The sun., 1918-12-29
WHITMAN CHEERS
WOUNDED HEROES
Governor Finds Conditions
Good in Debarkation and
Naval Hospitals.
SEES SURGICAL WONDERS
Congratulates Mother Of Old
Seventh Victim Of a Ger
man. Sniper.

Perhaps 1t never will be decided def
nitely just who was responsible for the
fact that Tommy Deacon's plans for re-
ce,ving Alfred r. Smith yesterday after
noon IN the mess hall OF Dcbsrkation
Hospital No. 8. Sixth venue and Eigh-
tenth str>et. were made In error. II
may have peen because the hospital au-
thorities failed 10 tip of their 1000
charges TO the fact that q distinguished
visitor was expected. II may have been
that the ~doughboy who ran up stairs to
Private Deacon with the Information
that tho Governors here" should have
been moro explicit, Or perhaps Private
Deacon. an ardent admirer of the pride
OF Oliver street. was himself at fault for
anticipating tho Inauguration Of his hero.
At any rate, Tommy, up in the big
mess hall, had the X. P.S ill standing
stifly at parade rest. with brooms and
nIops in lieu OF rifles. To receive al"
and "Al' didn't show up. The spectacle
was not wasted. however. a. n party
headed by q smiling froCk coated figure
soon bowed its way down through the
ranks OF the kitchen police, obviously
impressed by Private Deacon and his
hearties. The latter stood in silence
until the party had passed through. Then
Private Deacon spoke:
Hell" he said slowly. That amt
Al Smith. That's whitman"
Private Deacon was not alone In
recognizing the Governor. Practically
every walking case" in the ward he
happened TO be visiting attached himself
TO the party as the Governor went from
his bedside to that with a CHEEKY greet
ing TO some wounded hero Of the Ar
gonne or Chateau Thierry.
Sees Bullet In Hero's BODY.
When he came 20 the bedside of Cor
poral W. J. Egan, wounded at Be!leau-
court September IS, the Governor was
permitted 20 look through an N-ray
instrument at n Hun bullet nesting up
close to Eagan's stout heart. The bullet
is in such a position that II cannot be
removed.
"A souvenir OF the war I'm not very
apt to lose Pagan smiled up at the
Governor.
William G. Elder. a West Virginia
mountaineer. MAD never heard OF Gov.
Whitman, and was frank enough 20 gay
so. The fact that they were strangers
didn't prevent Elder from receiving the
Governor in 4 friendly way. however.
and 20 show his appreciation OF the visit
he dug dow In his pajama pocket n
produced for the benefit OF the Governor
and Mrs, Whitman the bullet that passed
through his right eye and out OF the back
OF his head last September.
Elders WAS only one OF many cases
where miracles OF surgery had cheated
death that were called TO the Governor's
attention by Capt X. =. McClelland,
chief OF the Surgical Department. who
conducted the party through the hospital.
The Governor was delighted TO dis
cover IN Paul Dupas OF Long Beach. La,
one OF the heroes OF col. william Hay
wards famous regiment OF negro night.
ers, the 369th Infantry. lie also fingered
at the bedside OF V. T.. Carlson. victim
Of n sniper while fighting in the Ar
.Sonne with the 10Th Infantry. which
was the old Seventh New York. While
he vas chatting with Carlson the lat
ter's mother appeared. The Governor
warmly congratulated her on being the
mother OF a heroic son.
DouEhboys Like the Hospital.
Say, this is the life O. Riley" and
They can keep me here forever and /
wont kick we're some OF the comments
the doukhboys made when the Governor
asked them how they liked the hospital,
on the first noor he saw the ring in
which Mr.. Jack Britton. Mir. Johnny
Dundee. Mr.. Clay Turner and others OF
The pugilistic gentry were scheduled 10
swap wallops last evening for the cd!nca-
ton OF the patients the stage upon which
nightly entertainments are given, and
many other facilities for the amusement
o. The wounded soldier.
After spending nearly two hours IN
the Sixth avenue hospital, thu Governor
and Mrs Whitman. accompanied by
Nrs Andrew Eessler. Col Hutchinson
and Licut-Col. Norman Thwa!te Of the
Rr!tiSl army, and Major Helen
Bastedo of tho WomcH's Motor Corrs,
visited the United states Naval Hos
Iital in brooklyn. Here the Governor
was received by Capt. tIr6rgc \. LIn..
NJ, c. l. $. y. commanding. who intro
dured Linn 10 some OF the marines who
made a lot or history nj Chateau Thicrry
HGd elsewhere dufiu, t.c iast twciyo-
month.
Il should say that a good many ~
tlem are likely to NUN through" said
the Governor ms he watched several
hundred OF tenn go 20" their evening
chow.