The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-11-25
ADMINISTRATION.
Several Witnesses Heard as to How
Things Were Conducted.
way S0IE SOLDIERS WERE BURIED.
Col. Roosevelt Tells About His Experienced
in Cuba and Ia Camp WIkoR-scar-
city or Medical Supplies at
the Front


city OF Medical Supplies at
the Front
New York, Nov. 23.-The war inves-
tigating committee yesterday decided
that 1t would not visit MOntauk point,
the site Of Camp Wikoff IN a BODY. but
would send a committee to prepare a
report Col A 5. Kimball, the assist
ant quartermaster general Of the
United States army, stationed in this
city, testified He said that all the
contracts for supplies Y ere let to the
lowest bidder, after proper notification
and advertisement He told also about
the purchase and hi re Of transports in
New York.
Rev Henry B. Bryan, Of the Garden
City cathedral, presented himself to
speak OF the manner IN which the sol
diers dying IN hospitals were buried.
Mr.. Bryan went to Camp Wikoff on
September 2 He said the Du bIication
Of statement by Maj. Brown that all
the bodies were decentlv buried had
induced him to come forward to testify.
He said:
In his public statement Maj Brown said
there was no truth in the report that the bodies
were not decentIy buried that everybody was
l.
10TH Ina5 q OOEIle containing his name and all
the Information ObtainabIe about him was
buried In his coffin and that q cross marked
every grave I believe Mai Brown gave those
orders and issued the clothes, but his orders
were not carried out know personally
Of p bodies that were not buried
as Nal Brown says they we're. and
1 wonder what became OF the clothing and
money paid FOR the em0aIui1--- LILY duties led
ne Dy the morEue every diy. and stepped in
70 see who had died during the night L saw
the nal1ed bodies Of soldiers placed in bare
nine collins and the name OF the man and his
regiment were written on the id Of the cona
OF course the damp Carsh quickly obIiterated
those marks and no further records were kept
Sometimes the body was buried in a night
shirt but they never took the trouble 70 button
the shirt
Col Theodore Roosevelt took the
stand and in reply to a request from
Gen Wilson told Of the equipment
and mastering Of the First volunteer
cavalry, known as the rough riders.
BE said great confusion existed at
Tampa NOBODY seemed TO know any
thing and no arrangements were evil
dent as to what transports were TO be
used Replying to other questions he
said the food was ample, and. with
the exception or the canned roast beet
good The beef was very bad.
Col Roosevelt told Of the voyage to
Cuba and of the Decentralization of the
regiment at Baiquiri. His regiment
was one of the first to land. Capt
Shaw, who was associated with Col
Roosevelt in the navy department.,
sent q Cuban pilot on board the Yuca-
tan and he took the transport / : miles
nearer the shore than other ships.
There was a great scarcity Of material
for landing men and horses
Col Roosevelt, still replying to cues
lions, told in detail Of the march of his
regiment to its first camping place.
Asked about the rations, he said:
We had the regulation rltiOns Of salt pork,
bareback coffee and sugar. but the men wanted
vegetables ana L wanted to ct them for them
took 20 men, with the Ozis5rs' horses to 81
honey, and trisd 10 buy then The department
refused 20 ssll me beans ana tomatoes unless /
I could certify that they were for the officers
consumption I stretched my conscience as
far as L could and then boarded a transport and I
purchased about so pounds Cf beans The
change did ths men good Il was too hot to
eat nothing but the regular ratiOns-
Replying to questions, Col ROose-
Welt said other regiments at the front
had suffered from lack OF supplies.
One man OF the First Illinois regiment |
visited the rough riders camp and Of |
-GAG4 - 4O- seven --Aa0 LACKS EFO Z
hundred men of the regiment came to ]
the rough riders can9 aud ate the /
broken bareback. The rough riders
had enough to eat but It was the re- /
suit OF individual expenditure. There I
was a greas scarcity 81 all medical /
supplies at the front, except quiuine /
and caIOmcl, and a great lack of sur /
geOns and hospital stewards
In reference to Camp Wikoff, Col !
said there was great con
fusion for the first few days after the /
arrival Of the troops During these /
days" he continued, I do not think /
our men were treated as we'll as they /
should have been so near home, but /
after that there was nothing that I /
could find fault with
''Why was there a scarcity Of medi- 1
cal supplies IN Cuba?7 asked DR.. Con-
nor. II do not know. Z heard there /
was plenty on the ships There was a |
lamentable need OF anbulances I /
think we could have done better with /
fewer men and more ransportation-"
Col Roosevelt referred the commits
sion 20 his official report for any fur
Their particulars that it might desire I
OF his personal experience during the /
campaign. The comm ssion then ad-
iOurned.