The diamond drill., 1919-03-29
DELIGHT CROWD.
Uncle Sans Yankee Minsrrels Make
Big Hit Here.

4
Crystal Falls and vicinity turned
out enmasse Monday evening at the
auditorium to greet the soldier boys
in Uncle Sans Yankee Minstrels. II
Is said that the crowd was the larg-
est ever assembled in that hall and
over one hundred were turned away.
Capacity <puses always greet the boys.
and at Ironwood, Calumet and Ish-
peming hundreds were unable 10 gain
admission to the halls.
The program was snappy and full
OF pep and for two hours, the dura-
tion of the performance, the troupe
captiyated the audience Lew Nelson
and John Sieany the end men, are old
time minstrel performers and their
rapid-fire monologues and Jokes kept
the audience in an uproar. Don. G
montgomery is capable interlocutor.
The Rainbow quartet in "old Time
Melodies" sung around a campfire.
won merited applause and responded
to several encores. These same gen
tlemen were also heartily applauded
IN The Harmony Brass Quartet
Heckert's orchestra scored decided
hlt' especially the little lady at the
plano. and the gentleman who PLAYED
the snare drum.
An exhibition of revolver and rife
shooting by Capt. b. II. Hull was n
novelty that was immensely enioyed
lie is a champion shot and his accur-
ate shooting was almost uncanny. His
PERFORMANCE with a long lash whip.
with which he cut a paper projected
from a soldiers hand, as If with a
knife, was also marvellous.
A feature Of the show was a talk by
Sergt. j. j. Ritchie, who Is a real hat
tie SCARED veteran, with bullet. bolo
ard bayonet scars as marks OF his
varied experiences recounted incidents
OF his career in the army, covering a
period OF twenty-eight years. Ritchie
probably has had more military ex-
perience than any man who has ever
visited Crystal Falls, and the story OF
his adventures was OF intense interest
he served during Indian uprisings in
the west and southwest and helped TO |
capture notorious Indian chiefs who
mad giveS the government much |
trouble. lie also served in the Span |
ish-American war in Cuba and later
saw service In the Philippines. He
also participated in the campaign in
CHINA during the Boxer uprising. 1t
was in the Boxer campaign that part
OF his jaw was shot away, requiring
Tie substitution OF a celluloid device
The substitute" Jaw slightly i'm
pairs his speech, but otherwise nicely
answers every purpose
Richie served on the border in
1Sl6-l7, and went overseas early in
Tie war. He was bayonetted twice.
once in the stomach and the second
time in the back, and he also suffered
from she'll shock and gas During a
reconnoitering expedition in Balleau
wood he was captured and sent to the
German prison camp at Strassburg.
He described the treatment he re-
ceiyed at the hands OF the Boche as
II being so bad that he
and 'wo "buddies" decided to escape
Or suicide. In bolting for liberty he
killed two German guards and, after
10 days of hardship, during which
ihey subsisted on grass and herbs,
hey reached the American lines.
Ritchie paid splendid tribute 10 ,
he Red Cross and commented upon
lie splendid treatment American sol
iiers received in the hospitals and al
10 In the service generally. lie also
slowingly referred TO Thirty Second !,
livision. composed OF Michigan and
Wisconsin men, calling them born h
lighters" His tribute was the resul,
II personal observations, he said, and q
le complimented Michigan for it's pos
ession OF such a splendid organiza-
ion.