The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-11-07
Only Son Of keokuk Contractor Gives
His Life for His Country, Ac-
cordins to Letter Receiv-
ed Here.
MOTHER is FRUSTRATED
News Comes from William e. Brug-
man, Formerly of Y. M. c. A.
and Friend Of Dead
Soldier Boy.


Henry Young, the only son Of Mr.
md Mrs. John w. Young and
young man very popular in keokuk
died in a base hospital in France on
Sunday, October 20.
The news came to Keokuk In let
ter from William E. Brugman, for
merly boys secretary of the Y. M.
C. A. here to his wife, and in form
that precludes the hope of any mis-
take. The name of Private Young
has not yet appeared in the casualty
lists reaching this side for pubiica.
ton.
Mrs. Young is Frustrated by the
news of the death of her only son,
and all Keokuk grieves with the fam
fly in their sorrow.
AS soon as Mrs. Brugman received
the news yesterday. she telephoned
James Young who broke the news to
the family.
The letter from France told how
Mr.. Brugman learned of the death.
How Brugn,an Learned 1t.
II suppose what / am about to tell
you will be fact already known TO
you before this letter arrives, wrote
Mr.. Brugman under date of October
20. II was shocked while sitting in
the Office this morning when the
word was received from the base
hospital that Henry Young had died.
We had just signed the payroll, and
asked the clerk if he knew where
Young was located, as / wished to go
see him He said that Young was at
Base Hospital No. 80, and that he
expected to go there in few min
utes, and if / wished to go along
could do so. Then, before we got
started, came the news of his death.
You can imagine how queer 1t made
me feel--it just didn't seem like 1t
could be true. The poor kid put up
good fight to hold his own. but the
odds were against him right along.
because he didn't have the constitu-
ton.
Brugman Fortunately on Ground.
Arrangements had been made to
bury him this afternoon, Sunday, but
for some reason the funeral was
postponed until tomorrow. After
Henry is laid away, I'll try to write
to Mrs Young and to secure what
facts / can which may be little
comfort to them"
The particularly of the facts given
by Mr.. Brugman, and mis- getting
them directly from the headquarters
clerk in charge of the roster OF the
regiment, dispels any hope that the
news might be report current in
the army which might turn out to be
incorrect.
1t was fortunate that so good a
NJ Rytir n
friend OF Henry Young, should be in
such close touch with the event, and
doubtless further details OF the last
illness of the soldier will be received
in the next mail reaching here.
Was Well Two Weeks Previously.
Only last Saturday the family had
received q letter from him dated Oc-
tober s, in which he told how COM
fortably they were located near a
was well and happy.
He was with the headquarters
company of the 3S7th artillery, and the
letter stated that he was to go soon
TO an instruction camp.
In previous letters he had reported
that he did not have much energy
of rugged physique, but had lots of
grit. and never once made any COM
plant of the hardships of training
and duties. In fact he hardly men
toned his work, and bore the hard
ships without murmer.
Private Young would have been
thirty-one years old tomorrow He
was born in Keokuk November s,
1887. and lived here all his life, the
family home being at us Grand ave-
nue..
Student at Illinois University.
He attended the public schools and
was a graduate OF the Keokuk high
school. He attended the state uni.
yersity of Illinois for two years and
took military training there
He left here in June 1918, and went
TO Camp Dodge where he stayed I'M
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