The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-17
More Testinlo.
ny Taken.
M0NTAUK POINT.
Capt. Patton Refutes Some
Of the Criticism.

Washington, Nov. 1S-The testimony
of Mai. Lagarde was concluded before
the war board today. He spoke chiefly
concerning the conduct Of the war
from a. medical point of view.
He spoke first Of the yellow fever
hospital at siboney, which was under
his charge in a general way He had
not the complete records before him,
but he was sure that the mortality in
this hospital did not exceed eight per
cent.
DR.. Conner asked whether the con-
tingeEcy of yellow fever could not have
been provided against, and whether in
the judgment of the witness, it should
not have been known by the surgeon
general that, under the circumstances,
there would be an outbreak of fever.
Maj. Legarde replied that the sur
geon-general should have known That
such were the probabilities, and every
body should have known that such
were the chances in sending an army
into an infected region in the summer
season.
Returning to the case of the hospital
for wounded soldiers DR., Lagarde said
that between 800 and 400 wounded men
had been treated by the surgeon at
this institution. There We're six operat-
ing tables and more could have been
used to advantage. There were times
when 40 or so men were waiting outside
for attention. There had never before
been a war when the mortality record
was so small. This was due largely to
the use of the modern rifle and the
prompt methods of rendering aid on the
battlefield to prevent poisoning.
He thought that under the old condi-
tons the mortality would have been 20
per cent greater.
Col w Jacobs, who was chief quar-
termaster of the Fifth corps at Tampa
and in Cuba, testified that Gen.
Humphrey had been in charge of the
embarkation Of troops at Tampa and
that no order specifging which vessels
the different commands were to occupy
had been issued.
In reply to a question from Governor
Beaver, he said the embarkation had
been "a haphazard enthusiastically
So
Gen. McCook developed a quite ami
MATED episode by asking if there were
any reasons why the cooking utensils
and camp equipage of troops should not
have been forwarded from Baiquiri to
the troops in the field. There was no
that Gen. Skaters order forbade"
Dr. Conner asked whether orders had
been given TO leave all the hospital
equipments behind at Tampa, and Col
Jacobs responded that. it was his i'm
preston that such was the case. He
had personal knowledge that Gen. Shat
ter had given such an order concerning
the ambulances.
1T was expected that there would be
an engagement, was it not?" asked the
doctor.
Certainly" responded the colonel.
eve went down there to fight
Then should there not have been
some provision for taking care Of the
Wounded2"
4 should say that these things should
have been taken along
Then" continued DR.. Conner, "the
medical department was left in Lae air,
and the quartermaster' department is
responsible"
The quartermaster' department
could not have been responsible. We
were acting under orders. 1 will swear
that Gen. Shafter told me not to take
The ambulances, though 1 do not recall
that there were any distinct orders in
regard to hospital equipments"
Capt. Jonathan Patton. who. as as
slstant quartermaster, made the con
tracts for the construction of the
quartermaster's and commissary build
ings for Camp Wikof at Montauk
Point, gave the particulars of this
transaction and other occurrences at
that camp. The buildings We're COM
pleted within eight days, but not be-
fore supplies began to arrive. He also
said the camp was not entirely ready
for the troops when they began to ar
rive, the time not being sufficient.
Capt. Patton was also depot quarter
master, and he said that all acquisitions
except possibly intrfvial matters. We're
promptly filed.
I do not remember single solitary
thing that was not furnished as soon
as it was asked for, even without re-
quiring a receipt for it, he said
The witness said there had been a
great deal of injustice in the criticisms
in the newspapers concerning the delay
of sick men at the depots going off on
furlough. There was no neglect in this
matter, he said, land no more dis
comfort than is necessary in removing
sick men. The men were provided with
seats and cots while they waited ?
Capt. Patton said that while there
had been some delay on the one rail-
road going into the camp, these had
not been material, and he thought the
road had done very well for single
track line. transportation papers had
been furnished promptly by his Off
GERS, and if men had to stand in line
for hours. in order to get these doeu-
ments, he had no knowledge of the
fact.
DR.. Conner read a letter from Col.