Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-08
WHERE is JOSEPH DiETZ?
A Private Of Company N, District Regiment,
n BE- Missing.
His Father Rccites a Singular COM
bination of Circumstances
1Aeu.Aat,ns the Case.

At the meeting lof the District Volunteers
Aid Association. held last Wednesday even
Ing in Arnoory Hall. inquiries for news
about relatives in the regiment were made
by several-of the members. and among
these who spoke was Mr.. Louis H. Dietz
OF ia 1th street southwest, who stated that
his son, Joseph w. Dietz was member Of
Company NJ. commanded by Capt. r. c.
Jacobs, and that while stationed at Tampa
Fla, owing to iii health, he applied, on
June 10, to the War Department for his
discharge. which, the authorities said
would be granted and forwarded to him as
soon as they could act on his case.
On the 2Ota OF July the department sent
MIN his paoars. and al the same time sent
copy of them to his family. and they no.
ticed the clause which read. This
soldier is not entitled to travel
pay. They went at once to the
department to find out If he was not
to be sent home by the government, and
was told that CT course he would get trans
pcrtation. In the meantime his company
was sent to Santiago, and his discharge
reached him there or the 9th of August.
and he wrote the sth of August TO his
family acknowledging the receipt of it.
This note did not reach his family until the
goth of August. Not hearing anything from
ms son for about month after his dis
charge had been sent out letter was sent
II Col. HarrieS while he was in Santiago,
put as this letter written about the
hth OF August. it is presumed that 1t did
not reach Santiago before the embarkation
Of the regiment. on the Goth Of August, as
no reply has been received. When the first
consignment of the regiment reached Mon
tauk, which included Company NJ. a letter
was sent to Gen. Wheeler for information
and he replied that he had inquired and
found that the last day he had been seen
by MS commander was the 10th of August
the day of embarka ton of the regiment
on the transport Hudson.
Hearing of the arrival in this city on fur
Tough of Corp. Nef of Company NJ Mr..
Dletz called Sunday. August 2S. to see him.
ana learned that the last he had seen of
Diet- was August 20 when the regiment
was going aboard the transport Hudson
and, being too i'll to get aboard without as
sistance, young Dietz. with the aid of a
Stevedore, had put him aboard. After this
Dietz remained on the Hudson. intending to
return home with his company, but he was
not allowed to do this because of having
received his discharge. although the
department had distinctly said he would be
furnished transportation on the following
thursday September /, Col. Ward of the
war department was seen, and he said he
would communicate With the commanders
at Montauk. but no answer has Vet been
received. Mr.. Dietz Is naturally mech
alarmed. In his last ccmmunicat ton home
MS son said that ne had gone into the city
essary subsistence
Mr. Dietz does rot know but that his boy
may be penniless in a foreign country or
perhaps lying i'll in scme of the Santiago
hospitals although hen he was last seen
ms heaith was compare tiVely good. Still.
the strain of anxiety and anguish If mini
when the family arc suffering can he real
lzed' a letter has Teen sent to Santiago to
Gen Lawton asking hin. to make inquiries
ana ne was also reqUe sted TO post up ad-
Vcrtisemenss if he failed to receive jnfor-
nation thrapgh the ordinary channels
lie earnestly hpped that some one may
IN some way be able to give some informa-
ticn abouththis perpexing case. At the
conclusion ssf hisrremarks resolution was
ofered that the executive committee take
Immediate action.