Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-11-17
THE WAR PROBING.
d.. Huidekoper's Testimony Before
the Investigation Committee.
TIE DOCTOR DEFENDS HIS RECORD.
4 Statement That the Medical Depot Was
Ron In Very Psraimonious Manner
MAJ Knox and Gen. Brsck-
inridge Also Testify.

ton commission yesterday. DR.. Huide-
koper's testimony concerned the hos
pital department do you know"
asked DR.. Conner, that there was
full supply Of medical stores at the
depot at Lytle% II know that many
articles were lacking" the doctor re-.
piled, and added: ut is not true, as
has been stated, that there was q full
supply" He continued by saying that
he had made constant representations
70 the surgeon general Of the shortage
Of supplieA He had never turned
down any requisition from the divi.
sion hospitals, except on one occasion,
except when he knew that the articles
were not on hand.
Col Huidekoper said he had succeed.
ed in getting supplies only by being
the first on hand, as the medical depot
was run In very parsimonious man
ner. There was not only q great scar
city Of important drugs, such as quinine
and opium, but disposition on the
part Of the purveyor not to give out
what there was
DR.. Huidekoper said that with
few unimportant exceptions the medi.
cal supplies for the Porto Rican ex-
petition had been ample At Newport
News he had given orders that the sick
men be eliminated from the command,
but he found that the order had been
evaded and sick men taken aboard.
This was especially true Of the Third
Illinois regiment, whose surgeon, DR..
Huidekoper said, had persisted from
the start in breaking the spirit Of the
letter VI the law.
Responding to a request from ex.Gov
Beaver, DIR. Huidekoper detailed the
particulars Of his education as a physl-
clan, giving all his experience in mill
tsry service. He said he had gradu-
sted as u physician from the university
Of Pennsylvania In 1874 and aferward
had studied much In Paris, Berlin and
other European capitals and had had
considerable experience in hospitals
and in general practice lie went to
Europe second time on the recon.
mendAtion Of DR.. D. Hayes Agnew,
who desired 10 establish a veterinary
hospital. He had been surgeon In the
Pennsylvania national guard from 1874
70 1893, being brigade surgeon most Of
the time, covering the Homestead
strikes and the Iohnstown food.
Replying to another question from
Gen. Beaver, the witness said that
Deputy Surgeon General Hartsuff had
refused to supply disinfectsnts for the
camp at Chickamauga, saying that to
do so was contrary TO army regula.
tions.
Col. Huidekoper returned frequently
during his testimony to his difficulties
In securing nurses lie said he had
ence secured an approach to the neces.
ssry number through an arbitrary
order from Gen. Brooke, and when
this order was issued the colonies had
insisted on supplying the worst men
they had In their regiment for mem.
bers Of the hospital corps The wit
ness asserted that the sick In Porto
Rico had had good attention, contra
dieting the assertion OF Col. Hartsuff
that there had been negligence.
Maj. Thomas T. Knox, inspector gen.
eral, who participated in the early
part Of the Santiago campaign as a
captain In the First regular cavalry,
was before the war investigating com.
mission at its afternoon session. He
was wounded In the battle OF La Guas.
lima, and on the second day after land.
ing, when he was the only officer Of
his regiment present He walked 1850
yards TO find Il surgeon, but previous
TO this there were surgeons attending
the wounded on the firing line. He
came north on the 0livette and after
arrival was taken care of at Fort Wads-
worth hospital. He had found that
this institution was well conducted
and did not accept the report that such
was not the case.
Gen J, c. Breckenridge also appeared
t-...e the commission during the
afternoon session. His testimony dealt
largely with Camp Thomas, of whicl,
he was in command from August
until the camp disintegrated. lie said
that when he assumed charge the camp
was at the beginning Of an epidemic
Of fever and that this condition
gradually grew worse. He iount
much that needed remedy from SAM
tary view when he assumed commend
but the conditions varied 10 the vari
Gus regimental camps. lie was under
the impression that all ordinary effort
had BEEN made by the officers in com
mand to instruct reglmental officers II
the manner Of sanitation, and h,
thought this instruction had born,
fruit. There had been q lack OF tent
age At the hospitals, and he knew o
no reason why the tents should no
have been supplied, as he was informe'
that the fants wara In tho ouarta,