Durham - Fred - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The Journal recently made brief mention of the death of Dr. Fred Durham, who leaped from a transport while enroute from the Philippines and was drowned. He was a grandson of Isaac Montgomery, of this county, and a son of Thomas Durham, formerly of this place, but now of Topeka, Kan. His kinsman, A. H. Durham, of San Francisco, writing to relatives, gives the following account of his investigation of the sad tragedy: “At the adjutant general’s office I received most courteous treatment, and was given free access to the voluminous report of the court of inquiry which convened on board the Grant on the day following the tragedy. The findings of the court are made up in most part of depositions from different persons, and all are practically the same. From this report and other sources, I learned that as the result of a fever which attacked him soon after arriving at Manila, Fred was temporarily demented. The attending physicians thought it best to return him to the states. Accordingly he was transferred to the United States transport Grant, and, as a measure of precaution, two guards were placed over him. He made no attempt at self destruction until midnight, August 3, when he arose from his bed, brushed aside his guards, and springing to the rail of the ship, jumped overboard. Every effort was made to rescue him, but before a boat could be lowered he had disappeared. The court found that the guards had been most diligent and thoughtful of the patient under their care, and exonerated them of any blame in the distressing affair. In regard to Fred’s personal effects, they will be taken care of at San Francisco, awaiting orders from Washington.”

In speaking of Fred’s life, the writer says: “It is my earnest hope and prayer that the father and mother will both survive the shock and submit to the hand of fate which took the boy so near and dear to them, and find consolation in the fact that he lived an honorable, pure life, and died a noble death. His manner of death, considering attending circumstances, is indicative of the spirit of unconquerable pride which permeates every fiber of Durham.” - thanks to "S" for this one

Isaac Montgomery has received word of the death of his grandson, Dr. Fred Durham, son of Thomas Durham, late of this county, but now of Kansas. The young man was attached to the medical department of the government and had been for some time with the troops at Manila. He was seized with a type of fever and was ordered home, taking transportation on the Grant with a large number of others. The transport arrived in San Francisco the other day and it was then reported that Dr. Dunham had lost his life at sea. When the transport was about five days out, Dr. Durham was missed and investigation developed the fact that no one had seen him for two days. It is supposed that while suffering from a return of his fever he became delirious and jumped overboard. He was a brilliant and promising young man and his death falls heavily upon his parents, who only a short time ago lost another son. - "S"