The herald., 1898-09-27
FIRST FORMAL SESSION
OF M'KINLEY's INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE
ALL REPORTERS EXCLUDED
Little Done Beyond Laying Out q
Program to Be Followed in the
Future
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2e.-The commits
sion selected by the President to investi-
gate the conduct of the War Department
held It's first formal session today with
all the members present. Today's meeting
was strictly secret, no newspaper repre-
sentatives or others not connected with
the board being admitted.
After meeting of two hours duration
adjournment was taken until ten o'clock
tomorrow. The proceedings were limited
to an outline of a general policy and the
formulation of letters of inquiry which will
be made public tomorrow.
The letters decided upon are to be ad-
dressed to the Secretary of War, the Quart
ermaster-General, the CommissaryGen-
eral, the Surgeon-General and the Chief
of the Ordnance Department of the army.
They will consist in the main of inquiries
tending to bring out all the facts that can
be given relative to the organization of the
volunteer army. These officials will be
asked to give specific informa ton so as to
cover each Of the departments in question,
concerning the condition of the army, both
at the beginning and the close of the war.
For this purpose a date In April has been
selected as the one for the beginning Of the
preparation and another in August for the
close. The questions are so formulated as
to call out answers covering the organiza-
ton of camps, the purchase of supplies and
the taking OF contracts with transportation
companies, and also to show the methods
adopted for furnishing supplies to the var
ious commanc4 for protecting the health
Of the soldiers. There will be an especial
effort made to develop the motives that
actuated the department in the choice of
camp sites, as there have been charges of
favoritism to railroad companies.
The commission also considered several
letters of complaint from persons profess
ing to have information bearing upon the
subject OF investigation, and decided to ad-
dress replies to the Writer'S. requiring them
to put their charges In specific shape and
informing them Of the scope Of the inquiry.
1t Is intended. If the replies received to
these letters show the writer's to be pos
sessed OF real information. to summon
them before the commission when It is
affldavits. When, however. 1t becomes
evident that their accusations are mere
idle complaints with no information back
OIL LHcil, Tic WtitCio WILL uOL 4cCclV6 lur-
ther attention.
The commission also expects to extend
its inquiry before 1t closes its work, to the
extent Of summoning before 1t the COM
manding officers OF the various divisions
and brigades. and probably ColoneIs of the
regiments from which complaints have
emanated. They will be expected to give
full information as to the pains they may
have taken or failed to take concerning the
location Of their troops and their general
welfare.
The commission decided to hold two ses
sions daily, one from 10 am. to 1890 .. m,
and the other from 2 to pm.
DR.. P. s. Conner sat with the commission
today. He arrived from his home in Gin
cinnati early in the day, and called on the
President for brief interview before Join
ing his fellow-members in the War Depart
ment. The President expressed his ap-
probation of the Doctors acceptance Of the
position, and outlined briefly his wishes in
the matter Of the investigation. DR.. Con-
ner secured leave OF absence for two or
three days in order to go to Cincinnati to
put his affairs IN shape, to be absent as
long as the work OF the commission may
require.
In DR.. Conner the commission secures
the services of a man who is notedly emin-
ent in his profession. but who is also fam
iliar with the conduct of the military de-
patment Of the army, in which he served
for four years. He was born at West
chester. Va. August %, 1899. and is gradu-
ate of Dartmouth College. His service in
the army extended from 1862 to 1856 and he
was assistant surgeon and Brevet-Major.
He resigned on the first of August, 1866, and
since then has been in practice in Cincin-
natl.
He is now and has been for many years
Professor of Surgery in the College Of Ohio
and In Dartmouth Medical College.