The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1910-02-23
Saved by
A Parrot
But There Were Links Be-
tween the Bird and
J the Outcome.
By ANDREW c. EWING.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.
By ANDREW C. EWING.
Copyright. 1910. by American Pres,
Association

~ " " " -NfVo"OO-Sr-S
On either side OF New York harbor
commanding the Narrows, Is fort.
That on the east shore Is called Fort
Hamilton. that on the west Fort
Wadsworth. These forts are at all
times garrisoned by United States
troops.
There lived some years ago near
Fort Hamilton widow named Ham
mond, whose boy, Robert. growing up
In close proximity to an army post,
imbibed II taste for n military life.
When he became eighteen years Of age
he went into the fort one day and en-
listed and then went home and told his
mother what he had done
Robert Hammond was steady
young fellow and, having received
pretty good education, resolved to try
for promotion through the noncom-
missioncd to the commissioned grades.
lie had become Il corporal when that
happened which sometimes makes and
sometimes breaks man-he got a
sweetheart Nancy Alvord was about
uammond's age and lovely girl.
Nevertheless she was the cause Of his
getting into trouble.
Famous Coney Island. where there
Is n multitude Of shows, Is but few
miles from Fort Hamilton, and one
summer day when the young soldier
had leave 10 go where he liked be-
tween midday aud 0 p. III. he called
for Nancy. and together they stepped
on an electric car for n visit to the Is
land Robert had money enough In
his pocket to enable them TO take In
most of the shows, aud so great was
their enjoyment that the time passed
more rapidly than they realized The
days were at the time ut their longest.
and this. too, had something to do with
their installing the hour At any rate,
when there was still twilight they
heard n clock strike %.
Roberts heart sank within him. Ills
leave had expired, and he would not
be able to reach the fort In less than
half an hour He would be "broken"
that is, reduced to private-and his
dream Of becoming commissioned Of
ficer was AT an end. AT any rate, ho
would be obliged to begin all over and
by long period of good behavior get
again In line.
Very well. Nancy" he said; Il may
us wen be hanged For n sheep as q
lamb. Wen stay here as long as we
like"
Nancy endeavored TO induce him tC
go back Mt once, but he would not
so they ordered a supper and after
that continued to enjoy themselves nj
the various places designed for the
double purpose of giving people pleas
ure and getting their money. When
the money was mostly spent they took
car aud went home. Passing sa.
loon kept by one Murphy, Robert wish
ed TO so In and get glass of beer, but
Nancy dissuaded him. Robert left her
er's.
Though II was late, Mrs. Hammond
was just about going to bed. Robert
told her that he had broken his leave.
Mothcr-ike. she persuaded him to go
TO his own room that he had occupied
AS n boy and remain there overnight
lie did so and in the morning over
slept. Then his mother begged him to
take breakfast at home. BY the time
he reached the fort II was long past
revellle roll call.
Robert was put In arrest. And what
was his establishment when told that
the saloon keeper, Murphy, had been
murdered the night before. that some
shrcds of blue uniform and several
army buttons had been found near
the body and n soldier answering his
description had been seen near the
saloon.
The young soldier was troubled only
ut the prospect Of being reduced to the
ranks. There could be no doubt of his
proving that he had not been In Muir
phys saloon and that he had been
with his sweetheart and later with his
mother. He gave the captain the ad-
dress Of both women and told him to
10 and ask his mother and Nancy II
he had not been with them during the
night Of the murder.
The officer, IN order that there might
be no collision between Robert and
the others, said nothing about the
charge OF murder to either woman In
order TO better conceal his object. He
told them that the soldier was IN dan
ger of being tried for desertion. Both
women knew enough OF army offenses
to understand that desertion was Sc
rious charge. Neither knew what rea-
son Robert had given his superiors for
his absence, and both feared to say
anything about him for fear of dis
proving what he had himself said,
The consequence was that both denied
having seen bin the night before.
This was quite enough to convict
him, If not OF the murder, certainly Of
falsely accounting for his absence. He
was turned over TO the civil authori-
ties to be tried for murder.
It would be impossible to give an
idea of the anguish Of the mother and
sweetheart when they learned Of the
real charge that had been made
against the son Of the one and lover
Of the other and that they had put 1t
out of their power to prove an alibl
for him and In this way establish his
innocence They were visited by Rob-
ert's attorney and questioned. 1t was
avidanf to them that he did NOT he