The evening times., 1898-11-05
made WORSE BY NEGLECT
Sufferings of Stephen Easton,
of the Rough Riders.
HIS MIND WAS UNBALANCED
The Explosion of Shell Over His
Head at Santiago Deprived Him of
speech and Heartng-Lost for Near
1y a MoHEa i'm New York-Found
by Friends, Who Cared for Him.


Shortly after the outbreak of the Span.
ish-American war Stephen Easton, a pop
| ular young teacher of Spanish In Sante
Fe, n. NJ, enlisted In Rooseyelts regi-
! ment of Rough Riders, then being re-
/ cruited largely in the Southwest He was
strong, handsome and full of enthusiasm.
Last Wednesday afternoon, deaf and
dumb as the result of the explosion of a
| shell over his head while fighting on San
Juan hill; emaciated and his mind weak
, ened from fever and the neglect of army
hospital surgeons, he was placed on a
train at the Baltimore and Ohio depot
and started for home by charitable
friends, who found him three weeks ago
in St. Elizabeth's Insane Asylum.
Easton's case is one of the many sad
ones which have grown out of official
cruelty and neglect during the late con-
fict. At almost any time since the fal!
of Santiago his sufferings could have
been alleviated, but through the care
lessness Of army officials he was shifted
about from one hospital to another, in
Tampa and New York, and was lost N
| the latter place for almost a month, until
he was finally located by couple Of
comrades.
He was in six skirmishes and battles In
Cuba, and was one of the bravest and
most daring young fellows In his com
!! pany. His clothing was perforated with
bullet holes before the campaign was
over, but fortunately he received on.y
slight scratches until the last memorable
charge of the Rough Riders, when Il
Spanish shell exploded directly over his
head. The shock rendered him sense
less. and he was left for dead.
When he partially recovered conscious
ness he managed TO crawl to the rear
where he was found and carried 10 a
field hospital His mind was shattered,
however and he could neither hear nor
utter a sound. The fever attacked hln'
and he lay at Siboney until he was able
10 be sent to Tampa. There ne was
placed in one OF the hospitals, the exist
ence of which has turned the war for
humanity into a national scandal.
4is treatment there. he has declared
was so inhuman that 1t almost madoeheu
him TO think of it. At Tampa his ideh-
titv was lost and when he was sent TO
New York, to one of the hospitals there'
no one knew anything of him.
For twenty-eight days he lay N the
hospital, while his friends at home were
making strenuous but vain efforts to To-
cate him. They finally appealed to some
of his comrades in New York and 4
search was instituted. The hospitals were
gone through, and the search was reward
ed by the discovery of the weakened
deaf and dumb remnant of the young SOL
dier.
His mind was then apparently affected,
and he was sent by the War Department
10 the Government insane asylum here.
After he entered that institution he be
gan to grow better. although he mad
horror of the place, and insisted that he
was perfectly sane. He had no difficulty
in making himself understood by writing,
and could only be communicated with in
that way.
About a month ago Mrs. c. ". Clarke,
of a d Street southeast, whose daughter
resides in Sante Fe, and who has .oent
some time in that city herself. received
a letter from the young man S friends.
asking her to look for him. She had Elet
him several times in Sante Fe. and readily
undertook the task. After much trouble
she learned that he was i'll in st. Eliza
beth's. and called there
the physician IN cLarBe gave PERMISSION
to see Easton, and much TO her surprise
he recognized her and communicated with
her in writing in a perfectly rational
manner She remained at the asylum all
afternoon, talking to him, and couple
of days afterward had him taken for a
drive.
He was so reluctant to return to the IN
stitution after the drive, expressing such
horror of the place and its inmates,
that she determined 10 effect his release,
If possible, and care for him herself until
she could secure his discharge.
DR.. Godding who is at the head of the
asylum. co-operated with her, and she
finally obtained permission to take him
from the hospital. Last week she ar
ranged for his discharge. which she
finally secured on Wednesday, with back
pay due him, and he left Immediately for
his home in Santa Fe, where he will ar
rive Sunday morning.
Easton expressed himself as well
pleased with his treatment at the asylum.
but was bitter in his resentment of the
inhuman neglect which characterized the
other hospitals. He is much improved in
mind, and II is thought that he will en-
tirely recover his mental balance, al
though it is doubtful If he ever recovers
either his hearing or speech.
He is very popular in Santa Fe. where
his family is we'll known. His father was
one of the oldtime characters of the
State. and drove a stage in Arizona and
New Mexico. He was known as wild
Hank" and was famous for his dashing
courage and recklessness.
Montgoner Anti-sa1ooH League.