The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-12-30
nae stranae Affair .. EOrt RIIay

The damage done at Fort Riley by !
fire and dynamite seems to have been
somewhat exaggerated in the first |
reports, and the romance Of plot and
intrigue suggested Dy the arrest of
persons so widely separated has not
as yet developed. The story, when
the investigation is done, may prove
of a more commonplace sort. One
or two vindictive persons may do
much mischief to property, and an
army post is seldom free from grud-
ges Yet 1t Is not surprising that
this affair, coming on top OF the Nc
Namara confession should have at
tracted the attention of the whole
country, and the case 10 instructive
as showing the difficulty with which
secret malice can be kept in check
even under the most favorable con-
ditions. This case should suggest
leniency for the failure of urban po-
lice, under vastly more difficult cir
cumstances, to cope with the Black
Hand.
Fort Riley, one of the most impor.
tant military posts in the country, is
community in itself, separated by
several miles from the Deighboring
towns. Established in the days
when chasing Indians was still the
chief occupation Of the military, 1t is
of course useless for defense, and
has been mainly a training ground
for cavalry and artillery. Perched
on the high bluff overlooking, the
Kaw, 1t commands magnificent
view of the valley and Of the rolling
high prairie. Both the climate and
the terrainis are favorable for pur-
poses of drill. Here were the head
quarters of the famous Seventh
and as a school Of cavalry Fort Riley
has been justly famous. Its plant
is fine and expensive, including many
miles of the finest macadamized
roads, a handsome bridge across the
Kaw. a suberb parade ground, and
substantial houses, some of them of
stone, for administration and quar-
ters. The community has its own
stores, and Is to great extent self
sufIicing Here, under the vigor OF
military discipline, mischief might be
Ueiu Ill CHcCh, Ouc NOuiu ohppooSt 40
well as anywhere.
Yet IL appears that for the past
nine months, though the fact has but
lately been divulged, this secluded
post well arranged, we'll fenced In
we'll disciplined, has been under a
reign OF terror, and the officers have
been driven to desperation by Sc
cret and elusive foe. The first dis
asters we're not ascribed to a con-
spiracy. The first. and probably the
most destructive, occurred March IA.
when the quartermaster' storehouse
plain sheet iron building standing
apart and carefully policed. was
burned with all its contents. The
loss has been put as high as S250,OOO
but was probably much less. Fort
Riley is a large post, but after all II
does not have to be stocked for a
siege. A fire Is a fire, and however
great the precautions II is necessary
to be careful about charging incen-
diarism Yet when less than a week
1 later. March 90. fire was discovered
In the cavalry ordnance building,
there was reason for extraordinary
measures. II any doubt was left, II
was dispelled on June when an
attempt was made to burn barracks
In which soldiers were sleeping. Mat
tresses and bedding soaked with ker-
osene had been piled against the
mess.room door, and but for timely
discovery there might have been loss
OF life
The next attack came June "a,
when the government bridge across
the Kaw was blown up with dynam-
lite. Four days later. June 2S,
while all the troops we're absent on
a forced march. the stable of troop
A was burned and q horses perish
ed. the troops watching helplessly
from afar. A more alarming design
was revealed August 9th in the blow
ing up OF a water main, believed and
with reason, to be part OF a conspir
acy for cutting of the water supply
entirely and destroying the whole set
Element by fire. This danger was
averted by extra vigilance, but Sep
TENDER 9th q fire was discovered In
the administration building. but was
luckily extinguished before II had
done great damage. This extraordin
larry series OF disasters, could not oil
tcourse be kept secret. and caused
more or less comment and wonder
But the public did not know that the
officers at the post had additional
cause for anxiety in n series OF an
onymous threatening letters. Begin
ming late in June such letters were
sent to Brig. Gen w. S. Schuyler con
mander OF the post, Col. Eli ]. Hoyl'
and Col. Charles A. p Hatfield. A
about the same time the use OF dy
Mantle began.
, Naturally. extreme measures wer'
taken. The night watch was increas
ed from 81 TO 62 officers and men
and an additional patrol under tn,
command of commissioned Office
was sent out to inspect the grounds
a halfsquare mile, after eleven o
clock at night. Orders. extraordin
AIRY In peace, were given TO an guard
, to shoot to kill anyone who failed q
halt Ut the first call. Non-commis
stoned officers were put on guard Il
r the easements of the officers house
to guard against dynamiters. Yet Il
: spite Of all these precautions. tn
, reign OF terror continued. and effort
to detect the culprlts seemed as III
avalling as the attempt to proven
I damage to property. The investlgi
ton was put In the hands Of w. 4
Mackey. deputy warden OF the fedel
al prison at Leavenworth. Kan. an
formerly United States marshal ia
Kansas. There seem to have bee
several arrests on suspicion. TIL