The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-03-09
NUMBER or YOUNG MEN HAVE
JOINED ARMY PAST YEAR
All Of Them Are Doing Well and Appar-
emily Satisfied With the Service; Fired
By the Spirit Of Patriotism; Some
Interesting History Attaches to Sew
eral Of Those Who Donned fine
Uniform Of Soldiers
From Frfday,s Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
Corporal 3. F. Mueller, in charge Of
the local United States army recruit
ing station, has just rounded out a
years service in Mankato with a
record breaking month of enlistments,
fifteen men having enlisted with him
during the month ending March l.
Men who have enlisted, during that
period are: -
Harley L. Kingery, Worthington in
the infantry; Clarence u. BROWN Man
kato, infantry; John H, Collins of Des
Mankato, infantry; Henry w. Wigen, for
merly an employee of The Free Press, in
fantry; Philip H. Ward. Mankato, in
fantry; John E. Mahoney, .Mowbr1dge, so.
Oak, infantry; Raymond II Corcoran,
nick, Columbia City, Indiana, infantry;
Benedict u. Corbid, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
James j. Corbid of this city, coast artil-
lery; George N. White, city, coast ar
tilTery; Frank Meter. city, coast. artil-
Zala G. Hassell, city, who, served six
months on the border with the local com-
pany, infantry; Walter e. Burnett, Win
nebago, infantry.
It will be seen from the foregoing
list that the spirit of patriotism. has
been very evident in Mankato, as the
majority of men enlisted are from this
city. Some interesting history ATTACKS
to transients who enlist, and the fact
that the army always holds a fascina-
tion for those who have served under
the Stars and Stripes is well proven
by the following story: =.
One of the men who enlisted at the
local station during the year Just
closed, had enlisted in the cavalry
when he was twenty-five years Of
age. He was a fine Speciment of man
hood, and quick and intelligent. He
worked his way up to a,sergeancy, but
he had one weakness which caused
his downfall He was addicted to drink
and being found drunk was frequently
convicted of misdemeanOr. Uncle
Sam is good to his soldier boys and
gives them another chance,
but five convictions provide cause
for discharge from the army without
honor, and such was the fate of the
young sergeant He was out of the
army for five years, but recently ap-
piled for special permission to enlist,
which was granted, and he is now in
the infantry.
,Postmasters, Recruiting Officers.
Postmasters of the second, third,
and fourth class in the Minneapolis
recruiting district, which includes
Mankato and the territory in several
adjacent states, are now authorized
to enlist young men in the army, being
paid SIS for each man they send fin
who is accepted. Minnesota has a
population of 2,075,70S, and its annual
share of recruits for the
army should be 2,075 or one man per
thousand population. Men with a
trade may enlist in the quartermaster
corps, which is made up of from
thirty to forty different trades, paying
from SIS to SIS month for the first
enlistment. Men having trade may
enlist in the quartermaster corps, 60
ing in as a tradesman, and will have
no drilling to do.
Corporal Mueller receives some
very interesting letters from young
men whom he has recruited, and all
seem greatly pleased with army life.
Letter From Henry Wigen.
Henry Wigen of this city, now at
Jefferson Barracks, Mo-, writes.
ST passed the examination fine, as
did also Cox and Ward. We were Is
sued our uniforms yesterday. re-
ceived $2563 worth of clothing. We
we're transferred to our permanent
company yesterday. was put IN the
23rd company infantry. Sixty -eight
men were sworn in when was, They
have almost that many every day. 1t
sure surprises me how fast the re-
cruits come in. Next Tuesday there
will be a shipment to San Antonio,
Texas from the Twenty third COM
pany. Monday we get our first IN
for typhoid. Would like to
see a few more Mankato boys down
here. I have already met several you
sent down. sure struck it nice. do
not have to do any drilling. All, pre-
yious members of the army don't do
much but chase prisoners. / had the
opportunity to talk to George White
recently. They have sent Meter back.
I signed the pay roll Monday, even
ing, and / like this country fine. That
report about Cox going to the hospital
was not true, as he did not go"
Letter From Leigh Wilson.
Leigh Wilson also writes an inter-
esting letter. J,
81 like this place better every day" :.
saws Private Wilson, II am not par
ticular whether I leave it or not They
called for cooks the other day and |
volunteered, so. suppose / will soon
be shipped out"
Harley L. Kingery writes: "WeH, |
am with the army now, and am well
pleased with it so far and like 1T bet
ter every day"
,Postmasters are sending in pro-
spective recruits and often write ex-
planatory letters to the head OFFICERS.
Thomas G.. Lewis, postmaster at Beck
with. California, in writing to Lieu-
tenant Colonel. John Garden at San
Francisco. states that he is not pleased
with the kind of material from which
he has to draw his recruits.
.sThere are great many aliens in
this neighborhood," he writes, THE
only thing American that they love Is
the American dollar. .s..
OF MR.. HoLBRook !