Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 240, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1919 — Insist Man Is Dead [ARTICLE]

Insist Man Is Dead

Government Sends Four Official Death Notices. McGuire,iMuch Alive, Wonders About His Invalidation Home t?y Army. Wilmington, Del. —Alfred McGipre of 801 West Ninth street, is beginning to wonder whether the government is “spoofing” him or whether they have a grudge against him. Since he was invalided home on the discharged list last January, having served .with the Three Hundred Twelfth infantry. Seventy-eighth division, his family has been notified four times that he was dead—either killed in battle, died from diseases or accident. : T see I am dead again,” Is McGuire’s way of passing off the matter when he beholds a letter addressed to his mother bearing the frank of the war department. The fourth notification of his death came the other day, but as McGuire, and Mark Twain before him, said: “The report of my death is greatly exagger. ated.” Each letter that came has been answered either by McGuire himself or his mother. Notification has been sent to the authorities that McGuire is living, but they still insist on killing him off with clock-like regularity. ' The nocontain the information that he was a cook, a wagon driver, a sergeant of artillery or any other such rank, while McGuire plaintively states that a man has to be killed before his rank is

raised apparently, as he was “nothing but a buck private.” McGuire fought during the St. Mlhiel drive and was hit by a piece of shrapnel and was invalided home. After recuperating from his wound, which was not severe, he was discharged and began working for the Harlan shipbuilding plant. In addition to telegrams, a letter .was received from the chaplain of the regiment .telling Mrs. McGuire of the heartrending circumstances of his death, full details and a complete description of his surroundings, grave, etc.*, accompanying the letter. The chaplain was from Gerinantown, Pa., and Mrs. McGuire wrote a letter to him, thanking him for his sympathy, but spying she was glad it was mis-.plaoedy-as her sog-was-jiet-dead, but~