Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-14

Then again. the nan Pslton Is pleased
10 Cali Eie forag1ng soldier d-a not be-
long IN Peltons ward So only one man
under his care was killed BY the explo-
s,on The wounded were taken back 10
their beds. aud the only dead man he
was responsible for be brought 10 the IN
person You must admit that the wound
Ell men knew their own beds.
Stopi | remember now that one OF
the wounded men lay moaning for weeks
and weeks. and never knew until long
a%erward 10 whose kind Offices he owed
his recovery. Then his mother came
from New York and took him away.
You can't argue with me that this self
sacrificing mother. not knowing her own
son. took another man away TO her home
So that disposes Of the question Of iden-
tity which, | am told. has been raised IN
the case. Green was the only man who
left pelton's ward for good that night
Peltons Identification Is therefore COM
plete.
Stop again! have been too fast, and
l have a trifiing confession 10 make. The
case which looks 50 strong 10 me now
did not seem SO then. AT the time
helped to bury Maurice Green did not
see tit 10 depend entirely upon the at
tendant's Identification
presume my own observations made
at the time amount TO nothing. but
may as we'll set them down.
When the powder exploded in the hos
pital the men grouped about the fire
were. for the purpose OF increased
their beds. The blankets bore numbers
corresponding with the numbers of the
beds TO which they belonged When the
body of Maurice Green was brought TO
me his hands still clasped the blanket he
wore ut the time of his death. The num-
Der on that blanket was ninety-nine. The
wardbook showed that the number Of
his bed was ninety-nine.
This satisfied me. | did go 80 far as TO
make an examination Of the dead mans
pockets. but l found them TO be empty.
The clothing which had been brought to
the hospital with him had been destroyed.
and there was no record of the preserva-
ton of any article found on his person.
Now you have all know of the circum-
stances Of Maurice Green's burial.
Now for the second question. What
can remember of the man from New
York? In the first case cant see what
the case Of Private Maurice Green has 10
do with the case of the man from New
York. Perhaps that is no affair of mine.
Whether it is or not will obey orders
Within week Of the time Of the ex-
plosion the roads became passable and
the hospital camp was broken up. There
is 40 knowing how long our sick and
wounded soldiers might have remained
there only for the fact that the building
had been shattered beyond repair by the
accident.
The man from New York was in no
condition to he moved. He was assigned
quarters in a farm house short distance
from the site of the camp, and was de-
tailed to attend him. The prospect was
dreary one for me, but there is no such
thing as a private's having his own way
in the army, and had to make the best
Of it The only ray Of hope had to
cheer me as the soldier guard marched
away was conveyed in the last words Of
the officer making the detail.
Lieutenant Melville's friends will
soon arrive from the east" he said, land
then you can join your regiment"
Owing to the lack Of proper transporta-
ton the young mans relatives did not
reach him until three weeks had passed.
When they did arrive he was still I'M
conscious. They had learned of our ex-
act whereabouts only after visit to the
camping place of the company which
had acted as guard to the hospital With
their instructions for finding the farm
house they had also received some writ
ten orders to b. delivered to me. The
orders were as short as they were disa-
greeable: Stay with your charge SO long
as you can be of use"
said just now that Lieutenant Mel
vile was still unconscious when his rela-
tives arrived. By relatives l mean his
mother and a famous New York surgeon
in some way connected with the family.
He was more than unconscious He was
raving night and day like an insane per-
son. His mother-a pale, aristocratic
lady with perfect manners and a perfect
face-sat by his side nearly q month be-
fore he recognized her.
The morning he regained consciousness
his mother. acting under the directions
OF the surgeon. took his wasted hand in
her own and called his name. The
patients eyes rested inquiringly for a
moment upon the kind face above him
and ARMED away. ! was in another part
OF the room at the time. but the cry Of
anguish that came from the bedside the
next moment told me what had hap
pened. The wounded man, although
seemingly in the full possession of his
senses, had failed to recognize his mother'
The surgeon quoted the mother as
best he might and led her away. Then
| began systematic examination OF the
| invalids shattered mind. For days the
surgeons skillful efforts produced no
hopeful results.
The injured mans brain retained not
one incident Of his life previous to the
time he was struck senselcss by the acct
dent in the hospital. He did not even
remember the occasion of his injury.
/ Lieutenant Melville had been patient
student. and had been regarded in his
regiment az well read man. Now
/ every result OF his early studies had
passed from his mind. He could not
even remember one single event of his
home life. His mind wss an absolute
blank.
AZ last hr snch natient efforts AZ