Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-15
TRUTH COMING OUT,
Dr.. Seaman Testifes Before the
Dodge Commission
NO FOOD FOR THE SICKr
Only The Regular Ration 10 Be Had for
| C0nYaleScent Troops.
WITNESS LOSES HIS TEMPER.
Says Effort js Made to Place Him in
False Position-The Landing nj
Baiquiri-No Wharf or Derrick
strong Enough to Bear Shnfter.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., October H.-Dr.
Louis S. Seaman was the principal wit
ness before the War Investigation Com
mittoe to-day. He complained that the
commissary supplies furnished the troops
in Porto Rico were unsuted to the de-
mands of a tropical climate. and were
especially unfit for hospital use.
He said the sick were fed only with
the army ration. He failed to secure any
change of diet for his patients, notwith-
standing he made frequent demands upon
the quartermaster of the regiment and
upon the surgeon of the corps. He was
told that no special food was Issued 10
any regiment in that service. and that
it would be of no use to make a formal
requisition in writing. However, the
men in the hospitals did not suffer, be-
cause the Red Cross Society furnished
the desired assistance.
DR.. Seaman said that he had been in
charge of 200 convalescents returning
from Porto Rico The ship was supplied
with army travel rations. which. while
plentiful and good of their kind, were
not suitable to invalids. He refused to
give this food to his patients, and appeal
ed for a different variety to the Red
Cross and National Aid societies, and
had been supplied by them with what he
desired. AS a consequence all the pa
tients. except one, gained weight and
strength during the voyage. He made
no formal requisition to the government
authorities for different rations, because
of the willingness of the Red Cross So
ciety to furnish what he considered bet
ter food.
WHY NO REQUISITION.
When Governor Beaver pressed the wit
ness TO explain why there was no requi-
sition made for condensed milk and tea,
he replied that Chief Surgeon Snowden
had told him they could not be had.
Returning to his stay in Porto Rico,
DR.. Seaman said there had been uniyer-
sal complaint at the hospitals of a def
cheney of suitable supplies There were
times when the Red Cross Society did
not have these While there was no
shortage Of regular rations he thought
many men had suffered for want of pro-
per food He had been told repeatedly
| that the 60-cents-a-day ration for the
| sick could not be furnished in Porto Rico
| 1t was not even supplied to the General
| Military Hospital.
| DR.. Connor urged DR.. Seaman for
| statement as to whether he had MADE
| formal written requisition for the com
| mutation OF supplies by the commissar'
| department The latter replied he ha'
| not done so, but insisted that his reaso
| for this failure was found i'm the fac
| that he was constantly informed that n
such exchange could be made. He sal
he had only six hours in which TO suppl
The Obdam. He had secured from III
commissary only the regulation traV'
ration. but he had made no formal dc
mand for other suitable food for the slcl
He said In reply to a question that he di
NOT know that the commissary at Ponc
had on hand a quarter of million do
lars. or any other sum, for supplyin
delicacies to the sick. He could only sa
that they were not supplied
HOSPITALS OVERCRoWDED.
In reply 10 questions by DR.. Como
surgeon Seaman said that while he wd
I'm Porto Rico the hospitals were ovel
crowded. the beds being within six inch'
Of each other. When he left there Wer
between 1900 and 1900 men sick, out OF a
army OF 10000.
DIR Seaman grew somewhat irascib
| under DR.. Connors questioning ana
| replv To an inquiry. Insisted upon PUTIN
a question To his questioner. When II
Connor attempted 20 repeat the quesuo
DIR. Seaman said he had given his rep
and would not answer again, addinl
.lhe questions put 10 me here are OF
character calculated to place me IN u
false position of accusing the medicd' d
nartmont OF the army of maladministr
ton. such Is not the case. regaru u
conduct of this department by Dr. Ster
| berg as above reproach, ana wha'eF
fault there was was In another uepa'
ment." ~.
aft.r some sharp cross-fring Or. co
2 nor declared that ne would ask no hi'
: ouest;ons Of the witness.
Governor Beaver told DR.. Seaman IN
,,o' question would be put 70 him that W
: -. nroner but he Governor Beave
!, r,o,,ld .sinsist upOr his answering, and
: ho did not do so he must take the cons
j. suences. 80 =
III
= conduct OF the quartermaster service
i his vicinity. DR.. Seaman Declined
= onsver. saying that he understood
vvas expected 10 appear before the !"
A recruitment after getting through WI
i ,hir hoard. and" ne said. Il DO J
n ',.ant 10 criticise my superior oftlcers wh
II 7 wear the shoulder-straps o, an arr
n | officer" rec
)" MIsaEPRESENTED BY PRESS.
"a We continued by saying that he n
e heen so much misrepresented by
ie nress within the last twenty-four ho'
"a ,bat he did not wish TO further conn
~ hirnself. He then detailed the circu
20 stanc.s leading to the representaue
4 concefning his views In the newspape
II 40 said he had authorized no interv'
IS sInce he landed, and that the arucie II
II Nav York paper grew out OF a conVer
u zion between himself and superior .
> car Of his in New York. which repor
n- ~ that paper overheard. he aiso asu
Is baving read the article betofe IL
40 nrinted. as had been represented.
III he concluded his testimony. ana
followed by Lieutenant +. r. hiii' Oh
:. | navy. - oa,cer On
as warship Iowa when the srmy i"nueu u
at Santiago. and was In charge OF .ne
= .r,,ton of the troops at Baiquirh