The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-03
l0CHASE OF SUPPLIES.
patton, IN CHARGE OF THE
DETAIL, TESTIFIEs.
4se Charges of knox, the Hat
=. Of Fraud In Connections With
Contract for HINTS, Were tn
oa.ded-Infiucnce Had No Eject.

rasIfvGTOS. Disc. z.-Tae war IT,
5 Ixsrxftor commission resumed its sIs-
- 4 tbs city today. Col. Charles Bird
- "a TIE stand. He was during the
IL he auarte-nsa generals Office,
L. elarze q the transportation Givi-
He had charge III t;le beginning OF
xar AZ the purchase Of mules, and ne
Esvxs the prices paid e. Rave been res
K.sas. He said thai contracts for rail-
"a transportation acre made IN Chicago.
]p.ss and other ceotsrs before the bs-
ksirx OF the movement OF troops The
a. sscssrea we're lower than ordinarily
- "a Individuals In moving troops
-. s.ssEers had been secured where
- and in All cases seat far each
Ia sas obtained. Ag d rule. the rail-
4 q e0mpanses had been prompt in re-
1~xfrr 10 tse terms of a contract, bat
re Instances III the South there had
. syrne delay su the matter Of eoaig-
~ TIE congestion AZ Tampa was due
~ fact that more supplies were sent
81 a. s,egut than could be handled.
a BIRD said that he and the secretary
II ear had eo-operated together In char
- vessels for water transportation In
q instancss ID had been necessary To be
- arbitrary in securing some vessels.
! 4. rsatals paid for the chartered vessels
- transferred very lox, the rate being
srnts per gross ton per day on vessels
III. tons and over. but during the lat
~ mari of The var Il had been necessary
nersase tie rate Col. Bird aiso said
q tse TRANSPORTS occupied between Tam
= sna Santiago had been fitted up only 10
r. the men and supplies 10 Havana,
ZAss.s was the reason why they proved
= sjtQgate for trip Of much longer dura-
AN ". 4. $. Patton. in charge OF the
.eay ard equipage division 81 the quar-
lxnager's department. was the first @it
Il Of The afternoon. He was aues toned
lssrning the complaint made 10y Knox.
q hat manufacturer. that fraudulent
Esract for hats had been awarded to a
taaaeIphsa firm. and asserting that the
xprs.nens. as represented al PHILADELPHIA Ia
II srosten and corrupt"
Isl. Patton said he had this complaint
xrousfly Investigated by several officers,
. had reached the conclusion that the
n accepted were superior 10 those of
ia By Mr. Knox.
Fol Patton said no outside influence had
IA AIRY effect upon his office In the mat
y q awarding contracts for tents. cloth
~ ct.
jczp. James Mckay. 4 civilian and an
ia sea captain in Florida and Cuban
ks4fs, sho. under Gen. Humphrey. had
tsrge Of the details Of transportation of
Icpe u Santiago. said that complete ra-
: ins hi been put on each ship, and that
y yssels had no. been overloaded. This
M rntrary 10 previous testimony. as
~ hlo a later statement that the vessel
4sieA each command was 10 occupy had
tsn designated before embarking. He
fgh sized this fact. saying the aesigna-
- lad been made ny Gen. Shafter. and
y oionel Of each Of the regiments WAS
kaatly Informed In each case. He said
kss vas no confusion when the troops
~ aboard.
say emphatlcally there was no dis
bar and no confusion" he said. ''and
IA In all cases the regiments found their
5astsrs without trouble or delay"
sIcp. Mckay also said there had been
& sonfuson In loading the stores. He
]stasd that they had been loaded In an
}kssf.y mariner There were bills show
IA xAeh articles were ir each vessel. and
lers had been no confusion.
BIZ said there had been no disposition
l he part OF the masters Of the trans
trts 10 axobey orders or keep their YES
A. uanseexs arily far out at sen. as had
Asa charged.
t,zw. Mckay took exception TO refer
L. In Admiral SIMPSONS report 10 what
l called ''the wandering prochvitass OF
l. ,rauspcrts.'' As matter or fact.
said "lf the transports developed any
hs.r.ing srocllvttles this fact WAS due
| The navy
lap,. Mckay had not completed his tasti-
3sav when the commission adjourned FOR
H DAY