Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-07
ZERO REFUSES
OPERATION TO
SAVE HIS LIFE
Suffering From is Wounds
and Hun Gas, Veteran
Prefers Death to
Surgeons Knife.

Fargo, N. D., July 6.-Fighting
once more the battles OF the world
war in which he CALAMITY figured
for nearly two years, during which
time he was wounded 10 times from
shrapnel and several times gassed,
characterized the death of Sergt.
Eugene Deutsch, q, we'll known
Fargo soldier, who died in the hos
pital at Perham, Mimi.
Sergeant Deutsch was the seventh
man. of the United States first army
to step ashore i'll France, was
awarded the Legion of Honor by
the French government and was
also awarded two rifles by General
Foch for remarkable rifemanship
He also carried other decorations
for vaor on the battlefield. Brain
fever and internal wounds caused
his death.
Fights Over Battles.
For several months Sergeant
Deutsch remained in Fargo and.
realizing that his condition was
gradually failing, left here for the
home of his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Anton Deutsch of Frazee, Mimi,
retired farmers. A short time
after his arrival, he was taken to
the Perham hospital. He sank
into state of stupor and for two
weeks he fought his war battles
over and over again, pulling at
whatever he could grab, seemingly
as il operating the trigger on his
rifle, placing his hands to his face
and holding it as protection against
gas crying out at times: "lhey's
shooting the cannons now"
Sergeant Deutsch had been home
from France but 10 months and
during the first few months of his
return had delivered lectures for
the American Red Cross. His right
arm was paralized from the
shoulder to the elbow, He could
operate the left, however. He had
no control over the fingers of his
right hand. His right leg was in a
similar condition from the numer-
GUS wounds on his body. His chest
was badly 1acerated from wounds.
Leading army physicians pointedly
told him that he had scarcely a
year in which to live.
Limbs Wither.
With the whitening of the flesh
from his right arm and leg, the gov
eminent. cognizant of his physical
condition, called Sergeant Deutsch
to Washington for the purpose of
having the members amputated. but
he refused. Three times after his
return to Fargo he received tele-
grams from the military hospital at
Fort Smelling, Mimi, to report:
Each time he refused, because OF
fear of amputation. He frequently
made the remark that he would
rather see his arm and leg waste
away than to have them taken OFT,
knowing that army physicians and
surgeons had given him about
year to live.
Despite his physical condition,
Sergeant Deutsch conversed with
his companions and was always of
joyful mood, giving no signs OF
pains or internal injuries which
were tearing his system to pieces.
/, Bv the aid OF a cane he walked into
The theaters and the cafes and in
relating some of his experiences OF
the war, smiled as he told of the
thrills which he went through.
He figured in the biggest engage
ments OF the war i'll which the
United States troops participated,
fighting until his condition was
such that he could no longer stand
the terrific strain of battle. Prior to
his enlistment in the United States
infantry in the early spring of
1917. he had served on the Mexican
border. He was the type of excel
lent soldiery which went forth
from the farms of North Dakota to
give battle to the Hun. And he
died a hero's DEATH