The Portland daily press., 1898-10-15

Officers.
Washington, October l4.-Dr. Louis
s. Seaman was the principal witness
before the war investigating commission
today. He complained that the co1n
nissary supplies furnished the troops in
Porto Rico were unsuited to the demands
of a tropical climate and that they
were especially unfit. for hospital use. He
said he had been In ch arge of the 200 con-
valescents brought north on the OLDHAM,
and had been unable to secure suitable
supplies for them from the government
depots. He confessed, however, that he
had made no formal written requisition,
but had acted upon statements made to
him informally to the effect that no conn
mutation Of rations would be allowed.
He refused to reply to some questions, de-
claring that he had been mis-rspresented
by the press and saying he would not re-
feet upon hiassuperior officers while he
wore the shouIder-sraps of United
States officer.
Lieut.. Hill of the navy was aleo wit
ness. He was in charge of the landing
of the army at Santiago and told the
story Of that exploit.
Tho commission will devote tomorrow
to preparation for its sout hern tour and
will hold no session
DR.. Louis T. Seaman, major and sur
geon of the 1st volunteer engineers, was
the forenoon witness.
He saw service in Porto Rico, ana has
fod all CHARGES
against the manner OF conducting the
war.
He asked that he be permitted to have
in the room friend, Mr.. RI Ayereault,
an attorney of New York.
The request being granted he said he
mony, saying:
No objection was made ON the part of
the commission and the testimony pro-
ceeded.
DIR. Seaman said he had never seen any
military service before the beginning of
| the present war, but hefbad studied at
Princeton, and afterwards in London,
! After Joining the service and before 60
| ing to Porto Rico, he was stationed with
his regiment at Camp townsend. There
| hi. acquisitions were promptly filled and
no regiment went to the frons better pre-
pared to cope with disease than this.
|
| ter and there was no serious sickness 60
| ing out. He had left Porto Rico on the
| 2Oth of Septemb ber. The regiment had
enjoyed better health in Porto Rico than
had been anticipated, and there were only
| two deaths in the command during the
stay there up to the time OF MS depar-
| ture.
| A regimental hospital was established
and there was never at any time def1ci-
ency in medical supplies. The same was
also true of the tentage and tho ambu-
lance supplies furnished by the quarter
| masters department. The commissary
department had also furnished sufficient
army rations. but he complained OF them
| as being unsuitable for an army in the
tropics. They were the same rations used
| in the lake regions when the mercury is
| 40 degrees below zero. 1t is not suitable
and the men do not want 1t. he said.
| He added that the men were at Hrst oo-
MED the right to commute their ratlons
and the men came to him by hundreds
lcomnlainiug of the deprivation of this
right. He complained especially OF the
shortage of rice and declared that OIL
cers insisted that men snould take no
more fresh meat than they desired.
He said the sick were fed only with
the army rations He failed to get any
change Of diet for his patients. notwith.
standing he made frequent demands up
on the ouartermaster of the regiment and
upon the surgeon of the corps. He was
told that no other food was issued to any
regiment in that service and THAI it
would be of no use to make formal
reouisition in writing.
However, the men in the hospital did
not suffer, because the Red Gross fur
nished the desired assistance.
DR.. Seamen said that he had been in
charge of 200 convalescents on the Obdam
returning from Ponce. The ship was
supplied with army travel rations, which
while plentiful and good of the kind,
were not suitable for invalids. He refused
to give this food to his patients and ap-
peaied for a different variety to the He'd
Gross and National Aid Society and had
been supplied by them with what he de-
sired. AS consequences all the patients
with one exception gained weight and
strength during the voyage.
While there was no shortage OF the regu-