Willmar tribune., 1909-11-10


tour of active duty was in Chicago during the
railroad strike of 1894. The cavalryman
found time aside from his soldier duties to
study the folklore of the North American In
dams with whom he fought and was friendly
alternately, as the government would have It.
for years en- years of life in the west.
Major Bourke was an active member at
one time of the American association which
makes folklore study specially. He was in
terested not only in the inherited tribal tales
of the Sioux and the Apache, but he took
within his study scope the folklore Of all prim'
tive peoples.
Into the side of the great stone monument
erected to the memory Of Gen. Crook and
which stands near Major Bourke's grave In
Arlington cemetery is set a bronze panel show
ing the scene of the surrender of the Apaches
under Geronimo to Crook In the Sierra Madres
% years ago. The faces of the Indians and
of the army officers shown are portraits. One
of the officers in the group is John G. Bourke,
and there is a story in connection with the
folklore major and the Geronimo campaign
which others besides folklore people possibly
may appreciate.
There had been a fight at long range with
the Apaches in the mountains and B0urke's
troop, dismounted, had been engaged. When
the fight was over and the Apaches who e.
capped killing had made for farther mountain
Businesses, as was their custom, the troopers
moved forward and found one Indian who had
been shot between the eyes, the bullet coming
out at the back Of his head. It is needless to
say, perhaps, that the Apache brave was dead.
Gen. Crook came up and found Major, then
Captain, Bourke saying few warm things to
one of the duty sergeants Of his troop. Bourke
left the sergeant, and Crook, turning to the
cavalry captain, said: "Bourke what on earth
has Sergeant Casey been doing this time?"
Doing, general" exclaimed Bourke wrath
fully. Doing enough; l tried for five years to
make sharpshooter out of Casey, and at the
end of the time he couldn't hit the barracks
If he was inside with the doors and windows
shut.
"And yet, general, that fellow Casey here
to-day at a clean 900 yards plugged and killed
the only Apache in this whole southwestern
country who could have given me the folklore
story I've been after for years.
Il tell you, general, that Casey has escaped
court-martial only by swearing the shot was q
scratch"
It takes only a casual reader Of the army
orders which are published daily in Washing.
ton to make it known that more than one de-
serter who has been caught succeeds In escap-
ing the punishment due him by sheer force of
the pleas, pathetic and otherwise, which
friends make for him. Occasionally there are
extenuating circumstances even in the cases
of deserters: but desertiOn is desertiOn no
matter how it is viewed. and clemency IL not
looked upon with favor by either regimental
or company commanders, and in truth the de-
serters generally escape punishment, when
they do escape, through the soft-heartedness
of civilian secretaries Of war.
It IL said that occasionally deserters write
to the wife of the president of the United
States asking that she intercede for them with
her husband. This plan worked once, but II
the facts In the case are known to the pres
ent mistress of the White House it is probable
that the letters of deserters caught and await
ing trial will receive scant attention.
The story Of a desertsr who appealed to .
presidents wife, and he did not appeal In
vain, is q Fort Sheridan story. In the year
1890. just as the snow was beginning to fly in
the fall, young fellow went from Chicago to
Fort Sheridan and there gave himself up 10
a deserter. It is probable that the cold wealth