Evening star., 1898-09-29
Correspondence Referred to the War
Inquiry Commission.
REPORTS OF ALLEGED ABUSES
Only Charges Of Specific Nature
Desired.
GEN. WHEELER TO TESTIFY

The business that came before the COM
mission to investigate the War Department
in its conduct of the Spanish American war
was not particularly interesting today.
Only four of the nine members of the COM
mission We're present at the meeting the
other members not having returned from
their homes, where they went to settle their
private affairs before going On with the
work of the commission.
Col. DENLY, cx-minister to China was
chairman, other members present being
Capt. Howell. Ex-Governor Woodbury. and
Gen. Wilson, chief O. engineers.
Many Complaints of Abuses.
Early this morning the President sent to
the commission a mass of correspond
ence that had bean received by him during
the last month referring to abuses in the
conduct of the war. This correspondence
made pile foot high, and the commits
sion spent the morning in having the let
ters read for tnei:' information. They con-
tanned every variety of complaint imagin-
able. Some of the writer's told stories of
starvation, others Of wnIt was claimed to
be gross neglect of duty and others of in
competency. AS r:Ile these charges were
general in character, and frequently, wien
speclled cases were referred to, there was
a failure to give names, dates and location
In order that they could be identified and
inquired into further.
The commission did not make any of this
material public today, but in each case di-
recuons were given to the secretary that
the circular letter calling for specific infor-
nation regarding the complaints be sent
the writer. This circular letter has been
printed IN The Star, and 1t is expected that
1t will result in placing before the commits
sion great deal of much more specific in
formation than has been found in such
communications as have been received.
hriY
to the commission, and now that 1t has be-
gun its work the people from all parts of
the country are beginning to address their
complaints to it.
Cases in which the complaints are given
In specific manner and show that the
writer has something of Importance to COM
municate beyond hearsay are noted and
the writers will probably be called before
the commission to give further testimony
This does not mean that they will be sum
moned to Washington. In most of such
cases the complaints are assorted accord
ing to locality, that when the commits
sion sends a committee to New York or to
other sections of the country these wit
nesses may be summoned, and will find it
necessary to travel but a short distance to
have their testimony heard.
Gen. Wheeler Invited to Testify.
The first witness of especial Importance
likely to be heard by the commission is
General Wheeler, who has been invited to
appear before them early next week. Cen
eral Wheeler has not yet responded to this
invitation, and his reply is awaited with
great interest. General Wheeler, being
trained soldier with extensive experience
in military affairs and having been a par
ticipant in the most important movements
of the army in Cuba, is looked upon to
throw much light upon the general conduct
of the war.
Neither General Miles nor General Shaf-
ter has yet been asked to appear before
the commission.
The commission today sat in the room in
the southwest corner of tine Lemon build
ing, having moved from the adjoining room,
which is now used for clerical purposes.
The commission Ieassembled at O'Clock,
and continued reviewing letters of com
plaint.
A Specimen Complaint.
Those letters examined today deal IN the
main with Camp Wlkoff and Camp Thomas
but some of the letters also make charges
concerning other camps. They relate espe
cially to the food served to soldier, and to
hospital accommodations, and some Of
them were very striking. One lady, whose
son is static led at Honolulu, wrote that he
was encamped on centipede hill, and said
that his food was insufficient to meet his
demands. She asked the President to see
that he had better care.
One of the letters read today was from
DR.. Sims of Chattanooga. 1t was written
to a friend in Ohio in response to an in
quiry for the facts In regard to Camp
Thomas, and was forwarded by the person
that had received it to the President. Dr.
Sims said in this letter that there was no
justification for the charge that the site of
the camp was not desirable. 1t was, he
said, admirable. The doctor said that on
the beginning of the camps career the hos
pital facilities were limited, but that these
had been increased until they were ade
quate to meet the demands upon them.