The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-22

the War Inquiry Roard-Heard
No Complaints From Regulars,
but Needed None to Tell of Their
SufEerings-An officer Overcome.
NEW YORK, Nov. 21.-The war in
curry board examined several wit
nesses today. eliciting little that WIS
new. The sensational revelation of
the day came later.
Miss Julia Halsted Chadwick. one of
the women who worked for the sick Of
Camp Wikoff, submitted written
statement of the condition she found
there in the latter part of August. and
toio or the distribution of food and
drink to the rough riders. negro cav
airy and Eighth and Twenty-second
infantry. She told of the insufficient
supply of bed clothing and under
clothes. She heard that there were
plenty of beds in store. but she knew
the soldiers did not have them.
Did you hear any complaints from
the regular soldiers?'
No, they would not complain, but
any one could see they We're suffering.
l would ask them if there was not
something we could do for them, and
they always replied Oh were all
right. Well get along all right Don't
trouble about u.s.
Stlll, knew those men really lack
ed necessaries, not to speak of COM
forts"
Miss Chadwick told of men too sick
to stand, who left the hospitals at
camp and were found delirious on the
trains and at the railway stations
Replying to question as to the
sympathy that prevailed between of
hcers and men. Miss Chadwick said:
Among officers and men of the reg
I
and noble devotion. An officer, who
looked as i'll as any of his men, came
up to our carriage and thanked us for
our kindness to his men,
You know he shid, we regulars
have no friends
II replied that the whole nation were
their friends, and he burst into tears
and walked away"
Miss Chadwick told at length of the
work done and attempted at Camp Wi
KoH by the volunteer visiting women.
SANITARY LAWS BAD.
DR.. William Gilman Thompson, of
New York, was the first witness at
the afternoon session. Asked if he. had
any criticism to make of the conduct
of the hospitals Of Montauk, he said:
We'll, hardly. 1 was not there long
enough to make proper criticism. [
was told that there was not sufficient
observation
one instance showed me that this was
true. found at least thirty such in
stances. outside the general hospital.
In the general camp. The sanitary ar
rangements in the camp were bad and
nlyriads of flies were disseminating
fecal matter exposed in the sinks. I
do not know much about the general
condition of the hospitals"
DO you know in these cases why
men We're allowed to go away from
camp before they should have gone?'
mo, but L do know that they should
not have been allowed to leave"
Did you hear of the opportunities
OF governors senators, sweethearts and
wives for patients to be sent home?"
81 read OF 1t in the newspapers, but
| did not think that anything could
have justified the discharge of some
of those men. In the hospitals in this
city we turned a deaf ear to all such
opportunities"
Samuel l.. Parrich, lawyer of this
city, who visited Camp Wikoff several
times, was the next witness. He lived
in the Red Cross tent there, and work.
ed independently doing what he could
for the soldiers in camp. He worked
chiefly with the Ninth Massachusetts.
and the Seventh regular infantry He
told of the conditions as he saw them,
and said that on Sept there were
the Seventh regiment, and there was
no hospital accommodation for them.
Gen. Wheeler took action at once when
Mr.. Parrich reported to him.
Replying to Gen. Beaver Mr. Par
rich said that the great drawback to
the camp was the lack Of one active,
continuous vigiIant directing mind Ev-
cry one in authority did his best. but
there were too many changes One
day Gen. Wheeler was in charge.
When he became familiar he went
away Gen. Shafter succeeded him and
Gen. Bates succeeded Gen. Shafter, and
he again was new to what was going
on.
Gen. Beaver asked if there were
many complaints.
Indeed, no. There never was a more
accomplishing man than the American
soldier. I saw disgraceful conditions,
but heard no complaints If President
Mckinley had been himself in my
hands l could have shown him some
things that would have shocked him.
He saw none of them He was per-
mitted to make only a parade in
spection."
'AlI the trouble and suffering at the
camp" Mr. Parrich declared, in sum-
ming up his views, twas due to a lack
of foresight and the neglect of some
one. I cannot say who is responsible.
for the conditions that prevailed. but
I can testify that very undesirable con-
ditions did prevail"
The Hind.
Blindmen outnumber blind women by two
to one.