The Elbert County tribune., 1910-07-08


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 across the dusty fat The Twen
ueth United States cavalry deserted the town
and attended strictly to its own 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
ing with unspoken question in their eyes
they looked out toward the fort The sherin
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 If the men were dangerously angry
they gave not hint of 1t. The post commander
who also colonel of the Twentieth, eyed
them proudly "They are taking 1t WELL" he
said to his officers. II know them. They are
veterans. and obey orders The law will take
of that man Hunt" The officers agreed
Not threatening angry murmur reached Off
GERS row from the barracks. AS matter of pre-
caution all passes were stopped and orders issued
that enlisted should leave the reservation
except on duty.
1t was all that could be done. The meant
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 "hike"-practise
march, it was called then-somewhere away from
the place for time. But the colonel would have
had to ask orders from the department to
do this. And when the department heard
the reason for the request 1t 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. 1t is
not probable, however. that such a thought en-.
tered the veteran coonel's head. He knew his
mo Uar doffh A,<x
served and the cloth they
Next day word came to the town that Ser
geant Hoeg dead. The sherin went to see
the prosecuting attorney. That Hoeg mans
dead. ! don't like this business heap" he told
the prosecutor.
Whats the matter? The towns quiet"
Sos the fort. Too plenty much quiet. II the
soldiers buckin' round in town, out
at the fort there. l wouldn't mind. But they're
quiet-fghtin' quiet. They're keepin' away
from town, and when they do come" The sher
in wagged his head dismally.
Very WELL" said the prosecuting attorney
"We'll go out to the post commander and ask
him to put extra guard and keep his
away from the town until things quiet down"
The prosecuting attorney was young but he
should have known better He had been a sol
dier himself. had studied law while wearing a
blue uniform at this same Fort Willamette. For
civil authority to give or suggest orders to
officer in the regular army is to invite fiat snub
bing He should have known, but he hustled con.
fdently 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 corrals The
guard dozed on the benches in the guardhouse
sallyport- casual officer sauntered along the
board walk down officers row. The canteen was
deserted. TOO plenty much quiet" commented
the sheriff
At headquarters the colonel received them
courteously.
What do for you gentlemen" he
asked.
I'VE are 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"
Il command this post. gentlemen. Good afte--
noon"
Civil authority went back to town In hurry.
the prosecutor angry, the sheriff apprehensve.
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
civilized sure enough" real town, not group
of dobe shacks in desert. The enlisted men
found state of things they weren't used to and
didn't like. willamette had long since forgotten
the days when the fort protection. and
looked on 1t mainly a source of revenue, while
the enlisted men were merely more or less OF a
nuisance Like all other western towns In the
's0s and COS Willamette was wide open"
Gamblers and gambling were strong element In
its life. From the suave and solid man of fam
lily 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
cavalry which had preceded the Twentieth at