, the Mayor pro tenn,
is the other incumbent in that Office had taken
-he side of tho sheriff in the strike which was
Prevailing among the neighboring miners and so
lad become obnoxious to various members of
he town Council who were themselves among
he strikers.
At this point the assistant surgeon laughed,
md the Mayor pro tem., turning fat frown
IF disapproval upon him, continued, with in
,reased dignity, to tell how the Council had de-
posed the Mayor by special ordinance, and had
elected the speaker to fill the unexpired term
Or to serve until such time as the Council saw
it to reinstate his predecessor.
The captain inquired, mildly, how such
thing could be legal, whereat the little man
waxed wroth. 1t legal, he declared, be-
,suse the Council decreed and, under the
the Council was a law unto it
self. Returning to his first proposition, he re-
lewed his demand that the troops remove them
elves speedily as possible to some place other
han their present location, to any place, so long
Is it was outside the corporate limits of Oro-
polls. This the captain fatty refused to do,
lsing. in his refusal, terms more forcible than
diplomatic; and the Mayor pro tenn. marched
lway in high dudgeon, while the command went
IN waiting for the sheriff.
At eleven o'clock the police force appeared
,nce more.
1--WE come to arrest yees," he announced, with
lignity.