The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-19
INVESTIGATING COMMISSION.
A New York Private Experienced
Neglect.

Neglect.
New York, Nov 1s.-The war investigat-
ing commission met here to-day and ex-
amined a number of witnesses. DR.
Charles X. Greenleaf, chief surgeon of the
troops in the field on Gen. Miles staff,
was the first one called. His testimony
covered the dongs of the army both in
this country and Cuba. Dr. Greenleaf
said the water at Camp Alger was poor
and the country malarious. He would not
have selected this site for camp. In
his opinion Camp Miami, in Florida, was
fitted only for quarantine hospital. and
should have not been used as a camp for
10000 men awaiting transportation for
Cuba. He described conditions at Camp
Montauk, which he considered an ideal
camp for its purpose.
The witness told of his landing supplies
at Siboney. He captured some pontoons
and took the law into his own hands
They had been lying in the harbor two
weeks He unloaded them in thirty-six
hours.
In a reply to a question Dr. Greenleaf
said he supposed DR.. Pope had authority
from Gen. Shafter sufficient to enable him
to unload the supplies at siboney as he
(Mr. GreenleaD had done.
There is no doubtD said DR.. Connor
that somebody was dreadfuny at fault
Can't you help us to find out who It was?"
Dr. Greenleaf said he could not. He
said the transports leaving Tampa for
Cuba were dreadfully overcrowded.
David j. Goss, a private of the Seventy
first New York. summed up his testimony
as follows: 1T was all pretty rough.
Nothing went right. 1t was some ones
incompetency, but don't know whose"
Richard w. Henry, private Company b.
SeVenth-first New York, who was taken
SICK after the surrender at Santiago, tes-
ufying to his experiences at the detention
hospital at Montauk Point, said; II sup
pose they forgot us. We did not get anv-
thing 10 eat until the next day when an
orderly gave us some soup A surgeon
visited us at noon. lie made a cursory
examination of us and said he would send
us medicine Immediately. The medicine
did not reach us until late that night"
DR.. Frank Donaldson, who joined Col
RooseVelts regiment in Cuba on Iuly g.,
and who was stricken with yellow fever
on July "A. followed Mr, Henry on the
witness stand.
Asked by Dr. Connor as to the condition
of the hospitals, he replied: II do not
wish to criticise DR.. Legarde, whom l
greatly admire, but they were entirely
swamped There was 5nsufficient supply
of medical stores, nuI8es and stewards.
The majority of stewaIss were OF a most
nndersirab chaEaet9 Rs should never
have been selected for such service.
TDrer 1tt,.ar at,o
son said there were supplies, but they
could not be reached
Gen. Wilson and Gen. Beaver asked DR..
Donaldson several questions based upon a
newspaper clipping, detailing 'outrages on
The soldiers" at Camp Wikoff DR.. Dom
aldson declared them all untrue, and that
several statements made were absolute
lies"
Relative to the statement that C. b.
Wurden of The Seventh Regiment died OF
starvation, the witness said: II myself
attended Capt. Wurden, and he got all the
attention possible. / made broth myself
and other delicacles were found for him"
James S. Sewers, Company X, Seventy
first Regiment, served from the time the
regiment went to Camp Black until mus
tered out last week. He complained tnat
the coffee was poor and that the volun-
teers We're not treated as well as the regu-
lars. ASKED Dy Gen. Beaver to explain
what he meant when he said the volun-
teer officers took care Of themselves while
the regular officers look care of their men,
he said: when we arrived home at Mon
tauk Point, there was nothing for us to
eat until the next day. When the Tenth
Regulars arrived there was a wagon load
of bread and meat waiting for them. Our
officers said they had nothing to do with
the rations."
Mrs. Mary Manson. of West Fifty-frst
street, was the last witness of the day.
She had been at Camp Wi6off in charge
of a division of the womans war relief
association. She said the men al Camp
Wikoff had suffered greatly and had been
i'll treated. When Cen Dodge told her
that the men had testified that they were
not badly treated and had not been neg
lected at Camp Wikoff Mrs. Manson de-
clared that if they so testified they had
said what was not true.
Shortly before o'clock the hearing was
adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a. m.
-e-~ep-s--