The Washington herald., 1918-01-25

- SA~~A 80
of water into my sons throat
when I stopped him. He said
What shall I do? I said get a
spoon. The poor fellow had not
thought Of that Ny son died in
a few moments.
at once hastened to the adju
tant and asked for the body. and
was very courteously treated and
assured that 1 could have the body
that evening. I then hsstened
back to the ward where my son
died to see how the body was
being prepared for burial, and, as
/ had my pass into the building.
did not stop to knock, but opened
the door to enter when II struck
something that would not let IL
open further. looked and saw
that it was my sons body lying
on the floor OF the hall, and it
was his head that / struck with
the door.
1 received every possible courtesy
from the officers and medical at
tendants at the base hospital I
am not now filing any complaint
against any man. / have no other
purpose in giving you these facts
than to get you to do your utmost
to see that these boys Of ours who
are yet to die at these camps may
have the care that every true man
wishes that they might have.
There are at least four witnesses
to most all OF the facts that /
have written here who will be will
ing to testify to the truth OF them
II IT would be the means Of help
ing the authorities to bring about
better conditions.
trust, -, that you will believe
me when say that am not in
any sense seeking revenge for the
death Of my son. II in his dying
he is the means Of securing better
attention for the many boys who
are yet to suffer and die in these
camps, 1 shall feel that his death
was not in vain. Wishing for you
success in your endeavors for hu-
manity, ] am.
Sincerely your friend,
st. Louis, Mo.-Mr. George Cham
berlain, chairman investigating COM
mittee. Washington, ID. c. Dear
Sir: In behalf Of a heartbroken
family Ia father, mother. two sis
tiers and MYSELF, wish 10 register
a complaint for the way in which
the case Of my brother. .--.
was handled at the base hospital.
From the meager information
my folks received it appears
that brother was stricken with
a slight illness on Monday, De-
cember 10, and on Wednesday.
the l2th, he was taken to the
base hospital at -, with
cerebro spinal meningitis, and
on Tuesday. December. IS. 1920
a m, he passed away.
First information my folks
received was FRIDAY. December
II. A neighbor lady received
letter form her son. a comrade
Of my brother. advising he had
seen brother fall out of ranks
at drill and was carried on a
stretcher to hospital.
My sister wired an oficer "a
friend OF our family in Com
pany -, Infantry. at noon Fri
day. December IL, to spare no
expense and to wire collect. de-
tails. Saturday morning, Decem-
Der Is, received a reply from
the officer to the effect brother
sent to base hospital spinal
meningitis, but condition fa-
vorable to recovery.
Upon receipt of latter tele-
gram, sister wired a doctor in
Company - Infantry, to wire de-
tails collect and to spare no ex-
pense. Sister also on Saturday,
December Is, wrote three special
delivery letters to the officer,
doctor and a comrade. respec-
lively. for particulars. but re-
ceived no more information un-
til Tuesday evening 6, o'clock,
a wire from the company officer
that brother passed away 1920
a. m, Dec. Is, 6 o'clock. This wire
was sent from Fort - at S:15
p. m, December is.
This wire was sent from Fort -
at 3:15 p. m. December Is.
1t doesn't seem that the Com
pany - officers should have been
required TO furnish information in
this case and they only did so as
a matter of respect for a lifetime
friend and an appreciative family.
Can 1t be possible that the gov
eminent hospital of this proud
nation OF ours is not equipped to
advise a father or mother of their
sons misfortune in an authentic
way? AS not any of the informa-
ton received came from the hos
pital direct. / notice in the papers
that cablegrams are received clear
across the ocean, advising condi-
ton of troops serving under our
flag in France, but right at our
doorstep our gallant soldiers might
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