Evening star., 1898-11-11

neNpectediy Succumbed to yellow
Fever ut Havana.

- Adjutant General Corbin received a mas
sage this morning from General Wade
chairman of the Cuban evacuation commits
sion at Havana. saying that Lieutenant
Colonel Charles W. Williams. deputy quar-
termaster general. died there this morning
from yellow fever.
The announcement of the death of this
officer caused considerable surprise at the
War Department, inasrluch as all the re-
ports of his case received up to this morn
ing indicated that he was improving in
health. Consequently. the news of his
Leath was a great shock to the officials
Who had booked for his recovery. especially
As Captain Foraker who was stricken
iown with the disease about the same time
Is now fully restored to health and back
again on duty.
Lieutenant Colonel Williams was the
youngest officer in his grade being only
about forty live years of age. and was re-
sardrd as certain of becoming quartermas-
ter general in the course Of a few wears
ne was a native OF Kentucky and was ap-
pointed 10 the Military Academy from that
State He was graduated July / 1STI and
tfter four years service as second Iiauten-
ant in IN" 18th Infantry. Has appointed to
the quaTI~rmaster' department. with the
rank OF captain He became lieutenant col
hne! and deputy quartermaster general in
February last, and was assigned to the
rank Of colonel July II. 1SgS.
ne "a> IN charSe or the quartermaSter'S :
depot at IeherSOnviile. Ind, from 1877 10
october IL, when ne proceeded to Havana
under orders 10 assume charge of the priu-
tlpal depot of the quart erTnastcr's deDart-
neHt to be established at that place He
mad been there a few days only when he
was stricken down with the disease which
terminated fatally this morning
Ills wife - the niece Of ex-senator Cor
hpn OF Georgia. and is temporarily residing
IN this city. The sad news of the death ~
lIrfS.
General Ludlow. who happened to be an the
var Department at the time of the RECENT
OF General Wdde's telegram
colonel Williams took with him to Ha
Sana TWO clerks who had served with him
al JcnerSonVille, and they were also strick
en down with yellow fever about the same
time he was. Word was received AT the
ONCE OF the qUartermaster general tbis
afternoon that one of them-Stewart nv
tame-died this morning shortly after Coi
Williams bTeathed his last. As nothing
was said as To the condition of the other
clerk, whose name is ColweII il is assumed
that he is still alive.
The quartsrmaster department is con-
siderably embarrassed by the mortality in
It's principal depot in Havana and trans
pOrtation business there will be badly ham
Dered unless immediate relief is afforded
Although the department Is Ioath TO send
officers and men 10 that fever-stricken dis
trict, il is realized that il must be done in
spite OF the risks. in execution of the
t-'NA'7 VI ti4' government 10 take Tnlltary
possession of the entire Island of Cuba on
br before the LIST of January In view of
the important work TO be done in the mat
Ter Of transporting and quartering United
states troops on the island and the es-
Enlistment Of military headquarters in
Havana. IT VIII be necessary to I'LL the
Facanctes In the quartermasters depot
saused by the death of Colonel William
tnd MS assistants at once. In making the
detail. care will be taken to select officers
who are immune to the tropical fevers IL
such can be found II may be necessary to
rall for volunteers