Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-01-10
GEN. FRANKLIN J. BELL SPANISH WAR HERO AND
 MILITARY GENIUS DIES
When Promoted Was the Youngest General in the Army; Awarded Con. gresSiOnal Medal for Philippine Service.

New York. Jan. 9.-Major General J. Franklin Bell. commander of ~ Department of East, died tonight at the Presbyterian Hospital in this city. His death was due to heart disease. He was taken to the hospital three days ago for observation but it was not realized that his condition was serious and his death came as a com plete surprise. General Bell was e:3 years old.
 Genera. Bell was firso lieutenant III the seventh cavalry when part of that famous regiment fought the bat tie of Wounded Knee in December in 1S90
 At the beginning of the Spanish war General Bell was promoted to the rank of Major. He sailed from San Francisco for Manila on June 18th, 1899 and took a prominent part in the Philippine campaign. One of his ex- ploits was to swim out into the har- Dor and around the Spanish fortifica- tions to get information which could not be obtained in any other way.
 Subsequently as the Colonel in com mand of the Thirty Sixth United States volunteers, General Bell participated in the LuzOn campaign and was award ed the congressional medal of honor for gallantry in the operations against the Phllipinos. The exploit which won. the honor was a charge in which he led his men against the enemy works For his services in the Philippines, he was promoted to Brigadier General of volunteers. At that time he was the youngest General in the army.
 When the regular army was reor- ganized in 1901 Bell was made q Brigadier of regulars. jumping over 5S4 Captains, PIT Majors, 9S Lieuten- ant Colonels and v Colopels. He was selected in 1903 to reestablish the ar my schools at Fit. Leavenworth. The infantry, cavalry, signal and staff col leges at Ft. Leavenworth will stand as monuments to him.
 In April 1906, he was named Chief of Staff, of the army after being pro noted to Major General and served in that capacity until he was succeeded in April 1910. by Major General Leon ard Wood, whom he followed in com mand of the department of the Eest with Headquarters at Governors Is land.
 : Upon his retirement as chief of Staff. General Bell went to the Philli- pines as commander in chief, remain ing there until April. 1914. After his return to the United States in that year he held some of most important posts in he service including that of the commander of the department of the West with head quarters at San Francisco. He left there to come to Governors Island in March. 1917.
 General Bell had served only three months as commander of the depart ment, when he was assigned to take command of the Seventy-Seventh National army division at Camp Upton He was ordered to France in Decem- Der of that year for observation and remained abroad three months. Although General Bell trained the Seventy Seventh he was not permitted to lead it to France for the medical board which examined him, found his physical condition such that he was not fittde for service in the field and he was relieved of the command in May. of last year.
 He remained at Camp Upton for some time, however. and then he was reappointed to take command of the Eastern department.