The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-06
INQUIRY IS ORDERED
Into the Alleged Sad Case of
Private Parrett.
WHEELER MAKES REPORT
That NCKinIey's Montauk
Visit Did Good.
WHEELER MAKES REPORT

Washington. Sept. 5-Secretary Alger
sent the following order 70 Montauk Point
today:
washington, Sept. 5.-The commanding
general, Montauk Point:
The New York World of about the 18th
ultimo, published a statement Of the death
of Private Hugh Parrett, of the Eighth
regulars, in which it is charged that when
he begged of Doctor -- to take him TO
the hospital the doctor notified him that
the hospital was for sick men and it is
reported that Parrett died that night.
This account is sent me by Representa-
tive Grosvenor Of OHIO, who says there is
great indignation in his community over
he case, and, T it is as reported, there
should be- I wish an inquiry Immediately
instituted to find out about this matter and
report made TO me. 1 understand one ser
geant Rich, Of same company or regiment,
is under arrest for having complained OF
this matter. ! have heard much Of the
neglect Of the men. much of which no
doubt is fictitious, but if there is any
foundation for this statement or if there
are any men i'll in the regulars in their
tents that are not provided for, I wish TO
know he reason why. and at once, also,
the ames of the officers command of the
regiment and company in each case.
(Signed) r. A. ALGER,
Secretary Of AYR
MKINLEY'S VISIT DID GOOD.
Secreatry Alger today received the fol-
lowing:
Camp Wikon, Montauk Point, Sept 5.
Secretary of War: nave made thor
ough inspection Of the camp today. The
steam laundry for hospitals in full oper-
alton. Water works are again working
satisfactorily; the health Of the troops i'm
proving; visit Of the president was very
beneficial.
(Signed) WHEELER,
Commanding.
CROWDING AT CAMP WIKOFF.
Camp Wikoff Montauk Point, L. l., Sept
3.-The transport Roumania, which arrived
yesterday with GOO troops from Santiago
was the means of an additional test of the
capacity Of the hospital in the detention
camp.
OF the 600 men on the Roumania about
290 were SO sick that they had to be put in
the hospital The authorities of the deten-
ton hospital, although they knew of the
transports arrival had received no notice
as to the number of sick men they would
be expected to care for.
About o'clock the ambulances with the
Sick men began to arrive at the hospital
The detention hospital will accommodate
4Jo men with eight cots to a tent which is
the normal capacity. BY putting ten cots
In each tent, $50 patients can be taken care
of. but with corresponding decrease Of COM
fort.
At the time OF the arrival of the sick
men from the Roumania. the hospital al
ready had nearly coo patients, and these
200 additional ones swelled the number 20
about SOC, which is 240 more than the hos
pital can comfortably hold. Although there
were enough cots for the 500 sick soldiers
there was not the space under canvas to
place them. Therefore as a mattress on
the floor takes up less space than a cot,
a number Of patients were taken from cots
and placed upon mattresses on the floor.
and the cots removed. Mattresses were
also placed between cots on the floor.
Consequently this morning about $50 men
were lying on Mattresses on the floor. be-
cause OF lack of tent space. The detention
hospital needs about fifty more tents It
does not look as though the construction
department can put up more than ten or
fifteen tents today, consequently it is prob
able that soma men viii have % lie on the
floor for several days.
While the sick men were being taken
from the Roumania 10 the detention hos
pital, two of them died. They were Bor-
gas Broomer, private, company F. twenty
NTH regular infantry. and Albert Pick
worth, private, company G, thirty-thrd
Michigan volunteers.
Chas. Hauch. of Cripple Creek. Colo.
member OF company G, Seventh infantry,
was today sent TO his home by the Sol
dier's Comfort Committee He is suffer
ing from typhoid.
The following died in the general hos
pital today: Joseph B. Braun, company
&. Twenty-frst infantry; Louis Hipseel,
company L, Twenty-second infantry;