The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-15
Talks About
Supplies.
SOME QUESTIONS
Witness Refused to Answer
Before Commission.

Washington, Oct. 14-Dur Louis S.
Seaman was the principal witness be-
fore the war investigating commission
today. He complained that the com
missary supplies furnished the troops
in Porto Rico were unsuited to the de-
mands Of a tropical climate, and that
they We're especially unfit for hospital
purposes.
He said that he had been in charge
of the 200 convalescents brought north
on the OLDHAM, and had been unable to
secure suitable supplies for them from
the government depots. He confessed,
however that he. had made no formal
written requisition, but had acted upon
statements made to him informally to
the effect that no communication of ra-
tons would be allowed. He refused to
reply to some questions, declaring that
he had been nisreDresented by the
press, and saying he would not reflect
upon his superior officers while he wore
the shoulder straps Of a United States
officer.
Lieut.. Hill of the navy was also a
witness. He was in charge of the
landing of the army at Santiago, and
told the story Of that exploit.
The commission will devote tonor-
row to preparation for its southern tour
and will hold no session.
L. L. Seaman, major and surgeon of
the LIST volunteer engineers, was the
forenoon witness before the war inves-
tigating committee today. He saw SER
vice in Porto Rico, and has been quot
ed as making serious charges against
the manner of conducting the war.
He asked that he be permitted to
have present in the room as friend
Mr.. f. F. Ayereault, an attorney, Of
New York. The request being granted,
he said he would rather affirm than be
sworn. He declined to stand up for
this ceremony. saying: Il will sit: I
don't have to stand up"
No objection was made on the part
of the commission and the testimony
proceeded.
DR.. Seaman said he had never seen
any military service before the begin
ming of the present war, but he had
studied at Princeton, and afterwards in
London, Berlin and Paris.
After joining the service and going
to Porto Rico, he was stationed with
his regiment at Camp Townsend. There
his acquisitions were promptly filed,
and no regiment went to the front bet
ter prepared to cope with disease or
casualties. A regimental hospital was
established, and there 5 nevcr at any
time a deficiency in Eaedical supplies.
The same was also true II lentage and
the ambulance supplies furnished by
the quarternaster's department. The
commissary department had also fur
nished sufficient army rations, but he
complained Of them as Deing unsuitable
for an army in the tropics.
ut is the same ration used in the
lake regions when the mercury is 40
u l. r. SEs,f.N
and the men do notswant it, he said.
He said the sick were fed only with
the army rations He failed to secure
any change of diet for his patients, not
withstanding he made frequent de-
mands upon the quartermaster OF the
regiment and upon the surgeon of the
corps.
He was told that no other food was
issued to any regiment in that service,
and that it would be Of no use to make
formal Fequisition in writing.
Mr. Seaman said he had been i'll
charge of 200 convaleseents IN the Oo>
dam returning from Porto Rico. The
ship was supplied with army travel ra-
tions, whichwhile plentiful and good
Of the kind, were not suitable to inya-
lids
He refused to give this food to his
patients and Appealed for a different
variety1to The Red Gross and National
Aid Society, and had been supplied by
them with what he desired
He nade no formal requisit4oh to the
government authorities for differeIlt ra-,
tons, because he was told he would
get. only the regular ration, and be-
cause Of the willingness of the Red
Cross to furnish what he considered
better food.
Returning to his story N Porto Rico,
DR.. Seaman said there had been anil
versal complaint at the hospitals of a
deficiency Of suitable supplies.
There were times when the Red Cross
Society did not have these. While
there was no shortage Of the regular
rations, he thought many men had sur
fered for want Of proper food He had
been told repeatedly that the 60-cent a
day ration for the sick could not be
furnished in Porto Rico. it was not
even supplied to the general military
hospital
DR.. Conner urged DR.. Seaman for q
statement as to whether he mad made
q formal written requisition for the
Communication of supplies by the conf
missary department The latter replied
he had not done so, but insisted that
his reason for this failure was found
in the fact that he was constantly in
formed that no such exchange could be
made.
When the commission resumed, Sur
geon Seaman in reply to a question by
DR.. Connor, said that while he was in
Porto Rico the hospitals were over
crowded the beds being within six in
ches Of each other.
Dr. Seaman grew somewhat irascible
under Dr,@Connors questioning, and in
reply to an inquiry insisted upon put
ting a question to his questioner.
When DR.. Conner attempted to reply
at the question, Dr. Seaman said he had
given his reply and would not answer
again. adding 1.-THE questions put me
here are Of q character calculated to
place me in the false position of accus-
ing the medical department Of the army
of maladministration
Such is not the case. I regard the
conduct Of this department by DR..
Sternberg as above reproach, and
whatever fault there is was in another
department"
After. some pretty sharp cross firing
DIR. Common declared he would ask no
more questions Of the witness.
Gov. Beaver told DR.. Seaman that no
question would be put to him that was
not proper, but he Gov. Beaver would
insist upon his answering, and If he did