The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-15
No Delicacies for Fever Stricken
Soldiers.
DR.. SEAMAN'S TESTIMONY
He Accepted the Donations OF the RED
Cross Society. as He Was Told
II Were Useless to Make
Requisitions.

in Porto Rico were unsuited TO the de-
mands of a tropical climate and that
they were especially unfit for hospital
use. He said he had been in charge
OF the 200 convalescents brought north
on the Obdam and had been unable to
secure suitable supplies for them from
the government depots. He confessed.
however. that he had made no formal
written requisition. but had acted upon
statements made to him informally to
the effect that no Communication of ra-
tions would be allowed. He refused to
reply to some questions. declaring that
he had been misrepresented by the
press and saying he would not reflect
upon his superior officers while he wore
the shoulder straps of a United States
officer.
Lieutenant Hill of the navy was also
a witness. He was in charge of the
landing of the army at Santiago, and
told the story of that exploit. The
commission will devote tomorrow to
preparation for its southern tour and
will hold no session.
DIR. Louis l.. Seaman. major and sur
geon of the First volunteer en-
gineers. was the forenoon wit
ness before the war investiga-
tion commission to-day. He saw
service i'm Porto Rico and had been
quoted as making serious charges
against the manner OF conducting the
war.
DIR. Seaman said he had never seen
any military service before the begin
ming of the present war. but he had
studied at Princeton and afterward in
London, Berlin and Paris. After join
ing the service and before going to
Porto Rico. he was stationed with his
regiment at Camp Townsend. There
his acquisitions were promptly filled
and no regiment went to the front bet
ter prepared TO cope with disease or
casualty. The command sailed south
on the Chester and there was no serious
sickness going out
He left Porto Rico on the 2Sth OF
September. The regiment had nj1yed
better health I'm Porto Rico than had
been anticipated. and there were only a
few deaths in the command during the
time they were there. A regimental
hospital was established and there was
never at any time deficiency in medi-
cal supplies. The same was also true
of the tentage and the ambulance sup
plies furnished by the quartermaster's
department. The commissary depart
ment had also furnished sufficient army
rations, but he complained of them as
being unsuitable for an army in the
tropics and also that the men at first
had refused the privilege of commut-
ing their rations. He said the sick
were fed only with the army rations.
He failed to secure any cnange Of diet
for his patients, Notwithstanding he
made frequent demands upon the quar-
termaster of the regiment and upon the
surgeon OF the corps. He was told II
would be Of no use to make a formal
requisitlon in writing. However. the
men in the hospitals did not suffer be-
cause the Red Cross society furnished
the desired assistance.
DIR. Seaman said that he had been I'm
charge Of 200 convalescents on the OBJ
dam returning from Ponce. The ship
was supplied with army travel rations.
which, while plentiful and good of the
kind, were not suitable to invalids and
on appeal to the Red Cross and Ma
tional Aid society he was supplied
by them with what he desired. As a
consequence all the patients except one
gained weight and strength during the
voyage. He made no formal requisition
to the government authorities for diff
ferent rations because he was told he
could get only the regular rations and
because Of the willingness OF the Red
Cross to furnish what he considered
better food.
This statement he reiterated in re-
sponse to several questions why he
had not secured other rations.
Returning to their stay in Porto Rico,
DIR. Seaman said there had been univer-
sal complaint at the hospitals of a de-
ficiency of suitable supply. He had
been told repeatedly that the so cents
day ration for the sick could not be
furnished in Porto Rico. 1t was not
even furnished TO the general military
hospital. He said in reply TO a ques-
ton that he did not know that the
commissary at Ponce had on hand a
quarter OF a million Of dollars or any
other sum for supplying delicacies to
the sick. He only knew they were not
supplied.
While he was in Porto Rico, the hos
pitals were overcrowded. the beds be-
ing within six inches OF each other.
When he left there were between 5000
and 4 600 sick out of an army OF 10000.
DR. Seaman grew somewhat irascible
under DIR. Connor's questioning, and
finally refused to answer. The ques-
tions put TO me are OF a character cal
culated 10 place me in the false posi-
tion Of accusing the medical depart
ment of the army OF mal-administra-
ton Such is not the case. I regard
the conduct Of this department by DIR.
Sternberg as above reproach. and
whatever fault there was was in an
other department"
After some pretty sharp cross-firing.
DR.. Connor declared he would ask no
more questions.
General Beaver told the witness that |
no question would be put to him that |
was not proper. but that ne General /
Beaver would insist upon his an
swering. and II he did not do so. he |
must take the consequences.
General Beaver then asked as 10 the I
conduct OF the quartermasters serving /
with him or in his vicinity. DR.. Sea- |
man declined TO answer saying that he /
he was expected TO appear 1
before the war department after get
ting through with this board. and" /
he said. Il do not want TO criticise my |
officers while I wear the shoul-
der straps Of an army officer"
He continued by saying that ne had /
been SO much misrepresented by the /