Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-11-10

quest or Lieutenant Lan1er, who de-
sires the fullest investigation and pub
licity, have invited you and the cap
tain to hear what | consider the really
! valuable evidence. Will you call in
| Trooper Rawdon?"
Snaffie's face was a sight when the
| door opened and there entered a very
self possessed young man.
whats he mean by coming here in
| 'cits?" said Snaffie.
Eyes, Colonel Riggs; if this mans a
soldier why isn't he in uniform"
! With perfect respect, at nod from
/ Riggs, the newcomer replied. MY
| uniforms and other belongings of mine
were taken from my trunk in town
during my absence
you could have borrowed one," said
| Snaffie truculently.
II told him he need not" retorted
Riggs. Mr. Rawdon, you were a
! duly enlisted trooper, believe Take
that chair"
"And am still. sir"
| But your discharge is ordered
at was applied for and recommend
! ed, and General Whipple told me in
Chicago a few days ago it was set
tied, but that would have made no
difference, sir. | should have been
proud to wear the uniform until Of
ficially discharged"
Riggs wheeled in his chair "Colo-
mel Button. it has been fully explained
to this man and to the next that what
they tell US here is to be just what
they would swear to before court.
You can decide for yourself on hearing
it whether you wish them to swear to
it or not. Now, Rawdon, tell us how
you came to enlist"
"As the representative Of three
newspapers in Chicago and the east.
They were anxious to have an Indian
campaign and the life of an enlisted
man described as it really was. l
joined a squad Of recruits for this
, regiment right after the news of the
Crazy Horse battle on Powder river"
"Do you still hold that job?'
mo, sir" And there was twitch of
, the muscles about the corners Of the
mouth suggestive of amusement
"Why?"
II failed to-give satisfaction. Only
scraps of my letters were published"
'What did they want?"
"Criticism principally and confrma-
, ton OF the stories Of abuse and i'll
treatment of soldiers by their officers"
"Were your letters never published? 2"
"Three Of them eventually, after the
campaign, in the New York Morning
Mail"
Whereupon Riggs spun in his chair
anu rejoicefully surveyed Button, who
sat like a man in a daze, staring open
eyed at the witness.
"Then, as l understand it, you were
favorably impressed with the life and
conditioner
I'm spite Of hardship and priVation,
yes, sir, and because | found complete
refutation of the stories about the Off
GERS, both as regarded their dealing
with the Indians and with their own
men,"
Were there any persons with the
command who knew you and your
mission"
"Two, sir. as it turned out. Trooper
Cary, who enlisted at the same time
I did, and civilian, Mr. Lowndes,
who recognized us at Fort Frayne.
81 To M
Cary became very intimate toward the
last, and yet / think they kept my
secret in spite Of our falling out"
"Do you care to tell us why you fell
outY
II prefer that Mr.. Lowt1des should
do that. He and Cary had been chums
in college days, and. though we were
In the same society. did not know
them then as l do now"
"You had trouble with Sergeant
FitZroy at first We have heard his
version. What is yours?'
Rawdon's eyes never fiinched.
ut was partly on account of the
lady who is now my wife and partly
on account of-money. Fitzroy is an
out and out usurer and has q dozen
sergeants in the regiment in his debt
and under his thumb. Captain Snaff1e's
first sergeant among them"
"It's lie!" said Snaf1e.
'It's the truth" said Riggs, land I
have other proofs. You will curb your
tongue and your temper, Captain Snaf-
f1e, If you please. Go on, Rawdon."
81 bad reason to believe he was
squeezing DR.. Mayhem. ! had learned
to love Mayhew's daughter. made
DR.. Mayhem take enough to free him
self and won Fitzroy's hate on both
accounts''
you are accused Of assaulting him
the night of the 10Th What of thatT'
81 did not even see him or speak to
him. had been In town fiji the after
noon arranging for our marriage. DR..
Mayhem would not hear Of It until
had got my discharge. but we had
decided to be married Saturday morn
ing and to go east that Afternoon, as