Those Men Knew Very Well What The
Soldiers Were There For, And I Imagine That After One Look At Their
Weather-Beaten Faces, Which Told Of Many An Indian Campaign, The
Villains Decided That It Would Be Better To Keep Quiet And Let Oliver
Manage His Own Affairs.
A sergeant and one or two privates were summoned by Oliver to give
testimony against Faye, but each one told the same story, and said
most emphatically that Faye had not done more than speak to the man in
the line of duty, and as any officer would have done.
Directly after
guard mounting, and as the new guard marches up to the guardhouse, the
old guard is ordered out, also the prisoners, and the prisoners stand
in the middle of the line with soldiers at each end, and every man,
enlisted man and prisoner, is required to stand up straight and in
line. It was at One of these times that Oliver claimed that Faye
kicked him, when he was officer of the day. Faye and Major Tilford say
that the man was slouching, and Faye told him to stand up and take his
hands out of his pockets. A small thing to murder an officer for, but
I imagine that any sort of discipline to a man of his character was
most distasteful.
Of course Faye left the court room as soon as his testimony had been
given. When the sentence was pronounced the judge requested all
visitors to remain seated until after the prisoner had been removed,
which showed that he was a little afraid of trouble, and knew the
bitter feeling against the horse thief in the town. Several girls and
young officers from the post were outside in an ambulance, and they
commenced to cheer when told of the sentence, but the judge hurried a
messenger out to them with a request that they make no demonstration
whatever. He is a fearless and just judge, and it is a wonder that
desperadoes have not killed him long ago.
Perhaps now I can have a little rest from the terrible fear that has
been ever with me day and night during the whole winter, that Oliver
would escape from the old jail and carry out his threat of double
murder. He had made his escape once, and I feared that he might get
out again. But that post and chain must have been very securely fixed
down in that cellar.
FORT LYON, COLORADO TERRITORY,
June, 1874.
BY this time you have my letter telling you that the regiment has been
ordered to the Department of the Gulf. Since then we have heard that
it is to go directly to Holly Springs, Mississippi, for the summer,
where a large camp is to be established. Just imagine what the
suffering will be, to go from this dry climate to the humidity of the
South, and from cool, thick-walled adobe buildings to hot, glary tents
in the midst of summer heat!
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