Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-23
A PRIVATE SOLDIERS DEATH.
Refused Sick Leave He Expires in tn,
Guard House.

Refused Sick Leave He Expires in the
Guard House.
James Swami, private in company G of the
light battery, died at the Washington Barracks
early Sunday morning. There is nothing
peculiar in this statement, for every now and
then soldiers die at the barracks, but the cir
cunstances alleged Is attending his death are
so peculiar as to probably cause an investi-
cation.
Nearly month ago Swami was arrested for
being drunk while on duty, and being tried was
sentenced to the guard house for one month,
besides being fined $40. The man at the
time Of his incarceration was suffering
from asthma and bronchitis. About q
week after his arrest he was taken sick,
and according to the statements Of
his comrades, Of whom TEE STAR reporter saw
at least twenty-five, he applied for sick leave
or, as they say in army parlance, he reported
for sick duty. That is. he reported his condi-
ton to Capt Hess and asked to be excused
The captain replied, 30 one of his comrades
said, that he would see the commanding officer
and try and get him of. Swami replied that it
was useless to do this % the commanding officer
did not like him, having accused him Of
breaking into his house last summer. He then,
so the reporter was informed called the doc
TO 60 to work, being accused Of shamming.
Weeks wore apace and last Saturday morning
Swami shivered in the rain with chill.
HE WAS SICK NAN.
His condition, % described to Q TAB re-
porter, was that of q very i'll man. He again
applied for sick leave, but Geo his comrades
state) it was denied him and he went to work in
the hard rain. At night his condition was
worse, but he was . prisoner and the guard
house was to be his death bed. He was ac-
accordingly locked in one Of the small cells in
the main guard house, with a mattress filed
with straw for q bed, and here he died.
1t was past 10 o'clock Sunday morning when
Donald Porter, another prisoner. approaching
the condition Of the sick man, called to the SER
gsant OF the guard that Swami was dying. The
answer was, so bis comrade says, '.Oh, he's hay
having was dream Of another world, where
guard houses and sickness are unknown. And
the man died. Today he was borne by his com
rades to Arlington and laid at rest.
An INQUIRY SHOULD BE MADE.
The story of Swann's death and the way he
was treated was the principal topic Of CONVEX
sation among the soldiers when SrAR reporte
called at the barracks this morning to learn
the facts Of the case. Every one Of the soldiers
interviewed said that the way they
sSa%.u sna should be s0''G inquired
into. "why, if We are sick" one Of them said,
'the doctor feels our pulse and gives us q dose
Of medicine, one Of this all-cure kind for it's
all the same, and tells us to go to work. It's
IN awful hard matter to get in the hospital.
Why, man perfectly we'll has better chance
10 get there than one sick
When the reporter applied for permission to
zee the cell where the man died he was refused.
He got glimpse, however, and this 10 what he
saw: In the center Of large room was Q stove.
This was supposed to keep the room warm. On
one side was large iron cage, divided into
three compartments. In ono OF these Swami
died. as it 10 asserted, without any medical At
tendance
Swami was one Of the best looking men in
company @. He was small in stature, about
twenty-eight years Of age and had . wife and
thyea children