The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-08
CONNER IS ALL RIGHT
A Glaring Lack of Medicines and
Of Supplies.
SKATER WAS TO BLAME
DR.. Conner's Remark Shows That Grim
inal Negligence Will Not BE CLOSED
Over In the Commissioners
Report.

washington, Dec. Tine war lnveS-
tigating commission examined several
witnesses to-day. including Paymaster
General Stanton and Colonel Hecker,
quartermaster in charge OF transporta-
tion Of the troops. Paymaster General
Stanton stated that orders and re-
quests were given from those in charge
Of the forces asking that the pay Of
volunteers be deferred until they should
return to the United States, that being
believed to be the wisest and most ju-
dicious course. Pay was withheld in
Cuba on the order of Major General
Miles, he thought, and from the troops
in Porto Rico, on the requests Of sew
eral commanders.
Colonel Hecker. who has just re-
turned from Cuba, was examined in
details as to the charters and purchases
Of vessels by the war department. He
said between June 20 and July 25 he
purchased IL vessels on the authority
OF the secretary of war. He found 80
per cent. of the vessels offered wholly
unsuited. Colonel Hecker said in his
negotiations he dealt directly with the
owners of the vessels, wherever possi-
BILE. He knew of no instance where
more than the actual cost price was
paid for vessels. He always, he said.
got lower than the asking price. The
dereds its entire fleet.
"The prices paid" he insisted, would
have been a fair value under ordinary
circumstances"
He said further that there was not
a single instance where any influence
outside the government and the con-
tracing parties could have been used
in the purchases.
WAS there any possibility for any
third party to be benefited by these
sales?'
I'm the cases Of the Port Victor and
Scandia there certainly was" was the
reply. ITO what extent, however, /
cannot tell"
Queried as to railway contracts, he
interjected that IL was not he, but the
railways. that controlled the rates"
as they charged more than they ought
to have received. He referred to trans
portation rates between Chickamauga
and Newport News. and said better
rates had been obtained by letting
these contracts in this city, the tariff
having been reduced from S13 to IS per
man for the same service. Colonel
Hecker made an emphatic denial that
there was any Influence" i'm routing
troops on the several lines.
Colonel Alden, assistant surgeon gen-
eral. said he did not know why that
only officers who hustled" were able
to get medical supplies for their men,
ANY shortage, COlOnel Al0en feIt sure.
arose in the distribution of supplies be-
tween the depots and the division and
regimental hospitals, for the former
had plenty. When asked why there was
not a medical inspection corps to look
this very matter OF administration, as
was done in the civil war, Colonel AL
den said there was no authority from
congress to form such a corps, and
while there was no law to prohibit this
surgeon general from creating such a
corps. there were not sufficient officers
available to constitute it. At Tampa
there was abundant supplies on hand,
before General Skaters army started,
but the reports of medical supplies with
the army in front of Santiago showed a
decided deficiency. and there was a Ia
mentable lack of even the commonest
supplies. The responsibility rested On
the commander of the expedition and
he felt sure was due to a failure of
land supplies.
Colonel Alden was asked why IL was
that volunteer organization like the
Red Cross could get supplies on the
ground ahead of the regular medical
corps. He said ii was because the med
ical department was dependent on the
quartermaster's department. the trans
portation department and commissary
department and 1t was not supplied
with men enough to carry out the plans
II was supposed to. Colonel Alden was
asked If he meant to say the medical
department was at the mercy of two
or three other departments and this
was the reason there was such a glar-
ing lack of medicines. bandages, field
transportation and other supplies with
General Skaters army in the field.
II think 1t would be better to put
that question in the hypothetical FORM"
said Colonel DENLY. I'VE are assuming
that this shortage was an actual fact"
II am trying my best" said DIR.
Conner, with considerable emphasis, ito
find why this condition existed, for that
IL did exist ] am as certain as I am
that we had an army in front Of SAN
tiago."
James Z. Smith, an ex-private of the
cavalry. testified briefly that his regi-
ment had sufficient rations while in