Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-03-27
MAJ. ROWLEY DEAD:
WIS ILL ONE WEEK
SECOND OF SOLDIERS HOME STAFF
TO DIE SINCE FIRST OF
THE YEAR
INTERMENT IN NEW YORK.
Had Been in Important Campaigns Dur
ing Civil War, Serving Until
the End
VICTIM OF PTOMAINE POISONING.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. March 49,
Major William w Rowley, quarter
master of the Soldiers home for the last
nineteen years and well known in Grand
Army and Loyal Legion circles in Wis
consin, died at 9 o'clock this morning.
He had been critically i'll for a week
and became unconscious Wednesday.
With the exception of brief lapses
into consciousness, he remained I'M
conscious until death this morning.
Since Wednesday night of last week,
Maj. RoWley had been under the con-
slant care of Drs. Krcisler, Comfort and
Akerlcy Of the hospital staff at the Sol
dierS' home.
The death Of Maj Rowley closely fol-
lows that of Maj j. Z. Armitage, for
many years treasurer and second III COM
mand to Gov. Cornelius Wheeler of the
home. He is survived only by Mrs.
Rowley.
Hold Funeral on Saturday.
Complete arrangements for the flu
neral nave not been made but it is
probable that services will be held at
the residence on the home grounds on
Saturday. Rev. L. Purdon Wright,
Episcopal chaplain at the home, will
oficiate. Interment will take place at
the former home of Maj. Rowley in
New York state.
Maj. Rowley was born in Genesee
county, New York, June %, 1884, and
received Il liberal education. Shortly
after outbreak of hostilities between the
north and south he became first lieu
tenant of Co. + of the Twenty-eighth
New York regiment Of volunteer in
fantry, being mustered into service at
Albany, n. Y.
In August of the same year he be-
came chief of corps of acting signal of
ficers in Gen. Banks division. He
served in this capacity through the cam
paigus Of Shenandoah valley ana the
department of the gulf
Saw Active Fighting.
He received his commission as a cap
tain i'll July, 1862. Until the end of the
war he saw active service and much
fighting. He took part in the battles Of
KearnSSt1Wn. Front Royal, Winchester
Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, An
tietam, and others in the department of
the gulf.
Following the war Maj. Rowley took
up the practice of law and resided first
at Buffalo and then in New York city.
Nineteen years ago he was appointed
quartermaster Of the national home in
Milwaukee and took up his residence
mere. From the first he took an active
part III the Wisconsin cOmmandery of the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion. He
was elected junior vice commander of
the Wisconsin cOmmandery in 1898 and
in 1906 served as commander.
Suffers Ptomaine Poisoning
For several years Maj. Rowley had
been sufferer from kidney trouble. but
despite his illness he remained at work
almost continually with the exception Of
a few weeks last year when he was CON
fined to his home. On Wednesday even
ing of last week he took dinner at the
Milwaukee Athletic club, of which he
was a member. Returning home he was
taken violently i'll.
4 understand that Maj. Rowley suf-
fercd from ptomaine poisoning" said
Gov. Wheeler of the Soldiers home this
morning, but his death is not attrib-
uted to that cause. For several years
Maj. Rowley had been constant suf-
ferer from kidney trouble, and his death
was not unexpected"
B. +. Locke, steward Of the Milwau-
kee Athletic club. when told of the death
of Mai. Rowiey, was emphatic in saying
that ptomaine poisoning could not pos
siby have been caused by food served
at the club.
I'VE have made it an unbrokcn rule
never to serve canned meats or frozen
meats of any kind" said Mr. Locke Il
am absolutely confident that Maj. Row
ley'S illness was in no way connected
with his having taken dinner here last
week"