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Show Private Adjusts Faulty Halyard; Wins a Reward Climbs 120-foot Pole and Is Relieved From Discipline. CLIMBING an iron flagpole 120 feet high may look easy, but it isn't. This was discovered at Fort Douglas yesterday morning by four young and nimble soldiers who prided themselves upon their ability as climbers. Three of the men. including Henry C. Hilbert, the alleged deserter who paraded as a survivor of the Princess Pat regiment of Canadians, tried the feat and failed. ' The fourth man. Private John Mercer, G company, Twentieth infantry, after a desperate and thrilling endeavor, succeed-, succeed-, ed in scaling to the top of the pole and fixing the halyards, which had become disarranged so the post Hag could not be; raised as usual. Mercer adjusted the difficulty dif-ficulty and the flag was raised. As a reward re-ward for his daring feat Mercer, who was i under discipline for infraction of military ! rules, was granted release from discipline j yesterday afternoon. When the guard detail went out to j raise tho flag yesterday morning it was1 found that the end of the rope had been run to the top of the pole and had be-: be-: come caught in the pulley so it could not j be moved. There was but on way to remedy the trouble and get the flag I raised; that was for some one to climb: the pole. Volunteers were called for from i the guard house. Four men responded. 1 1 The first man failed. The second did , likewise and Hilbert attempted it. . He got about half way up, but could make it j i no further. I ! The quartermaster was about to give I ; up in despair when Mercer stepped out. and asked permission to try it. He is a I slight man and the quartermaster was reluctant to let him even try the task. Mercer insisted he could do it, however, and he was given permission. It was slow, slippery, tedious work and . the thin iron pole near the top swayed and vibrated threateningly, but Mercer stuck tenaciously to it until he had reached the top and adjusted the halyards. hal-yards. Mercer slid down easily from the dizzy height. |