The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-17
Will Soon Rest
at Home.
SECOND REGIMENT
Martyrs to Be Brought
Back From Cuba.

Springfield, Nov. 16-An important
was held here today by those
interested in bringing home the bodies
of the dead soldiers from cuba. Five
members of the committee from Wor-
cester attended the meeting They were
Mayor Rufus B. Dodge, Jr, julius c.
zaeder, Alderman A. A. Rheutan, Capt.
P. L. Rider and Fred T. Dean.
The bodies Of the Worcester soldiers
are the only ones that have been
brought home. and consequently the
members of the committee from the
western part of the state were much
interested in the account that was Civ 7
en- of the expedition in search of them
that has recently been successfully
completed by Mr.. Dean, in company
with Frank e. Sessions. Mr.. Dean told
the members present of the facts that
had been learned and the valuable in
formation gained from this initial trip,
and related the efforts that he and Mr.
Sessions had made to locate the graves
of other Second regiment men.
While in Cuba the last time the
located, and it is merely a matter of
another expedition when they too, will
be brought back to rest in the soil of
| their own country: Sergt r. H
Bearse, Company B; A D. Stewart,
Company c.; Joseph Bonneville. Com
pany d; Robert F. Clark, William l..
Pike, Gus Halberg, Company e; Fred
S. Stetson, Company G; Harvey R. At
kins, Alfred n. Bellville, Eugene r.
MI L 7
Sergt. A. c. Hail. Corp. George nj.
Brooks, jeremiah j. Sullivan, John
Tyne, Jr., Company L; James M.
Smith, Richard W. Bruce, William H
Corkwell, Benjamin Riley, Company
M; Henry Sullivan, Company G, Ninth,
and Ragner Melin, Company l, Ninth
large number of representatives.
We're present from towns in which
companies Of the regiment are located,
among them being members of the
committee from Greenfield, Athol, Mon
tague, Fitchburg, Orange and several
other places. in addition to Worcester
and Springfield. Among those present
was Congressman Gillett, vi no spoke in
favor of the project to have all bodies
of the dead soldiers now inferred in
foreign lands returned to their homes.
He volunteered his hearty co-opera-
ton with the movement and gave it as
llo OpAlllOIl tIldL Tie expense OF Lne
transportation should and would be
borne by the government He thought
| that 1t would be possible to make ar
| rangements with the navy department
whereby the work can be done with all
most no delay in transportation as
we'll as much more cheaply than here
| tofore.
| 1t was determined that another ex-
petition should be gotten under way
as soon as it is possible to do so. Fred
2. Dean is willing to go again although
he has been advised by his friends not
to do so. This will make the third time
that Mr.. Dean has been to Cuba this
year, and there is no doubt that the
next trip will be a hard one for him.
He desires to go, however, and as his
services are almost indispensable in To-
eating the bodies, there is no doubt
that he will be one of the next party
1t was decided that the party should
be made up of Captain P. l.. Rider, DR.
Clarence w. Whitaker and Mr.. Dean.
They will be accompanied by two Wor-
cester grave diggers and undertakers,
who will take charge of the work OF
exhuming the bodies. Frank e. SEES
siong will not accompany this expedi-
ton, nor will A. A. Rheutan, who was
expected to do so. Mr.. Rheutan made
up his mind not to go yesterday and
tee. He was Influenced by personal
reasons solely in coming to this con-
clusion, and in the opinion of his
friends has done well in so determin-
ing. Mr. Rneutans health and years
do not fit him for the hardships of the
trip, and it is not essential that he
should go in order TO ensure the success
of the project.
No time. has been decided upon for
the departure of the party. The COM
mittee desires to secure the Solace, the
transport on which the other party
Travelled when bringing home the bod
les Of Lieutenant Benchley and the 9TH
er Worcester soldiers that were brought
by Messrs. Sessions and Dean for the
transportation of this second party
when it is ready to 60 The only OBJ
lection to the plan is that the Solace, |
like the other government boats, does
not go directly to Santiago but stops
at Porto Rico. and makes stays of sew
eral days each in one or two ports of
that islahu. What the committee desire |
to do is TO make arrangements with |
the navy department whereby a. trans |
port can be secured to go directly to |
Santiago and return. Secretary Long I
has been communicated with a view to
having such an arrangement made, and |
Congressman Gillett is of the opinion
that this will be done. In that case the |
committee viii make EFFORTS to have |
the. Solacc placed at their disposal as |
they regard this transport as one of
he lest of all for their purposes. AS
soon as Secretary Long is heard from
lie plans for the new expedition viii |
be carried out with the greatest posi- |
Bile rapidity.
The committee We're unanimous in
their expressions of appreciation Of the
work that Fred p. Dean has done in re-
covering the bodies of his dead COM
rades. Thus Far he has received moth
ing for his services, but now that he
has been mustered out of the United |
Statns service and is regaining his /
strength and otherwise becoming able
to pursue his ordinary vocations, the
committee think that he should NOT be
asked to serve them for nothing. No
action was taken on this matter, but
the sentiment was strongly manifested /
in favor Of making Mr.. Dean some sub
stantial return for his services, that he
will no doubt be well rewarded for the
part he may take in the next expedi-
ton.