The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-26
NO HARDSHIPS in CUBA
REV. ID. GALLOUPES TESTIMONY BE-
FORE THE ARMY COMMISSION.
He Says the Stories of Neglect Were
Greatly Exaggerated-Dr. Lesser
Declines to Crittcise Anybody.

NEW YORK, Nov. 25.-The Rev. Dwight
Galloupe, Of jersey City. who went to the
front as chaplain of the Ninth United States
Infantry, testified before the war investi-
eating commission to-day. He told of the
condition of the regiment at Tampa, of the
voyage to Cuba and of the work of the reg
iment at the front. Colonel Roosevelt" he
said, testified that his regiment had some
difficulty in finding a transport to Santiago,
and that great confusion prevailed at Tam
pa. 1 saw no confusion, and the only delay
to my regiment was one Of one and a half
hours caused by the jamming of a gang
plank All of our men landed in Cuba in
splendid condition. There was no sickness
on board, and l attribute their fine physical
condition to the discipline maintained. The
men were made to exercise on deck every
day." Mr.. Galloupe said there was no hard
ship in sleeping in the open air in Cuba. The
air was warm and the ground was dry sand.
lie slept several nights in the open air from
choice, and he heard no complaints from
any of the men. He described at length the
preparations made for the reception of the
sick after the Santiago battle, and said the
stories of neglect and lack of accommoda-
ton had been grossly exaggerated.
DR.. Lesser, who was in Cuba in medical
first witness at the afternoon session. Re-
plying to questions by Dr. Conner, he told
of the arrival of the Red Cross in Cuba and
of the offers of supplies made by him at the
instance of Miss Barton.
Were those offers refused?''
1 cannot say they were refused. acted
as spokesman for our party, and I was in
formed that there were plenty of govern
ment supplies in hand. / offered Dr. 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
TO instance was l treated with anything
put the most extreme courtesy. Our rela-
lions with the medical officers of the army
were most cordial. There was never any
clash. We worked with the approval of the
army officers, and we did what we could to
supplement the work of the army nurses
Dr: Lesser said the wounded were prompt
~ ana scientifically attended to, and that
the surgeons generally acted splendidly
None or the fever cases was without shelter
Those of the sick who slept in the open air
were not suffering from fever and the night
air was good for them. The wounded were
treated in tents and the sick in regular hos
Dr. Lesser, none of the sick at Siboney
suffered from lack of medicine There was
a scarcity Of food for the sick. 1 believe
Ihere were no supplies of sick food except
those of the Red Cross Society,""
Or. Lesser told of his own seizure by
yellow fever and his removal to the fever
hospital, some miles from Siboney. He said
he could never be sufficiently grateful to
the doctors at the hospital for the care and
attention he received during the seven DAYS
he was in the hospital.
Asked by DIR. Conner to tell what he knew
of the condition of the transport Concho
and Of the. precaution taken in selecting the
men TIT to be sent home to the United States
Dr. Lesser said the transport was in excel
lent sanitary condition, was well found in
food and medical supplies and only the men
who were actually convalescent were sent
ABOARD. me trouble at sea was occasioned
by the relapse caused by the change Of air.
Men who were apparently well when they
left Cuba developed malarial fever when
landed eight days later at MOntauk.
WAS the supply of food and medicine
sufficient for those aboard?" asked DR.. Con-
ner.
II cannot answer that question. The Red
Cross usages do not permit me to criticise
the government"
you are not asked to criticise"
II cannot tell if the supply was sufficient
supplies aboard. l might tell, If knew ex-
actly what supplies were there, but / might
not venture an opinion to the sufficiency
of the supply: believe that not one death
occurred on the Concho but was caused by
the patient himself or by the mistaken kind
ness of one of his friends. There were more
deaths of yellow fever convalescentS from
overlooking than from the effects Of the
disease ITSELF
At the night session of the war investi-
cation committee Major John W. Sumner
Hayes, of the quartermasters department,
stationed in this city, was the chief wit
ness He devoted his attention to the trans
ports which had been fitted out in connec-
ton with the war. OF these he said he had
made no personal inspection, taking the
harbor engineers certificate as satisfactory
evidence that the machinery of the trans
ports was i'll good condition. The other wit
nesses were on the stand, but their testi-
mony was of no material Importance and at
$50 the committee adjourned to meet to-
morrow morning.