Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-29

New York, Nov 2s-Lieut Col Charles W. Whittlesey, hero of the fa- nous Lost Battalion" has disappeared from the Steamship Toloa on which he sailed Saturday for Havana, according to wereless message received here to- day.
 News of the famous soldiers disap- pearance came in the following message received here from the captain of the steamship:
 Passenger named C. w Whittlesey disappeared. Left several letters.'' t Officials of the United States Fruit Line, operators of the ship, confirmed the fact that the passenger in question was Lieutenant Colonel Whitt1esey through his relatives.
 Members of Mir. Whittlesey's law firm There were at loss to account for his proposed visit to Cuba When he left the offices of the firm Friday he an- nounced his intention, they said, of at- tending the Army Navy game on the following day.
 It has since been learned that Colonel Whittlesey purchased ticket for Ha- vana the following morning and sailed that day.
 His business associates declared that his mind was clear and that he appar- ently was in good health otherwise when last seen. He seemed cheerful, they add ed, and declared they were unable to explain his seemingly strange action in going away as he did, without notifying them of his plans.
 c. w Whittlesey, the soldiers un- cle, declared tonight that Colonel Whit tlesey attended the services for the Un- known Dead at Washington on Armis- tice Day and had since appeared de- ! pressed. Mr. Whittlesey said that he ast saw his nephew on Friday even ing and that he did not notice any de- cided change in his demeanor at that time. Colonel Whittlesey, who was S6 and unmarried. lived in bachelor
 apartment on East 44th street. Colonel Whittlesey is the son of Mir. and Mrs Frank R. Whittlesey of Pitts 1 field. Mass. He has two brothers Elisha of Pittsfeld and Melzar of this city. John B. Pruyn, a lawyer, to whom l messages from Captain Grant of the To- | loa was addressed, stated tonight that 1 he was of the opinion that Colonel
 Whittlesey had eR1ed his own life. Ra- | dio messages related that Colonel Whit tlesey left a note for the captain re- uuesting him to notify his parents in Pittsfeld. Mass, and then disappeared l from the ship.
 1 Mir. Pruyn stated that he believed the | tragedy to be the result of the mental 1 strain to which Colonel Whittesey had l been subjected as one of the honorary | pallbearers a the Armistice Day cere- ! monies at Washington.
 The crisp. !aconic reply You go to | he'll" hurled into the teeth of a Ger man officer who called on him and his men to surrender. was the battlefield classic which brought Colonel Whittle- sey into fame overnight 5al fr, wit command the first battalion of the 3osth Infantry. 77thr Division. Whittle-
 sey had been cut off for four days with l out food Or fresh water. All but ST
 men had been killed or wounded At i dusk on October '. 1918. a blindfolded German bearing white flag crossed the
 Ines. He bore a message asking the
 Americans to surrender, fin the name
 of humanity"
 l few hours after the messenger had 1 been sent back with Whittlesey's reply l an American advance took place and all were rescued.
 His exploit was rewarded by Presi- dent Wilson with the Congressional Medal of Honor the most cherished 1 American war time decoration. giver only for valor outside the resular line of duty. Some months after the armis
 tice the German officer who demanded | Whittlesey'S surrender added 10 ms lau
 rels by publishing statement extolins
 the Americans courage and determine
 ton.
 Robert F. Litt'e. of Whit and Case the law firm with which Colonel Whit tlesey has been associated for some time, received a wireless message iron
 Captain mt of the Toloa stating tha
 the coIoneT had left a message for hin | regarding some law papers. The not
 ended with: .I will not return"
 Colonel Wlhttlesey has had so mucl
 grief confrontin ehim since the war tha
 believe he could not stand it any long
 er" MT. Litte said tonight. "Becaus
 of the prominence accorded him. widow
 and ornhane the country over wrote t
 him and appealed to him In person
 Many seemed merely to want his sym
 pathy, for he was a very tender heartet
 man.
 T noticed change in him when h
 ran1e back from the Unknown Soldie
 services. The funeral at Arlington
 seemed to be the climax to all the sad
 ness that he went through