New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-07-11

Mollison was informed by Major
Pfaender that he was willing to step
back in the interest Of harmony among
the officers, and with this in view he did
sacrifice his promotion to the colonelcy
which he would have today had he an
nounced his candidacy and made fight
for it.
Kind readers, remember that the five
officers OF the military organizations Of
the city Of New Ulm had five votes to
elect Colonel and at least majority
of five votes went to Charlie Chaplin
Mollison,' = who thereby was elected, and
afterwards gave value received to the
city Of New Ulm.
We had Co. A, /" the Machine Gun
Co., and the Headquarters Co. Band
included), and their fate was then sealed.
A new Colonel was elected and a
majority evidently thought Mollison
was big enough man for the job. But
let us wait and see.
It had been customary and good judy
ment that the Colonel select his regiment
'al adjutant from the place where he re-
sides, and he did appoint Captain Bill
of Faribault as his Adjutant. After
being commissioned as Colonel, Mollison
and Capt. Bill, the adjutant, came to
New Ulm where they received all the
records and supplies belonging to the
Second Infantry, and to show our
courtesy, we, the officers of New Ulm,
rendered them dinner and honored the
guests by calling out the Second Regiment
Band who rendered a few selections
to their new chief. Oh! how Mollison
did enjoy the honor, and he made an
address telling how good the people of
New Ulm were and how he admired the
good Band. He even had the nerve
to tell them as follows: s'You men of
the band, please remember. that l will
make no change in the Band as you are,
good band, and the citizens of New
Ulm certainly are proud of you. l am
only borrowing the colonelcy for a year
or two, but it will come back again.
Kind readers, does not this sound
fshy? We are getting what?
In taking inventory and checking over
the Government property belonging to
Headquarters Company, I could not
help but notice that thru the actions of
Mollison and his Adjutant in having all
this property forwarded to Faribault in
stead of taking a receipt from the
Quartermaster sergeant, Mr.. John Henle,
that something was bound to happen
to either the Band or the Machine Gun
Company. Mollison himself informed
me that he would make few changes as
far as the non-commissioned staff of the
headquarters company was concerned.
He wanted to be informed about the
Regimental Sergeant Major, who was Ed.
J. Berg, and he was told that during all
my service as Adjutant of the Second
Infantry this young man was the best
sergeant major l had ever had, and he
could not find another that would
duplicate him in his line of work. Molli-
son then said, Most assuredly I want
to keep him. He called at my office,
and in the presence of his father, Mr..
HenryJ. Berg, asked him to stay as his
regimental sergeant major. Within
month after the election Mollison as
Colonel of the Second Regiment was
called into service. Co. GA" the
Machine Gun Company and the Head
quarters company assembled at the
Armory, ready to go to Fort Smelling.
Here is where Mollison forgot all about
his promises, in fact, would swear that
nothing of the kind had ever passed his
lips, but nevertheless, his steam roller
was started and heads commenced to
drop very fast. Color Sergeant, Henry
Fast, was discharged, Battery Sergt.
Major Henry Grussendorf was reduced
and showed into Co. Ga" Regimental
Sergt. Major Ed. J. Berg, was reduced
to Bait. Sergt. Major or ordered to be
discharged. Mr.. Berg, however, was
too good soldier to take bluff from
Mollison and accepted the Bait. Sergt.
Major.
(To be Continued.)
LOUIS G.. VOGEI,.