Gilpin observer., 1910-07-07

to the hospital at Fort VILLA
mette, mile away Gambler Hunt was placed
in the new county Jail under the courthouse on
the plaza, in charge of the county sheriff And
the town of Willamette went its way but with a
difference. No gamblers summed themselves and
trimmed their finger nails in front of the Main
street saloons. No soldiers travelled to and
from the fort the dusty fiat. The Twen-
tieth United States cavalry deserted the town
and attended strictly to its affairs on the
military reservation.
Stiffness hung over the town. the tense still
that spells danger and waits for event.
No crowds gathered. Citizens talked of the shoot
fng with unspoken question in their eyes
they looked out toward the fort. The sheriff
uneasy IF that man Hoeg dies" he said. and
shook his head
Out at the fort military routine ground along
without ripple-stables, guardmount. drill. pa
rade-aDd IL the men were dangerously angry
they gave not hint of it. The post commander,
who was also colonel OF the Twentieth, eyed
them proudly. They are taking 1t WELL" he
said to his officers. Il know them. They are
veterans. and obey orders. The law will take
of that man Hunt" The officers agreed
Not a threatening angry murmur reached Off.
GERS row from the barracks. AS matter of pre-
caution all passes were stopped and orders issued
that enlisted man should leave the reservation
except duty.
no mischief. but suppose they did? The strongest
guard would be rope of sand around the cluster
of frame buildings called fort" The only
way to prevent any possible trouble would be
to take the troops out on "hike'-practise
march 1t was called then-somewhere away from
the place for a time. But the colonel would have
had to ask orders from the war department to
do this And when the department heard
the reason for the request It would have thrown
official fit. and probably have convened a
board OF doctors to inquire into the sanity of
the post commander at Fort Willamette II is
not probable, however. that such thought en-
tered the veteran colonel's head. He knew his
They veterans proud OF the flag they
served and the cloth they
Next day word to the town that Ser
eeant Hoeg dead. The sheriff went to see
the prosecuting attorney. THAT Hoeg mans
dead. don't like this business heap" he told
the prosecutor.
What's the matter? The towns quiet"
SOS the fort. Too plenty much quiet. II the
soldiers was buckin' round in town. out
at the fort there. l wouldn't mind. But they're
Quiet-fghtin' quiet. They're keepn' away
from town, and when they do come" The sher
in wagged his head dismally.
Very we'll" said the prosecuting attorney.
We'll go out to see the post commander and ask
him to put an extra guard on and keep his men
away from the town until things quiet down"
The prosecuting attorney was young, but he
should have known better. He had been sol
dier himself. had studied law while wearing a
blue uniform at this same Fort Willamette. For
civil authority to give suggest orders to an
officer in the regular army isSto invite fiat snub.
bing He should have known, but he hustled con-
fdenty out to the fort. The sheriff followed, pro-
testing. We're goin' to the snubbin' post" he
said.
The old fort smiled peacefully in the after.
noon sun. Blue -shirted troopers lounged In the
shade of barrack porches and corras. The
guard dozed the benches in the guardhouse
sallyport- casual officer sauntered along the
board walk down officers row. The canteen was
cd rIa much ruiat
the sheriff
At headquarters the colonel received them
coureously.
What can l do for you. gentlemen" ?" he
asked.
I'VE afraid your men will lynch Hunt"
my men have been forbidden to leave the
reservation until further orders. They obey or.
ders.'
I'VE have heard rumors You must put a
strong guard around" 49,
Il command this post, gentlemen. Good after
noon"
Civil authority went back to town in hurry.
the prosecutor angry. the sherif apprehensive.
For the sheriff felt that he knew the situation
better than did the colonel. The Twentieth cav
airy had not been stationed long at Fort VILLA
mette. They had come fresh from scouting and
Indian chasing In the southwest in joyous antici-
patton Of the comforts of quiet post and OF a
civilized sure enough" real town. not a group
of 'dobe shacks In n desert The enlisted men
found a state OF things they weren't used to and
didn't like. Willamette had long since forgotten
the days when the fort n protection, and
looked on 1t mainly source Of revenue. while
the enlisted men merely more or less Of a
nuisance Like all other western towns In the
'sOs and '90s Willamette was wide open"
Gamblers and gambling were strong element In
its life. From the suave and solid man OF fam
fly who owned his home and business property.
and dealt parental discipline by day and faro at
night. to the casual "tin horn" the sporting fra
ternity was always in evidence. The Eighteenth