The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-11-12
TRlNkETS OF SLAIN
SOLDIERS UNCLAIMED
5000 In Collection at the
War Department.

are more tldn
5000 poignant human interest stories
buried here in Observation-Disclosures
because no outsider can find words
potent enough. untold because the per-
sOns most interested cannot be found
to tell them. Each story is materially
represented by a trinket, paper
wrapped. lying In a special room of the
War department.
War stories they are-tales of SOL
diers who have fought in battles here
and in other lands. VINO have died in
service and whose relatives have never
been found. Their trinkets, their Jew
els and k~eepsakes, taken from their
still forms on fields of battle, all are
there awaiting for the call of someone
who has the right TO claim them.
Good luck charms there are by hun
dreds-charms which failed to keep
their owners safe from harm. And
there are decorations and medals of all
kinds which testify TO the valOr of
their winners, though there be none TO
know they were won.
Strange Stories Never to Be Told.
Strange are the stories that the
trinketS would tell-if they could;
stories of reckless desire to win dis
t~inctiOn for someone back at home;
tragedies of human hearts made rash
~ brave because someone did not
care; debOnnair eagernesS for expert
ence-and heartbreak for countless
families left at home TO wait AMI hope.
There are hundreds of photographs
of beautiful girls, smiling or sad eyed,
taken from breast pockets Of soldiers
on hattleiirldS. There are diamond
rings. fashioned for feminine hands,
which went to the war with their pur-
chaSers because someone withheld
her consent. There are remnants Of
bullets and toy whitfield Of
wood. There are costly gems, Liberty
bonds and sums of money.
Families have doubtless been left
destitute but could not be given the
wealth these soldiers possessed. Other
apparently worthless trinkets would
be priceless to mothers, fathers, wives
and sweethearts Of those who died.
But all have been unclaimed. John
w. Robins has their charge. His Is
the task Of locating relatives to whom
those belongings of service men left
on battlefelds and in camps should be
returned.
Although countless of the living have
been connected with their dead, there
are more than 5000 packages whose
shOuld-be-Owners among the nearest
Of kin" cannot be found.
All wars are represented.
Tragic Romance Reached.
A battered dollar watch which
had done service for many years end
was indented with marks of shrapneI
was recently sent to the fiancee Of the
boy who carried it when he died. II
was all she had, save memories Of the
lover to whom she had not said good
by, because she was in Cuba when he
sailed. A mother. comparatively young
six years ago, now aged and grayeC
with grief, came to Robins for help in
locating the grave Of her hoy. He ha(
worn a ring bearing the family coat o
arms, she said. After four years the
boy vas traced to a nameless grave II
France.
A youthful lieutenant wore a so
rority pin yer his heart when he died
With only the name of the sorority
search was started and inquiry at col
lege after college finally located III,
! girl to whom he had been engaged an,
made possible the marking of hi
3 grave.
Only 4 few weeks z a family rIE!
worn by a soldier of the Civil war wa
! returned to the widow. who, for al
tlese Years. had thought it lost.
OF The thousands of soldiers VIII,
have died in the service of this coun
; try. the effects of more than three
f"urthe have been returned to thos
who have the right to them.