The Delta independent., 1917-02-02
.1ss A.s~AAx aAs.x~~.a,s
COLORADO SOLDIERS
ARE COMPLI LIMENTED

again TO complete the shooting which
had been interrupted by reason of the
bad weather and other causes.
We had little excitement few
days ago. Some three or four prison
ers had made a successful escape from
the guard house. About o'clock at
night, another tried to escape from the
guard, and. darting down one of the
company streets, he made off at full
speed, in the darkness, for the border
The guard called upon him to halt
The prisoner kept going. The guard
fired. The bullett passed through the
body of the prisoner. to the left of his
heart, went on and took the thumb off
of another man who was sitting at a
table in tent, then hit another man
passed through a portion of the latter's
arm. The bullet still sped on and was
going south, very rapidly. when last
heard from. 1t is seldom that one
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all of the men, including the prisoner,
recovered from their wounds. No one
has attempted to escape from the
| guard house since that night The
guard house is still free from any OF
the men Of my command. l am more
delighted in reporting this fact than
words can describe
Somebody from the western slope
has written Congressman Taylor, or
President Wilson, I know not which,
that there is considerable drunkenness
among the officers and men of the
Colorado troops at the border. The
letter was referred to this camp for a
report. 1t is unfortunate that such re-
ports be made by those who are not
near enough to the border, by 1000
miles. to actually know what is being
done. I hope it is needless for me to
say that it is not true. True, there is
some drunkenness, but these are pun.
ished ,6en caught. The officers can
do no H-,re. Douglas was a dry town
when we came here. but dives and
bootleggers infested the city. Before
the close of 1916 Arizona had bone
dry" law become effective. so that the
common carriers will not accept liquor
shipments for points in this state.
Still. ii seems that other means of
transportation obtain, for some of the
men still seem to be able to get it,
and occasionally a man is hauled be.
fore a summary court because he has
too freely indulged in the wares fur.
. nished him by the bootlegger, While
on this subject would like to say that
have been in military camps when
=. the old canteen was running. | have
been in camps where liquor was pro
hibited. From experience now. with no
canteen, and with liquor prohibited. !
would not advocate or encourage a re
ers are desirous of keeping down liq.
uor. They strive to keep it out OF
camp. Drunkenness and discipline are
. not synonyms. The two cannot co
: tNlSA' WIN tNptieuCt
more or less, extending from the time
| was II years of age. ! have never
witnessed camp where there has
been more sobriety than there has
been during this seven months of ser
vice by the Colorado National Guard
say this advisedly. and with due
regard for truth. l am unable to under
stand why II is that some people are
never so happy as when they are caus
, ing trouble. for somebody else. TrCc
happiness comes from making others
happy The scandal monger and the
calamity-cackler is incapable of pro
ducing one solitary moment of joy
Leave the Colorado boys alone is my
advice, for they are all right, and by
their sober. upright conduct. thew
won the admirable priase from the
general officers quoted at the begin
ming of this letter.
JOHN r. CHARLESWORTH,
Capt. Inf, u S. n. G.. Comdg. Co. E
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100000 FRENCHMEN FORCED