The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-11-27

tramped out. mere Is HoL d lever
plagued hole in the country that
wouldn't have at least regiment alb
sorbing malaria on its outskirts if it
could.
Having obtained a camp, a city
works il for all it is worth. The big
business r9en sell to the government
for all the traffic viii bear. The lit
tie ones gouge the private soldiers.
The big thief will take thousand,
ten thousand or million excess
profit from his over-taxed nation; the
little thief will charge a private sol
der a nickel for rotten apple.
Against such exactions, the soldiers
are as helpless as babies. Their Of
ficers are not much better off. They
are all dependent on the civilian con-
science.
A little over ten days ago, the
macon City Hospital Commission, !"
whatever that is, "acting on Governor
Cats alarming reports, visited Camp
Wheeler to offer the new hospital, one
of the largest and best equipped in
the South, to the Thirty-frst division.
The commission made a thorough in
spection and issued a statement say
ing that the percentage of sickness
is remarkably low; that not case
has developed from local conditions;
that conditions were better than ex-
pected' and that the officers at the
base hospital have arranged to take
care of the patients very we'll
These men must have been lying,
for shortly after that time James
Leitner was taken to the hospital, and
eight days after the commissions
visit, he died of neglect. Also, since
then the number of deaths in the
hospital, as shown by the Associated
Press reports, has been sometimes as
high as four a day.
Funeral of Sergeant Leitner
The funeral of Sergeant James E..
Leitner was held at the Anthony
cemetery Monday afternoon. 1t was
attended by hundreds of people,
many going out from Ocala. The
death of the young soldier had been
announced in the Ocala churches Sun
day night and the people of our little
city were deeply grieved, many of
them knowing Sergeant Leitner as a
personal friend.
The funeral services were conduct
ed by Rev. C. A. Sanders of Anthem!
and Rev. r. Strickland of Oak. Sew
eral beautiful hymns were sung by a
choir from Ocala, consisting of Rev.
j. R. Herndon, Mrs. McIver, Mr..
Frank Gates and his sister, Miss
Mary.
All passed the casket for a last
look at their friend. The features of
the dead soldier were wasted and
drawn. He had evidently suffered
greatly.
The grief of the bereaved ones was
sorrowful to witness, and even the
strongest men found it hard to keep
dry eyes when the father broke down
and sobbed with his head bowed on
his dead boys coffin.
The grave was dug at the foot of
young and growing oak tree, which
will make a noble monument in the
years to come. The coffin was care
fully and revently laid in it's resting
place, the earth heaped upon it and
the gathering slowly and sadly dis
persed.
The Star reporter saw Sergeant
Leitner's sister, Mrs. Robert Bruce
Dyall, who reached his bedside in
time to comfort him in his last hours.
In a voice that she could hardly
steady she told how she found her
brother lying unattended on his cot,
the bedding of which could never
have been enough to keep him warm
or give comfort to his pain-rached
body She told how, when she saw
that uncalled for noises around him
were adding to his suffering, she
demonstrated, but could not have them
stopped. Then she begged to have
him moved to a quieter place, and
the attendants carried the cot into a
room that had just been secured and
where the walls and floor were still
dripping with moisture.
In these uncomfortable surround
ings, the boy breathed his last, and
| if his sister had not arrived in time
no one would have been with him.
Mrs. Dyall saw but two nurses,
they overworked. Most of the men
attendants were careless and unfeel-
ing.
She did not pass all her time by
her brothers bed. There were half a
dozen other soldiers as neglected,
tho not so sick, and several times
when her brother seemed easier she
left him for few minutes to help
the others. She obtained hot water
bottle for one shivering boy, and did
such other little things as she could.
Of course Mrs. Dyall did not see
but one ward, but there is no certain
ty that others were not as badly off
The death roll continues to lengthen.
Mr.. Leitner did not reach Macon
until the morning after his son died.
He declares that the dead boys body
only too plainly told he had been neg
lected, and that some remedies that
might have made him easier, if they
had not h1,,o LoI ~