The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-02-14
THEHEST0NLETTER EARNED MEN TO CO SEED CORN CENSUS
EXPOSURE HAS BROUGHT ABOUT
AN IMPROVEMENT

Some days ago the Herald published
the letter written by the Rev. C. ID.
Hestwood, and read before the L. S.
Senate concerning the neglect and
death of his son at an army canton
ment. Rev. Hestwood is a reative of
Mr.. c. Wingfield of North d street,
and the correctness of the statements
contained in the letter having been
questioned in public print, Mr.. Wing
|. field wrote to Rev EASTWOOD, and has
received the following reply. 1t will
be noted that the supplementary letter
contains no criticism of the govern
ment nor words of bitterness, but is
of the same gentle but heart rendering
tone that characterized the original
letter. Rev. Hestwood writes:
Liberal Kansas, Feb. A, 1918-Mr.
c. Wingfield, Oskaloosa Iowa My
Dear Uncle: 1t was a very kind and
thoughtful thing of you to write us so
kindly concerning our great loss. 1t
has indeed been a very severe trial and
we find it hard to be without our
boy, but we have been greatly helped
by the sympathy and prayers of our
many friends and most of all by the
presence and grace of our Heavenly
Father | am sure that our boy has
not died in vain, but it is very hard
to have it as it is. l feel like | had
lived twenty-five years in the last two
months. 1t has not been the loss
of our boy alone that done it but the
knowledge of the suffering of others.
When ever | close my eyes | can sec
hundreds suffering without care where
care ought to be given. ! would have
never mentionsd the matter in public,
| for it is so hard to even thing
about it, if it had not been for some
ters that were my friends and insisted
on my doing it and they felt that it
could be used to bring about better
results In a letter from the Surgeon
General of the U. S. Army he tells me
that the matter is being carefully in
vestigated and that conditions are
greatly improved because of the eX-
posture.
| My son was a fine specimen OF
physical and moral manhood. He
would have graduatd from conege in
June and doubtless would have soon
been in the ministry. He had a mind
very much like my mothers. 1t was
rich stored and trained. He was OF
happy disposition and was always
the center of any crowd. He was in
stature like my father when he was
a young man. He was over six foot
tall He was a happy Christian boy.
Our oldest son is pastor of our
church in Moundridge, Kansas. We
have two girls married one of them
living near Wichita Kansas, and the
other living about thirty-five miles
from here in Oklahoma. We have one
son at home, he is fourteen years old.
My brother Albert is District Sup
arintendent of the Wichita District
! and lives in Wichita, Kansas. James
is in San Jose, California and has two
boys in the service Albert has no
/ boys in the service as yet. His oldest
son is beyond the draft age and has
not very good health One in southern
Texas working for the Southern Paci-
fc railroad. Ny two oldest sisters
are both dead, having left small fam.
lilies that have grown up since their
death. | have two younger sisters that
you never knew. One of them lives
in Los Angeles, California and the
other lives near Seattle, Washington.
l am very sorry to learn of the
death of your dear daughter. l rem
ember her quite we'll and remember
something of her attractivensss when
a child. l am sure that you must be
lonely without her l trust that no
unusual sorrow may come to you dur
ing these awful days of strife and
bloodshed. Thanking you for your
letter and kind wishes. would like
! to hear from you again.
Your nephew,
| c.. D, HESTWOOD.