New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-26
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION.
COMMISSIONERS DISAPPOINTED BY THE
RESULTS OBTAINED HERE.
NO ASSISTANCE TOWARD FIXING ANY RESPONSE
BILITY-PRoMIsED WITNESSES FAIL TO
APPEAR-TIE TESTIMONY HEARD


met again in the Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday
morning. All the members were present. and all
expressed themselves as having passed pleasant
holiday The Commissioners frankly declare that
they are disappointed so far in the testimony taken
In this city. They had had enough testimony rela-
tive to the condition OF affairs. and what they
sought here fix the responsibility. They are
also disappointed by the non-appearance OF wit
nesses they depended There are numbers OF
volunteer witnesses. but they do not give the KIND
OF testimony desired. and most OF what they tell
IS merely hearsay.
David McKeevor, Of No. 2G2S MarIon-avc., was
the first witness. Replying to questions by ex-
Governor Beaver he said
My son. r.. Percy McKeever. OF Company X. list
HeSimont. died at Mount Sinai Hospital on August
81 OF typhoid fever contracted In Cuba. ] consider
his death due to the lack OF attention he received
~ Monauk Point and the negligence Of the doctors
AT the detention hospital there. | read in news
paper hat my son was among the sick in the de-
tention camp ~ Montauk. ana after considerable
been left behind at Santiago. asserting my
nsary ' tent Shouted i hp in ' here; The at
hut Insisted and NJ Iosf sea snarrh was made and
i was learned that he was IN the detention camp
sinai Hospital bit was unable to got furIough
for him until ! made personal appeal to Secre-
Of the Sick were kept and that careless and in
competent physicians were In charge ~ tho deten-
after my sons death that his death was due lack
of proper trea ment In the early stages OF his dis
case.
STORIES OF NEGLECT EXAGGERATED.
The Rev. Dwight Galoupc Of No r. Market-st.
jersey city. who went to the front as chaplain Of
the 9th Infantry told OF the condition OF the regi-
mcnt dt Tampa cf the voyage to Cuba and the
work Of the regiment at the front. He declared
that there I'D hardship In sleeping In the
open air I'm cuba tIc heard complaints FROM
any Of the men He described at length the prep
arations made for the reception OF the wounded
after the San Juan battle. and said that tho
stories Of neglect and lack OF accommodation had
been grossly exaggerated.
James I. Holmes OF No 235 East One-hundred-
and-sixtecnth-st who served with Company B. list
Regiment. introduced to the Commission rs
having been asked by Robert p. Roosevelt to APP
pear and testify He complained that attention
was paid TO the sick tho transport La Grande
Duchesse. Summing UP his conclusions. Holmes
said that the volunteers were treated with far
less consideration than the Regulars. The list
was especially badly treated. For several weeks
there was no regular food. and In Company there
was no regularly organized mess from the time tho
regiment reached Tampa until It was mustered
out. He said he did not blame the Government
much tho !nefiicency. careessness and selfish
ness OF the regimontal officers.
Mrs. Mary Hatch Willard OF No. Is West Forty
second-st.. who stationed at Camp Wikor
with the Red Cross Auxiliary Relief Association.
everything a. tho camp In It's brightest light.
II have many good things to tell about the
Government" she said that 1 felt it my duty to
come here and tell them"
"Wc are glad to hear Of good things said ex-
Governor Beaver but what want 10 hear is
anything you may have to say in criticism OF the
administration OF the camp"
THE method OF treating the convalescents might
be improved upon" said Mrs. Willard. The Gov
eminent gave good GOOD to the well soldiers and
good treatment to the invalids, but there Is Sppar-
entity no Government recognition Of the GONZALES
cent period in a sick soldiers life. The Red Cross
acted the emergency man. who should have
been a regular department Of the Government
service"
Mrs. Willard paid glowing tribute 10 the care,
skill and devotion of the doctors in the camp,
and declared false the published statements that
some doctors were negligent and aid not seem to
care whether their patients lived or died
DR. MONAE LESSERS TESTIMONY.
Or Monae Lesser who was in charge of the Red
Cross medical work In Cuba. the first Wit
ness at the afternoon session. Replying to ques-
lions by DR.. Conner he told OF the arrival OF the
BED Cross In Cuba and OF the offers OF supplies
made by him at the instance Of Miss Barton.
Were those offers refused"
Il cannot say they were refused. I acted
spokesman for our party. and was informed that
there were plenty Of Government supplies on hand.
| offered DIT La Garde. at the Siboney Hospital.
the services OF the Red Cross nurses. and he said
he had nurses enough but he lacked cots. In no
instance was treated with anything but the most
extreme courtesy. our relations with the medical
officers Of the Army most cordial. There
was never any clash. We worked with the APP
proval OF the Army officers. and did what we
could to supplement- the work Of the Army nurses
Dr. Lesser said the wounded were promptly and
scientifically attended to, and that the surgeons
generally acted spenddly. None OF the fever pa
tents were without shelter. The sick who slept in
the open air were not suffering from fever and
the night air was good for them. The wounded
treated in tents ana the SICK IN regular nos
pital buildings.
AS far as ! know" said DR.. Lesser none of
the sick at siboney suffered from lack OF medi-
cine There was n scarcity OF food FOR the sick,
believe. There supplies OF sick food, en-
ccpi those Of the Red Cross Society"
Asked by Or. Conner to tell what he knew OF
the condition Of the transport Concho and OF the
precautions taken IN selecting the men At to be
sent home to the United States DR.. Lesser said
the transport In excellent sanitary condition,
was we'll found In food and medical supplies. and
only the men who were actually convalescent were
sent aboard The trouble at sea occasioned BY
the relapse caused by the change OF air. Men who
were apparently well when they left Cuba, de-
voopcd malarial foyer when they landed eight days
later at Montauk"
WAS the supply OF food and medicine sufficient
for those eboard?' asked ID. Conner
not CRITIClsING THE GOVERNMENT
81 cannot answer that question The Red Cross
usages do not permit 10 crltcise the Govern
ment"
"You are not asked to criticse"
II cannot tell If the supply sufficient or not
without cr;icisng those who put the supplies
aboard. ! might tell II knew exactly what sup
plies were there but might not venture an opinion
to the suiiclency Ct the supply / believe that
not one death occurred or the Concho but was
caused 10y TIE patient himself or by the mistaken
Kindness of Of his friends Thcre wore moro