Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-26
DIR. LESSER. OF RED CROSS, BE.
FORE WAR INQUIRY BOARD.
CONDITION OF THE coNcHo
NOT ONE DEATH But WAS CAUSED
BY PATIENT OR HIS FRIENDS.
More Deaths of Yellow Fever Con-
Valescents From Overlooking
Than From Effects of Dis
ease ItseIf-New York
Chaplnin's story.

NEW YORK, Nov. 25.-The Rev Dwish,
| Galloupe, of Jersey City. who went to the
front as chaplain of the Ninth United
States infantry, testified before the war in
vestigating commission to-day. He told
of the condition of The regiment at Tampa
Of the voyage to Cuba and of the work
OF the regiment at the front.
Colonel Roosevelt" he said. testified
that his regiment had some difficulty IN
finding transport to Santiago. and that
great confusion prevailed at Tampa. |
saw no confusion, and the only delay to
my. regiment was one of one and a half
hours. caused by the jamning of gang
plank. All of our men landed in Cuba in
splendid condition. There was no sickness
aboard, and L attribute their fine physical
condition to the discipline maintained. The
men were made to exercise on deck every
day.
Mr.. Galloupe said there was no hardship
in sleeping in the open air in Cuba The
air was warm and the ground was dry
sand. He slept several nights in the open
air from choice, and he heard no COM
plants from any of the men. He described
at length the preparations made for the
reception of the sick after the Santiago
battle, and said the stories of neglect and
lack of accommodation had been grossly
exaggerated.
DR.. Monae Lesser, who was in Cuba in
medical charge of the Red Cross Society,
was the first witness at the afternoon ses-
sion. Replying to questions by DIR. Connor
he told of the arrival of the Red Cross in
Cuba and Of the offers Of supplies made by
him at the instance of Miss Barton
Were these offers refused?''
cannot say they were refused. l act
ed as spokesman for our party and l was
Informed that there was plenty of govern
ment supplies in hand. offered DIR. La
garde, at the Siboney hospital, the services
of the Red Cross nurses, and he said he
had nurses enough, but he lacked cots
In no instance was i treated with anything
but the most extreme courtesy. Our rela-
tions with the medical officers of the army
were most cordial. There was never any
clash. We worked with the approval of the
army officers, and we did what we could
TO supplement the work of the army
nurses ..-t.e .....r
DIR. Lesser said the wounded were
promptly and scientifically attended to. and
dfdly. dhas the surgeons generally acted sD'en-
None of the fever cases was without
shelter. Those of the sick who slept in the
the night air was good for them. The
wounded were treated in tents, and the
sick in regular hospital buildings.
none Of the sick at Siboney suffered from
lack of medicine. There was a scarcity
of food for the sick. believe. There We're
the Red Cross Society,"
DR.. Lesser told of his own seizure by
yellow fever and his removal to the fever,
hospital some miles from Siboney. He
said he could never be sufficiently grateful
to the doctors at the hospital for the care
and attention he received during. the seven
days he was in the hospital.
Asked by DR.. Conner to tell what he
knew of the condition of the transport
COncho and Of the precautions taken in Sc
lecting the men fit to be sent home to the
United States, DR.. Lesser said the trans
port was in excellent sanitary condition,
was well found in food and medical sup
plies. and only the men who were actually
were sent aboard. The trouble
at sea was occasioned by the relapse
caused by the change of air. Men who
were apparently well when they left Cuba
developed malarial fever when they landed
eight days later at Montauk.
Was the supply of food and medicine
sufficient for those aboard?" asked DR..
Conner.
Il cannot answer that question The Red
Cross usages do not permit me to criticise
the government"
You are not asked to criticise."
Il cannot tell il the supply was sufficient
or not without criticising those who put
the supplies aboard. I might tell, II
knew exactly, what supplies were there,
but might not venture an opinion as to
the sufficiency of the supply. believe that
not one death occurred on the Concho but
was caused by the patient himself or by
the mistaken kindness of one of his friends.
There were more deaths of yellow fever
from overfeeding than from
I he. effects of the disease itself