Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-27

u-AsUTNGTON. September 26.-The
l,mmission selected by the President to
,,,sstigate the conduct of the War De-
r.rtment held its first formal session to-
d,v with all the members present. The
meeting was in the room Of the Fortifca-
t.9, and Ordnance Board of the army
hYt IL was found TO be too small for the
,rrposes of the commission. and it was
srDounced that future meetings would be
held I'm apartments secured in the Leh-
man building. on New York avenue This
meeting was strictly secret. No news
raper representatives or others not con-
r.cted with the board were admitted
The meeting was Of two hours duration
ip the forenoon, after which an adjourn
ment was taken until 10 O'Clock to-mor-
row
The proceedings were limited TO the out
Inning Of a general policy and the formu-
lation Of letters of inquiry, which Will
bo made public tomorrow. The letters
which have been decided upon are to be
addressed 10 the Secretary of War, the
ouartermaster- general, the commissary-
general. the surgeon general, and the chief
of the ordinance department of the army.
The will consist in the main Of inquiries
intended to bring out all the facts that
can be given relative to the organization
of the volunteer army. These officials Will
be asked 10 give specific information, to
cover each Of the departments in ques-
lion. concerning the condition of the
army. both at the beginning and at the
close Of the war. For this purpose a date
in April has been selected as the one for
the beginning Of preparations and another
in August for the close.
CONTRACTS AND CAMP-SITES.
The questions are so formulated as TO
call out answers as to organization, the
purchase Of supplies. and the making OF
contracts with the principal transporta-
ton companies, and also to show the
methods adopted for furnishing supplies
To the various commands, and for pro-
tecting the health of the soldiers. There
will be an especial effort TO develop the
motives that actuated the department in
the choice Of camp sites, as there have
been charges 10 the effect that they were
located as a matter of favoritism to rail-
road companies.
The commission also considered several
letters OF complaint from persons pro-
Tossing 10 have information bearing upon
tie subject of the investigation, and de-
cided TO address replies TO the writer's OF
each Of them, requiring them 70 put ther
charges In specific shape, and informing
them OF the scope of inquiry. 1t is in
tended. If the replies received to these
letters show the writer's to be in posses
sion of real information, TO summon them
before the commission, when II Is feasl-
hle 10 10 so, or otherwise, to secure their
affdavits. Where, however, il becomes
evident that their accusations are Vnere
IDLE complaints, with no Information back
OF them. the writer's will not receive fur
ther attention.
OFFICERS TO BE SUMMONED.
The commission also expects to extend
its inquiry before IL closes its work 10 the
extent of summoning before 1t the com
handing officers Of the various divisions
and brigades. and probably extending II
10 The colonies of regiments from which
COMPLAINTS have emanated. They VIII be
eypected 10 give full information as TO the
pains they may have taken, or failed 10
take. concerning the location OF thelr
troops and their general welfare.
The commission decided 10 hold two
sessions daily. one in the morning ana
the other in the afternoon.
Dr. Il. $ COnnOr sat with the commls-
sion to-day for the first time. He ar
rived from his home in Cincinnati early
I'm the day. and called upon the President
for a brief interview before joining MS
fellow members in the War Department
Dr. Connor found IL impossible TO remain
with the commission for the present
and received a leave Of absence for TWO
or three days, in order to return TO Clh-
cIunau. 10 put his affairs In shape 10 DE
absent so long as the work of the commis-
sion may require.
DIR. CONNOR'S EQUIPMENT.
In Dr. Connor the commission mas .ho
services of a man who is not oniy ei,li-
renf I'M his profession, but who is aiso
familiar with the conduct OF the mealcal
department Of the army. lie was porn
at West Chester. Pa, on the Z'u VI ,
r7,et 1s2q went 10 Cincinnati In 1911 ana
graduated from Dartmouth College III loo''
The Doctors services in the army eA-
tended from 1862 TO 1885, when ne was as
s.stant surgeon and brevet major ne re-
signed his position on the 1st or August
lFs and since then has been in pracuce
In Cincinnati. lie is now and has peeh
for many years Professor OF Surgery III
the Medical College OF Ohio. and IN Dart