The Newtown bee., 1901-01-18

LlcuUECIlllUll WcIlU W UilC AIlIpplHCo
year ago last November, arriving
there in December, and was assigned
to duty with the 18th Infantry on the
north coast of the Luzon, being station
ed at Dagupan. He suffered an acute
attack of appendicitis in October last,
and, getting little better, was taken
to the hospital at Manila. He was
desperately anxious to come home to
the United States and have an Oper-
alton performed by an eminent New
York specialist, and applied for leave
for that purpose, but was informed
that the military authorities could
not spare him and that he could be
operated upon there.
The last letter received by f. FL.
Smith from his son was dated Nov
ember 30 last, and was written at the
First Reserve Hospital, Manila. In
this he indicated his intention to
undergo an operation, writing as fol-
lows:
"After recovering to a certain de-
gree, progress seems to have stopped,
and still use a cane to get around a
bit, with intermittent attacks of fever
and pain about my appendix.
hoped to obtain at least an ordinary
leave to go to the,United States for op-
Grafton, but have had to give up the
idea, and while the facilities here for
surgical work are not by any means
all could wish. the probable existence
of an abdominal abscess makes it dan
gerous to delay operative interference.
| expect, therefore, to be operated up
on next Monday, which means, at the
best, three weeks of confinement to
bed. 1t is naturally a source of worry
to Jessie and confoundedly annoying
cable has not told you otherwise you
may expect me to be about again all
right when you get this letter"
Mr. Smith naturally imagined that
his son had successfully undergone the
operation, and WAS awaiting a letter
telling him SO when the shocking news
of the death reached him. The Jessie
alluded to in the young mans letter
was his wife, formerly Miss Jessie
Nesbitt, daughter of ID. NJ. Nesbitt
of Colleg, Park, Md, who joined her
husband in the Philippines Immediate
ly after he reached there, following by
the first steamer leaving after he had
departed.
Lieutenant Smith was thirty years
old, and was widely known in this city,
where his boyhood and youth were pass
ed. lie received his medical educa ton
at the College Of Physicians and Sur
geons Of New York, and spent post
graduate year in Vienna. lie devoted
a year to private practice in this city,
and was then appointed, five years ago,
an assistant surgeon in the army, with
the rank of lieutenant. He WAS re-
garded as one of the most capable, eff
cient and valuable of the younger
members of the medical corps Of the
army.
lie was Il member of the Cuban eXpe-
dition, and the first man to land, 60
ing ashore with thirty men of the hos
pital service to build shore hospital.
He was at the front during the fights
around Santiago, and came home on
the first transport; bringing wounded
from the island. Upon his return he
was given complete charge of the re-
construction of the general hospital on
Bedloe' S Island, and received unstinted
praise for his work in this connection.
Ills career in the Philippines attract
ed the notice and inspired the warm
admiration of his superiOrS in author
ity. Although an assistant surgeon,
ranking as lieutenant, his duties have
been those usually dcvolving upon a
captain or major. lie was acting brig
AIDE surgeon while at Dagupan, as we'll
as health officer of the port, and last
year formulated the plans which were
carried ont with eminent success by
WhichI250, OO) natives were vaccinated.
DR. Smiths body will be forwarded
on the Sheridan, which is due in San
Francisco the 9th or 10th of February.
Mrs Smith will come by the same
steamer Wasllington(D C,)Star.] Mr.
Smith is the nephew Of \. NJ. Smith
Of this town.
THE VITAL STATISTICS BIRTHS.
January %, son to Mrand Mrs Charles
II. IIOtchkiSs.
18th, daughter to Mr. and Mrs Frank
Susky.
February ,, daughter to Mr. and Mrs
Oscar Swanson.
9TH, son to Mr. and Mrs Ernest E.
Brown.
9th. son to Mr. and Mrs Thomas ID.
Conncrty.
18th, daughter to Mr. and Mrs
IIeman q. Avcrin.
Goth. son to Mr. and Mrs Robert w.
Suuires.
2lst, daughter to Mr. and Mrs Ed
ward O. ScOville.
March :, daughter to Mr. and Mrs
George y. Sclmiedel.
18th, son to Mr. and Mrs Carl Bader.
18th, son to Mr. and Mrs John Are
JUS.
NJ NJ ;,l>, -