The Washington herald., 1908-06-29

Watertown. y. Y. June 2S.-Since the
body Of Private Russell, Of Company K,
Of the Twenty-fourth Infantry. was found
in the shallow water Of the Black River.
near Great Bend. it would take nothing
less than a direct order from an officer to
send any one Of the black soldiers who
make up the Twenty-fourth into The
Dismal" a sand desert Of Pine Plains.
The Twenty-fourth is one OF the finest
infantry regiments in the service. and the
negroes are a courageous lot. They have
shown in the Philippines what kind Of
stuff they are made Of, but the lonely
Pine Plains is a different kind Of PROPOSE
ton altogether. and the stories told by
superstitious natives OF the countryside
have worked upon the nerves Of the
darkies. You would find IL pretty hard 20
make them believe that there Is no devil
work afoot away out in the tangled
thickets and the miles Of scrub oak and
weed-grown sand of which the big reser-
walton that Gen. Grants army is trying
out for military purposes is composed.
The weird yarns, widely current in the
country. you can hear the black soldiers
telling any night
"Dey Is Goin's-on Dere."
"Co'se, We don't take no stock in all de
fool stoahies we heah, boss" said Private
Thomas. OF Company H, this afternoon.
But dis yeah place don't look like no
healthy campin' spot fob culIud folks.
Seems 10 be goin's-on round dis yeah
Pine Plains what amt jes' natchui"
The Twenty-fourth. Ike all the rest Of
the army. began to hear creepy tales
about the Pine Plains when the negro
soldiers first arrived from the Sacketts
Harbor barracks several weeks ago. Ap-
parently, some Of the stories have been
handed down in old settlers families for
100 years or more II is only now and
then that you can get one OF the old
graybeards 20 admit that he has seen
anything himself" though once in a
while he will oblige with q narrative
that is interesting
Usually it was their grandfathers or
great-grandfathers who had followed
some dancing lights clear 10 the edge
Of a precipice over the Black River. or
who had glimpses Of a shaggy white
beast with large red eyes. or who had
come suddenly upon the body Of a man
out in the desert or who had been
frightened by shrilI screams in the mid
die Of the night But the descendants
OF the old settlers hold by the tales and
will tell you. quite simply tell you, that
nothing would persuade them 70 travel
the sand wastes late at night
The younger generation laughs at these
yarns. There could hardly be found.
however. a Ionelier or more desolate
stretch OF country than Pine Plains.
The curious death Of Private Russell,
Of the Twenty-fourth. is sure 10 revive all
Of the old and weird stories that have
given the Pine Plains its uncanny repu-
tation.
Hold Autopsy on Body.
Coroner Charles Z. Pierce and the post
surgeon at Madison last night held an
autopsy on the body Of Private Russell.
the colored soldier whose death is sur
rounded by mysterious circumstances.
They reached the conclusion that Russell
came TO his death by accidentally drown
ing.
To-day was an idle day in camp. The
men are anXiously waiting for the
maneuvers. To-day Gen. Grant an
nounced that there would be a problem
for the night Of July l and another