Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-08-31
NHUMAN TREATMENT.
Illinois Soldiers Suffer Terribly on
a Transport.
SAILORS TAKE INvALIDS FOOD.

Sick Men Could Not Get Anything Fit to
Eat Unless They Paid for 1t, the ships
Crew Having Seized the Food Intended
for Them-water on Board Unfit for Use
In Conee-Tale of Terrible Suffering
Told by the Soldiers.
Camp Wikoff, l.. l., Aug. 29.-Illinois
men to the number of 125 have been
landed from the transport Catania. The
attending surgeons expect that all the
men will recover, although the new ar
rivals are greatly emaciated. Tnhuman
men on the transport. The Chicagoans
claim that members Of the crew took
food meant for the sick, and that the
convalescents were compelled either to
do without or to pay unreasonable
prices for the few delicacies supposed
to be provided by the government. The
wronged men are now in the detention
hospital. where they cannot be seen.
The invalids accuse the cooks OF steal
ing the supplies meant for them. Some
Of the men would undoubtedly have
starved to death If they had not had
money with which to buy food.
Fearful Treatment ON Ship.
II would not have given a dog such
meat as was served up to u.s." said one
Chicago man. ION the ships bill of
fare the stuff was known as 'corned
beef but we called it salt horse AT
its best the meat was almost too tough
to be eaten, even by an Indian; it was
served to us burned and half putrid.
This class of food was handed out to
convalescents, men weakened by fever
to such an extent that they could eat
scarcely anything. We could get peach
es, now and then, by paying about 70
cents each for them. There was no
charge for the salt horse"
Private Galloud, who acted as stew
ard for the First on the trip to Camp
Wikoff, says the ships crew seized ev-
erything that was fit to eat soon after
they left Santiago, and that after that
the scenes enacted on board were SINH
lar to the horrors often reported as fol-
lowing shipwrecks. Galloud says the
water was unfit for use in coffee, and
that the hard tack was too musty to be
eaten.
Tries to Die to Avoid Horrors.
John Guy, colored. of the Tenth regu-
lar cavalry, committed suicide, as a
result of the miserable fare on the
ship. Guy made an unsuccessful effort
to cut his throat and then jumped
overheard He was drowned. Some of
the fever victims were delirious when
brought ashore from the transport.
To- ,Iea ~
others say, that it was wonder that
any came ashore alive. ALL however,
expect to speedily regain their health,
now that they are where their friends
can aid them. Conditions are improv-
ing at the camp. in regard to supplies
for the sick soldiers. The men are now
given ginger ale. beer, wine or what
ever they desire. DIR. Sem says he is
especially interested in the Chicago men
and that he will care for them to the
best of his ability.
VIII Care for Chicago Men.
William A. Bond. chairman Of the
citizens committee OF the Cook county
state army and navy leagues, held a
conference with DIR. Sem at Camp
Wikoff in regard to the best methods
of caring for the men of the First
regiment The main body of the regi-
ment of volunteers from Chicago Is ex-
pected to arrive this week. The full
committee Of Chicago people is likely
to arrive at any moment. The other
members of the committee are: Mrs.
Turner, wife of Colonel Turner; d.
M. Lord and Major McClaughry.
The List of Dead.
The following died in camp Sunday:
Wallace E. Carwin. I'd infantry; gen.
eral hospital; typhoid fever. DIR. Harry
p. Duval. troop A, rough riders. San
Antonio. Tex: suicide In guard house
tent. Charles Evans. company g, S4th
Michigan; general hospital; malaria.
A. d. Kimball. company H. I'd Massa-
chusetts: detention hospital; dysentery
caused by bad food and exposure.
George Mayo. private. troop r, 10th
cavalry; general hospital; dysentesy
Anthony Pitcher. troop c. eth cavalry;
general hospital: dysentery. Riley
Porter. company e. 7th infantry; gen.
eral hospital: dysentery. Anthony
Simpson. troop c. 9th cavalry: general
hospital. Newton Harvey Terry. SER
geant. company X. LIST District OF Co.
lumbia volunteers; detention hospitals
typhoid and exhaustion from .stsrva-
tion.