The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-18
| OYSTER BAY FLAG
| FLIES GOLD STAR
TOwnsfOlk Place Emblem
There Before ROOsevelts Get
Hopeful Cablegram.
MESSAGE FROM PARIS
"Report Absolutely UncOn-
friend" Young Mrs. ROOse-
welt Gables.


border Of the community service nag
swinging in the breeze In Townsend Park
at Oyster Bay. 1t was placed there late
in the afternoon in testimony that We
townsfolk among wi ON Quentin Roose-
Welt was perhaps the most intimately
known OF the one time Presidents fam
lily. at last accepted as accurate the re-
ports that he had made the supreme
sacrifice in France.
Col. Roosevelt and the mott er OF the
young fiier received the conflicting re-
ports of their sons misfortune with SUI
perb courage. Despite the note or
hnality in Col. Roosevelt's public state
ment, issued at noon. the hopes of both
parents that there still may be chance
that their son is alive were perceptibly
buoyed early last evening when. gust as
they were leaving Sycamore Hill to
motor. to this city, a cablegram arrived
from Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. who
Is in Paris. engaged in Red Cross work.
VIII speak in Saratoga.
Report here absolutely unconhrmed,'
this message said. Col. Roosevelt glanced
hastily at his daughter-in-law's cheering
word, then hurried to convey the con
| tents OF the message to Mrs. Roosevelt
Both declined to comment upon tire mes
sage, but 1t was plain that while they
feared the worst. they had not yet
abandoned the idea that II cir sons life
may have been spared.
Colonel Roosevelt will not permit the
news that his youngest son probably
has been killed TO interfere with his
plans to speak to-day before the I'M
official Republican convention in Sara
toga. Showing Enthusiastically the GRIEF
under which they were suffering, Colonel
and Mrs Roosevelt left Sycamore Hill
| in their automobile Just after 100 O'Clock
| last night and motored to the Hote
Langdon. at Fifth avenue and Fifty
sixth street.
There they stayed over night. Colone'
| Roosevelt will leave the Langdon this
| morning and go to the Grand Contra
| station. where he will take a train for
Albany. probably motoring from there
| to the convention hall in Saratoga.
Mrs. Roosevelt will remain at the
| Langdon pending her husbands return
| there. Friday afternoon. II 1t Is posi-
| BILE he will come back to New York or
late train tonight. At the Langdor
last night they requested that they be-
| not molested. except In the event thai
definite or official word of their young
| est sons fate could be conveyed to them
| Until the oyster bay townsfolk hat
read the Colonel's public message, giver
| elsewhere in THE Sun. it was iufposshl,
to convince them that the rollickng Lac
| they were used to see swinging through
| the streets OF their town in his racnl
| mr. n Of thar naiyb Nnr
to give his life for the cause which hi
\ famous father had so ardently IS
| poused. Having read his dist InEuishet
| fathers statement. however, they gath
| cred in groups on the street corners an,
| discussed the news sadly. Their sorrow
was manifest and attested strkinGly L
the popularity OF the youngest OF tn,
| Roosevelt boys
Put Gold star in Place.
Late in the afternoon. without. an
parently, having consulted either Colo
| mel or Mrs. Roosevelt. some OF N,
townsfok attached the gold star t,
| the border Of the community flag. ant
| il swung there last night when the par
| ents of Quentin passed in their motor
on the way TO New York In the fls
| are 32l stars, four OF them representing
the Colonel's sons. The names of tn,
| four Roosevelts also head the list o
| Oyster Bay boys with the cO!ors Qucn
| tins name is fourth on that list
| Colonel Roosevelts first imimatior
that the news was likely to be forthcom.
! ing regarding one OF his sons was re.
| ceived late Tuesday might through THF
! Sun A censored despatch had beer
| received. in which THE SUNS CORE
| spondent referred to oyster Bay, bat
the principal part Of his message had
| been deleted Col. Roosevelt was com.
| mun!Cated with and asked If he could
| clear the mystery. He said he could
not and that he had received neither
| official nor unofficial information regard
| ing any Of his four boys
Consequently. when the same reporter
| saw the one-time President again carly
yesterday, Mr.. Roosevelt was sOnewha al
more prepared for the messgr the re-
| porter had to deliver. The Colonel read
| the press dispatches carefully, but with
wonderful control Of his feelings He
| took the messages ut once 10 Mrs. Roose-
| welt and communicated their contents
| to her, But he declined Al that time 10
| make any comment and maintained that
| attitude through the rest of the morning
AZ subsequent dispatches were shown TO
! him.
It has beer pain for several weeks
| that both col. and Mrs Roosevelt OK.
pectcd sooner or later to receive word
that one or another Of Their four sons
either had been killed or captured They
accepted the situation phllosophicaly
however, and except to their most int.
mate friends, made no comment what
ever.
AS soon as the Colonel ana Mrs
Roosevelt arrived at the Langdon they
retired to their apartment. So far as
could be observed they received no call,
ers. They had dinner in their apart
ment and retired At o'clock.
At the hotel II was understood that
Mrs Alice Longworth, cot. Roosevelt
daughter. was expected to arrive there
late In the night to remain with her
mother until the Colonel returns from
| Saratoga. Many kilograms ard cable
messages were received at the hotel
but their contents We're not divulged
| CRAWEORn- RYRNE