The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-04
Commission Has No Authority to
Swear Witnesses.
REMEDY SUGGESTED
ONE MEMBER MAY BE APPOINT
ED NOTARY PUBLIC.
Complaints Concerning Abuses On
the Transports Will Be Investi-
gated = Stenographers VIII Be
Permitted to Take Testimony For
PresS-Wheeler Will Testify Today

Washington, Oct. 3.-All of the men,
| byars of the war Investigating commits
sion were present at today's session eX-
cept Governor Beaver, and the an
nouncement was made that he would
be in attendance tomorrow, when Gen
eraI Wheeler would be present as the
first witness before the commission.
Today's session was devoted largely
| to the consideration of the method OF
examining witnesses, and in this con-
nection the question Of administering
oaths was discussed at considerable
length. The members generally took
the position that under a strict con-
Struction the commission has no au-
thority to compel a witness to be sworn
by q member of the commission, but
there was a general opinion that the
witnesses would not raise technical OBJ
jections, and that they, i'll AL prob
ability, would submit TO be sworn eth
out opposition. 1t was decided, now
ever to inform witnesses frankly of
the status of the board and TO afford
them an opportunity to decline in case
they so desired. 1t was suggested that
the whole difficulty might be avoided
by getting the president to appoint one
of the officers of the board to the office
of notary public, and it is probable
that this request will be made, with
the end in view of having an officer
capable of administering oathS in case
of emergency.
To Governor Beach was assigned the
task OF leading in the examination OF
WITH esseS. but there is an understand
ing that other members Of the board
shall ask such questions as they may
desire.
The commission also received several
communications which received atten-
ton. Among them was a letter from
Surgeon General Sternberg, inviting the
commission to visit his office. No ac-
tion was taken UPON this invitation.
AT the afternoon session of the COM
mission several complaints were read
in regard to the method of transport
ing men from Santiago, the names of
the vessels on which, it was alleged.
that abuses had occurred being the
Concho, the Seneca, the Breakwater.
the Olivette and the City of Washing
ton. 1t was decided to make thorough
investigation Of this branch of the SER
vice, and Chairman Dodge was directed
to secure the names OF the command
ing officers, medical officers and repre-
SentatiVeS of the GuartermaSterS' de-
partment on these vessels. The COM
mission also decided to permit the
presence during the hearings of three
stenographers as representatives of the
press, III Tie I6OISSSuld-
tiVeS of the press associations.
The commission called at the war
department late today and saw Secre-
tary Alger, Assistant Secretary Nickel
john and Adjutant General Corbin for
a few minutes. The call was purely
social.
WHEELER WILL TESTIFY.
Major General joseph Wheeler, who
reached here last night, was at the
White House today, and had brief
Interview with the president. General
Wheeler said his only mission here was
to testify before the war investigation
commission, which had summoned him
as a witness, and that after being ex-
amined he would leave Immediately for
his camp at Huntsville, Ala.
General Wheeler stated, on leaving
the president, that his future plans
We're not finally decided. though he
said he understood that he would be
sent to Cuba with his army division.
to take charge in Santa Clara. province.
He expected that he would be able to
resume his seat in congress early in
the session, though of that he was not
certain.
4 feel,'' he said, that President Nc
Kinley has given me the highest COM
pliment that anyone could give me. and
/ will act as he directs. 1 will stay in
the service as long as he says he wants
me to do so, and when he indicates that
there is no longer actual need of my
services. will leave"
General Wheeler's division, which is
to assemble at Huntsville, preparatory
to being sent to Cuba is to consist of
the Second, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh,
Eighth and Tenth regular cavalry.