The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-02
FIRST SHOT FIRED
AT WAR DEPARTMENT
ABUSES AT CAMP WIKOFF PoINr
ED OUT TO INVESTIGATING
COMMISSION
SHELTER AND AMBULANCES
WERE BOTH LACKING

Mr' Nelson Hersh, Of New York. En-.
Hghtens the Inquisitors Who Are
Seeking Facts About the Conduct
or the War Department In War
T1me-SOme Ugly AIIewatfops
Backed Up by Dates and Details.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-The war IN
Vestgating commission devoted its
time today largely to the consideration
OF statement made by Mr.. Nelson
Hersh, giving what he styles "a record
or facts concerning the establishment
OF Camp Wikoff and it's MANAGEMENT.
together with specific instructions Of
ABUSES, charged to have existed. the
humber Of sick in hospitals, deaths.
etc.. The statement was made in re-
sponse to the general invitation from
the commission. The specifications
cover tWenty-one pages of typewriter
matter, taking UP the movement Of the
santiago troops after the surrender Of
the Spanish at that place and after
the breaking out Of yellow fever there
IN July 1t Is asserted that at the time
Montauk Point was selected as the
site for the camp, it was "a barren
waste" The details Of the arrival of
the troops ere given, as also are chose
Of the transportation Of troops, and 1t
Is asserted that. when the first detach-
ment of 75 troops arrived, Aug. 5. the
camp was not ready to receive them.
and they slept on the ground, in the
open air, as no tents had arrived"
This" it is stated, was eleven DAYS
after it had been decided to establish
the camp"
Continuing, the assertion is made
that, by Aug. 10, the sick were report
ed in want of proper attention, the
troops were without blankets; that a.
glass Of sour milk apiece was the only
nourishment they received in twenty
four hours. The war department is
charged with frequent change of plans,
and it is charged that six days notice
only was given Of the arrival of troops
when two weeks were necessary. An
inspection OF the camp showed that
the 1,400 troops there were almost
wholly dependent upon body of water
without outlet or inlet, known as Fort
Pond, for their drinking water. This
camp. This condition, he said. caused
disease, and rendered the pond a con-
slant menace to the men. By the 3Oth
of August there were 10000 men in
camp, and 1900 in the hospital, with
many unable to secure admission from
the transports. The regulars were re-
ported to be suffering for the necessa-
ries Of life, and had received no pay
for three months. Contract surgeons
were reported living at the expense
of patients.
After the doctors had lunched,'' says
the account twenty five empty appoli-
naris bottles were counted on the ta-
BILE, said to have been diverted from
hospital stores.''
PRIVATE PARRETS DEATH.
Particulars are given of the death IN
his tent of Private Hugh Parret. on
Aug. Is, and it is asserted that DR..
Tabor refused him permission to enter
the hospital on the ground that he was
not sick. The assertion is made that
when. on Sept. T. DR.. Lee went to Camp
Wtkoff with a special train to take
sick soldiers to the Brooklyn hospitals
be was unable to get more than eig.h-
lCS4I IIlCu " Tic ITd1u IOT lack or am
balances, which were being used to car
ry sightseers around the camp. While
hundreds of sick soldiers were waiting
to be transferred to boats and trains.
a dozen ambulances stood at the depot
filled with laughing men and women.
who were seeing the camp with officer
friends
After this incident Gen. Young gave
orders that the ambulances were to be
used only for the, transportation of ths
sick.
list Of witnesses forwarded is as
follows Gen. Joseph Wheeler, Gen.
Young, Col. Forgood, Maj Brown, sur
geon; Chief Surgeon Sem. formerly of
the Red Cross, Miss Helen Gould. Dr.
Cyrus Edison, DR.. S. S. Doty, Health
officer. New York city; DR.. w. T. Jen-
kins, health commissioner. New York:
William Smith, banker; Surgeon Lima,
Thirteenth infantry; Surgeon Ames
Tenth infantry.
"A large number of names of witnesses
is also suggested in the Parret case,
and there is a general request that cor
respondents and reporters shall be cali
ed.
The commission directed that a reply
be forwarded to Mr.. Hersh informing
him that the communication should
bo1ya 90 rafI11 oOocidarotiO