The times., 1898-09-01
TREATED LIKE A DOG"
Dying Words of u Soldier of the
American Army.

Dying Words of "a Soldier of the
American Army.
New York Aug. 3l.-Some of the battle
SCARED veterans of the Seventy first Regi-
ment who took part in the triumphal pa
rade of Monday marched through the
streets again yesterday, but there was no
cheering this time, for they marched
alongside a hearse containing the body OF
comrade in arms.
The funeral was that of John p Mess
er. member of the Seventy-first's hos
pital corps. He had survived the perils
OF Santiago only 10 succumb to typhoid
at Governors Island while friends were
on the way to take him to his home.
sMesser was twenty-one years old and
joined Company H about two years ago.
He was a veterinary surgeon, having
been graduated from a college shortly
before the beginning of hostilities With
his regiment he went to the front.
! Viii e away in Cuba he wrote home sew
eral times telling of the suffering caused
/ by lack of food, but he endured the pri-
] vations, with wonderful 20 -titude Camp
! Wikoff he found To be not much betetr
4 than Santiago. Although in m 1arative-
| ly good health when he arrived, he was
soon stricken with typhoid, and he was
/ transferred TO Fort Columbus, Governors
Island. in a critical condition.
While at Camp Wikoff his friends tried
to see Kim. but, for some unexplained rea-
! son, they were told that young Messer
! had died In Cuba. Finally it was learned
/ That Aesser was at Fort Columbus
Max Miller. of No. 81 Fourth Avenue
/ where Messer lived when he started for
the 'front.' went to Governors Island last
Fricay At first he was denied permis-
SION 10 see his soldier friend, but he in
/ sisted ana was allowed to go in. Messer
! recognized him. but was too weak to talk
He only gasped. I've been treated IKE a
/ dog! So far as his friends know those
/ We're the dying soldiers last words.
Miller was told if he wanted To take
! Messer away 10 come The next day. bur
| not before o'clock in the afternoon
when ne and the young soldiers father
arrived they were told that Nesser had
died at l2:45 o'c'ock
Arrangements were at once noada %
give the young hero a military funeral.
Services were held yesterday afternoon
at the home of his grandfather Andrew,
Busch, No 433 West Forty-fourth Street
a detail of six men. five of whom had
been through the Cuban campaign with
Messer. was sent to the house as a
guard of honor and eleven recruits were
detailed as a firing squad
Young Messer was engaged to be mar
ried to Miss Elizabeth Speers. of No. 81
Fourth Avenue. She was almost hys-
terical throughout the services. Her
grief was pitiful.
The firing squad led the fuenral cor
tege, which passed along Forty-fourth
Street TO Broadway, thence TO Thirty
fourth Street and down that thorough
fare to the Long Island city ferry. pass
ing the armory Of the Seventy-first. from
whach young Messer had marched less
than four months ago on his way 10 the
! front.
All along the route pedestrians raver-
emily uncovered, and stood barehead ed
as the cortege passed Many persons
were in tears.
In front Of the arrory the guard OF
honor left the procession.
The intermert was in Lutheran Gene
terry After prayer by the Rev Mr.
Dalman. three 70 leys were fired over
the young hero's grave. the bugleI
sounding taps and all was over.