The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-07
FORTESCUE'S A MAN OF MIGHT
COLLEGE TALES OF SOLDIER WHO
STOPPED DIR. HOUGHTON'S CAB.
Just Been Promoted First Lieutenant, u. n.
Cavalry-Served in ROngh Riders
-StepsOn OF Robert ID. Roosevelt,
the Presidents Uncle, and Son
Of the Late Marion n. FOracscue,


-stepsOn OF Robert ID. Roosevelt.
the Presidents Uncle, and Son
OF the Late Marion 4. Fortescue.
The soldier who left the young woman
he was escorting and stopped the Rev.
DIR. Houghton's runaway cab horse in Fifth
avenue Wednesday afternoon is better
known to New York as "Rolly" Fortescue,
perhaps, than as First Lieut.. Granville
Roland Fortescue of the Fourth Cavalry.
He is stepson Of Robert b. Roosevelt,
uncle OF the President. The pluck and
strength he exhibited while the horse was
dragging him about on the pavement have
been shown before on college campus, on
football field and in the army In Cuba and
in the Philippines. Lieut.. Fortescue came
East on furlough short time ago to
attend the Roosevelt family reunion which
Robert b, Roosevelt brought about at his
country place at Sayville l.. |.
"Rolly" Fortescue is thick set, but decep-
lively short and does not give outward
signs of his remarkable strength He
is now about 20 years old. When he went
to Yale the feeling against hazing was very
high A Texas youth of his class had made
himself obnoxious to his fellows to such
an extent that il was decided that nothing
but hazing would acomate him. The
class leaders conferred and agreed that the
Texan ought to be hazed and "Rolly' volun-
teered to do it alone and in his own way.
That night when the Texan was asleep
Fortescue went to his room armed with an
old horse pistol, which had been loaded
up with a lot of junk calculated to increase
the sound OF the gunpowder He stood
tn.a ,Nf I., "a, bod t,.,l
the pistol into the headboard. The Texan
spraDg out of bed i'll supreme terror and
was marched in his night clothes around
the campus while Yale looked on.
The faculty took up the case. Fortescue
admitted his guilt and that ended his career
at Yale His stepfather never offered
a word of criticism, saying he was glad that
.Roly' had owned up Fortescue then pre-
pared for the University of Pennsylvania.
He was anxious above all to play football,
and before the time came for him to enter
Pennsylvania he began to train himself
to make the team
In the woods on the Roosevelt place at
Sayvlle he fitted up tackling apparatus.
II consisted of a railroad tie hung from
the limb of a tree so that 1t just cleared the
ground The tie was padded with leather.
Here Fortescue worked violently every day,
tackling the tie until he was black and blue
and the woot1 echoed his snorts and sounds
of struggle,
Then this ball of muscles went to college
When the coach called for volunteers for
the team he stepped out on the field. Among
the giants of that year he was almost lost
and the coach singing him out told him
he wouldn't do.
Not big enough" said the coach.
Wouldn't do for tackle,
Yes, | would" insisted Fortescue.
What could you tackle?' asked the coach
in amusement.
well might tackle you. said Fortescue.
In the scrub lineup that afternoon For
tescue tackled the coach and threw him
with such force that he was laid up for
three days. While the coach was nursing
his bumps he changed his mind about
Fortescues unavaiIability and Fortescue
got on the team
He did not stay to be graduated from
Pennsylvania. War had broken out in Cuba
and he left college hastily and joined the
Cubans Afer a short experience there he
he came back to America and on May 8,
1898, was appointed corporal of Troop b
First United States Volunteer Cavalry
out on Sept Is, 1893. He still hankered
for fighting and on July S, 1890, was APP
pointed First Lieutenant of the Twenty
sixth Volunteer Infantry He went to
the Philippines, serving with his regiment
until March Is, 1901 He Joined the
Lieutenant Of the Fourth Cavalry. He
has Just been promoted 20 First Lieu
tenant after year of study at Fort Leave
worth and will at the expiration of his
furlough rejoin his regiment.
Lieut. Fortescue has the blood Of the
O'Sheas in him. His mother, Marion T.
Fortescue, born in Tipperary. was sister
of j Augustin OShea, who WIS war corre-
spondent Of the London Standard and a
cousin Oft p. Gill NJ P. Fer first husband
r. F Fortescue, was of English descent.
She was known in New York as n clever
writer and n poet when she married Mr.
Roosevelt She died last year,
Lieut.. FortescIe is a born horseman
and in the cavalry has demonstrated hs
control over high-tempered animals. His
fellow officers say that on horseback he
makes a striking military figure,
"Did YOU ever see Phil Sherdanp' asked
an old gentleman who has watched For
tescue grow up from childhood, "the boys
the living picture Of him"