New-York tribune., 1919-03-28
Soldiers and Sailors on
Board Stand at Attention
as Flag-Draped Coffin Is
Removed From Transport
Seemed Well on Sunday
Stricken on Monday With
Spinal Meningitis and Did
Not Regain Consciousness

The transport Great Northern sent
ashore yesterday in Hoboken with
military honors in flag draped cof-
fin the body of Major James A. Roose-
welt, of the 302d Ammunition Train,
cousin of former President Roosevelt,
who died Unexpectedly on Wednesday
morning of cerebrospinal meningitis.
This young officer, a graduate Of
Plattsburg, who had faced all the
Germans had to offer on the Western
front. boarded the Great Northern on
March 20 in excellent health and spir-
its. but death claimed him when he
was within five hundred miles of his
home.
The Great Northern was making 2l
knots when the seriousness of Major
Roosevelts illness became apparent,
and steam was crowded on in the hope
that he might reach port alive
The case was described by the ships
surgeon and the army medical officers
on board as virulent. Major Roosevelt
never recovered from the coma into
which he lapsed on Monday. He had
the skilled attention of four doctors,
one of them man of large experience
with meningitis. Serums were admins-
tered. but we're of no avail.
No Thought of Illness
Lieutenant John II. Morrisey, sur
geon of the Great Northern who for
merly was attached to the Rhode Island
State Hospital, said Major Roosevelt
appeared in splendid physical cond-
ton when he boarded the transport
The major, he said, had come aboard
with = Belgian police dog, but had no
permit.
81 advised him that permit was
necessary said Lieutenant Morrisey.
land told him how one could be pro-
cured. We talked for few minutes,
and he remarked how we'll he felt
Strange, isn't it, he said, how man
can face the enemy all along the front
and come back feeling bully and un-
harmed. After all my experience l
never felt better in all my life"
1t is believed by the medical officers
that "a he spoke to Lieutenant Nor
risey Major Roosevelt had within him
the germs of the disease that caused
his death. The disease requires about
ton days for incubation. and it is
thought the major contracted it while
visiting comrades at a camp where
meningitis was prevalent.
Was on Deck Sunday
The major was feeling we'll on Sun
day and spent much time in the COM
pany OF friends on deck.
On Monday he did not make his
customary round of the deck. In the
afternoon he complained of a head
ache accompanied by nausea and
medicine was administered to relieve
MIN. Soon after Major Roosevelt went
to sleep. Thinking he had slept too
long his roommate tried to arouse him,
but without success.
he then sent for the ships surgeon,
who came accompanied by Lieutenant
commander A. h. Lee. U. S. A., who
had had large experience in menin-
gitis cases at Johns Hopkins, in Balti-
more and he al once diagnosed the ma
Jors illness as cerebro spinal menin-
gifts. Major Roosevelt was then in a
state of coma. He was removed to an
isolated room in the ships hospital.
where blood test and test of the
spinal fluid were made. This corro-
borated the diagnosis of Dr. Lee. The
latter had supply of serum with him,
and this was administered at once.
Forty Nurses Volunteer
AS soon as it became known that
ne was stricken with meningitis all
OF the forty nurses on board volun-
teered to take care Of him. Lieutenant
Nhimsett, an army chaplain of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, was with
the major when he died.
Major Roosevelt's roommate was put
lnoer observation, but it was said
that tests made before the vessel ar
rived indicated that he had not con-
sracted, and probably would not con
tract the disease.
Ihe Great Northern's ensign was
at half mast as she entered port yes-
'erday, and every soldier and sailor
on board stood at attention as tho
nody was taken ashore. Civilians on
tne pier stood with hats removed un-
III the flag draped coffil was removed
IRON the pier in a hearse.
Inc BODY vas accompanied to the
Iaoftgary chapel of Trinity Church by
MAJOR Philip Roosevelt, a cousin, who
recently returned from France as a
captain in the air service
aaJor Roosevelt was returning with
lieutenant Colonel Douglas Campbell
ana Captain Allen R. Lindley of the
''ta Division. and with them was to
arrange for the reception OF the div
sion on It's return to this city
inc death Of Major Roosevelt" said
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, "is q
great shock to us all. am unable
10 express my personal grief over the
lov OF good friend and a splendid
leiiow. Office. He will be greatly
miased by the division"