The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-01-13

by his fellow cadets, was a brother of Maj w W.
Bell OF Chicago and an uncle OF Lillian Bell. the
writer When Lillian Bell wrote her story The
Under Side Of Things" with its pathetic ending she
wove the tale about the career OF her uncle Lieut.
Bell. and gave to the story the depth of pathos
that truth compelled.
One OF James Z. Bells classmates AT West Point
once said that when man fighting with an.
other man he had something to graphic with but
that when n man was fighting disease the disease
did all tho graphing. You can't wound disease
adversary Against him parry and thrust are moth.
Ing AdjutantGen. Z. n. Townsend once said that
In all his army career he had never known such
honors 20 be paid TO a subaern offered to
the memory NJ First Lieut.. James f. Bell Two
general orders were issued from headquarters OF
the army, each paying tribute to the devotion of the
young officer Of artillery who had died on the Dry
TOrtueas OF yellow fever.
Fort jefferson tho Tortugas in August of the
year 1873 was garrsoned by Battery NJ First Unit.
ed States artillery. Outside OF the surgeons there
was only one officer Lieut. Bell at the post Cant l. T.
LanEdon had been granted a leave OF absence To %
north to the bedside Of his dying father On August %
yellow fever appeared at the post Within days four
Of the garrison had died Upon tho first announcement
OF the appearance OF the Lieut. Bell sent all the
women and children and OF the married men IN
an island three miles away Within day or two he
sent to the same place nearly all the well men of the
garrison retaining only enough to nurse the sick
There could have been criticism Of Bells course hpd
he with the garrison leaving sick to the care
Of the surgeons and He stayed devoted him.
self to the of the sick in the hospital assisted Inv
the men who had volunteered
The heat was fearful There pound OF ice
the island and many OF the deaths that followed ono
after another due to the lack of this necessity
There were 20 cases OF the fever and for whole
and nights continuously the devoted lieutenant the sur.
geons and the nurses knew no rest With their own
hands they dug the graves for the dead and with their
own lips repeated over them the burial service
Capt. Langdon In the far north heard Of the yellow
fever at Fort Jefferson lie instantly reinquIshcd his
leave of absence and FASTENED return to his station
Some months before the outbreak fever Lieut. Bel
had put In application to be detailed 40 instructor of
military science at the University Vermont The ap-
picaton had been granted and Capt Langdon hurryng
south to join his command carried in his pocket the or.
der relieving Lieut. Bell from duty Fort Jefferson and
detailing him for work In Vermont Langdon reached his
post. He called In his first lieutenant said 81 have
here orders transferring you Immediately to Vermont
You have done noble work here There is no reason
why you should stay longer You have been through
enough Of the awful thing. Go"
Bell said: Captain. don't the order. II read
It suppose shall have to obey simply because It is
order You keep in your pocket until the fever
over and then III read It and 60"
Langdon shook hands with him
Bell went with his work In a few days he felt
the hot hand of the scourge on his brow He went to
cia letter the assistant Acknowledgement at headquar.
tiers of the Department OF the Cult Holly Springs. Miss
II was long letter, covering many pages. There
Bells heart that day the fear that he might die and
leave undone act of duty to others He cherished
thought of the loyalty of the surgeons and the enlisted
who had so noby performed their duties the sick