Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-01
SORROWFUL HOMECOMING
Two Soldier Boys Back From Cuba, One
Dead, the Other III.
John Maupin Brings the Body of His
Brother to Washington for
Burial.

In the receiving vault at Congressional
cemetery lie the remains Of Socrates Maui
pin, late private in Company G of the LIST
| District Regiment, and at 22S East Capitol
street, threatened with typhoid fever, is his
| brother John. 1t is a pathetic story, the
| return of the two brothers, and sadder still
the circumstances which surrounded the
death of one and the deep devotion of the
| other
| When the call for volunteers came John
| and Socrates Maupin were eager to enlist.
| They had read of the suffering Cubans and
| the cowardly work of the Spanish. Both
were athletes, strong. brave and patriotic.
They enlisted in Company A, Light Artil
| lery, and later were transferred to Com
pany G. A number of their friends enlisted
at the same time, and when at length the
boys were ordered into Cuba they wrote
home joyfully in anticipation of fighting for
their country. Shortly after they went to
the front Socrates said, in a careless man.
ner, that he did not feel well. But he was
ioath to complain and for two weeks an
Swered the roll call when he should have
been In the hospital. One night while in
conversation with his comrades he said he
was SO ill that he had to give up but cheer
lily told the boys he would soon be back
with them. He was first taken to the regi-
| mental hospital and later removed to the
division hospital at Santiago.
As soon as he left the company his broth
er John was detailed. at his own request,
as nurse. and up to the time of his death
faithfully ministered to the wants of his
suffering brother. AS the patient grew
weaker he called John to his side one af-
ternoon and told him he had heard that
the District troops would shortly be sent
home, and begged him to leave him and
save himself. But the loyal brother de-
clared he would never leave Cuba without
him. How well he carried out his deter
mination is told in the subsequent chapter
The Hospital Record.
Socrates Maupin died of typhoid fever
at the division hospital in Santiago, Cuba,
August 49, This is the record on the sur
geon's books A short time before he died
he called his brother to his side and told
him he was going to die.
Tell the folks at home not to worry
he added bravely
Then he became delirious, and as the sun
sank behind the hills of the land he had
gone to free the young patriot died-died
as he had lived, brave soldier, devout
Christian, and a loyal, lovable son.
Broken with grief the brother borrowed
a horse from his lieutenant and rode to
the nearest telegraph station and tried to
cable the sad news to the loved ones at
home. But the cable company refused to
send a message unless it prepaid, and
the brother had no funds, since his COM
pany had not been paid off for three
months. He appealed to Colonel HarrieS
and that officer kindly accompanied him
and guaranteed the payment of the mes
sage.
Then came the struggle to get home with
his dead brother, and many stouter heart
would have quailed at the ordeal through
which he saw he must pass. Personally
attending to the preparation of the body,
and obtaining the necessary permit for its
removal, he started on his long journey.
Obstacles We're encountered everywhere.
People were averSe to permitting the body
to pass through. 1t might be that of a yell
low fever Exorbtant fees were re-
quired and paid without n'urmur.
My brother shall not rest in this foreign
land, he kept repeating to himself, and
at last. weary and worn from the awful
experiences through which he passed. he
succeeded in having the remains landed at
Montauk Point. Here another obstacle was
met with. Before the body could be re-
moved the local coroner must be consulted
and certify TO the case. The surgeons GER
tficate that death had been caused by
typhoid fever awaited little, and but for the
kindness of Chaplain Dudley, who rode ten
miles to see the coroner. the body might
still be there.
When the body arrived yesterday after
noon, it was taken at once to Congressional
cemetery and placed in the receiving vault
from where it will be buried at Arlington
this afternoon.
Back to Saddened Home.
John went back to his home on East Cap
itol street, from where only short time
ago he and his brother had cheerfully gone
1Ortn. He pore up bravery uUIll night, anu
then came the reaction. A doctor i'm
mediately summoned and said he feared he
had typhoid fever. Meanwhile he enjoined
perfect rest and quiet.
There is SadneSS-deep, genuine SORROW
in East Washington Soc" Maupin, the
pride of the athletes, the star of the East
ern High Schools foot ball team, had re-
turned, but he came back to be with them
no more. He was their idol, and his popu-
larity was not confined to a narrow circle.
His big, honest face and loyal heart were
stilled by death. No more will his cheering
words of courage be heard by his COM
rades. They had lost daring athlete, a
lovabIe leader and a devoted friend.
Every one who knew. Soc Maupin
speaks in the highest terms of him. His
wonderful influence over his foot ball team,
of which he was captain, has been remark
sors, after watching him, expressed the
wish that he himself might exert the same
power over the boys.
The Dead Soldier.
Socrates Maupin was one OF family of
eight boys. He was born in Lynchburg,
Va, nineteen years ago, but moved to this
city with his family at early age. He
attended the Brent School and was quite
favorite with his teachers. He entered the
Eastern High School last year. He was
member of the Metropolitan Baptist
Church of East Washington.
The funeral will take place this afternoon
at o'clock. The pallbearers will be his
school friends-George Brown, L. c. Covell,
V. Potter Edward De Grain, r. D. Evans
and Lucien Stark.