The times., 1898-10-15

were between three and four thousand
sick men in the command of 10000
DR.. Connor-Did you personally see any
instances of neglect on the part of the
doctors or nurses in these hospitals?
Major Seaman-Doctor. l wish to say
IN regard to the medical department of
the United States, / have nothing but
commendation, and l have had nothing.
l believe the men down there are doing
(here the witness spoke in a very loud
tone) the best they can, and Gen. Stern
berg has done his duty.
Dr. Connor-Was there any drunkenness
on the part of the medical officers in
Porto Rico?
Major Seaman-No. sir.
DIR. Connor-Where does the RESPONSE
bility for any failure of your efforts to
get supplies rest?
Major Seaman-I answer l can answer
that question as l please. | answer by
asking you another question.
He wanted TO know If the conyalescents
had not got the supplies they were en-
titled to whose fault It was.
DIR. Conlor-Will you please answer my
question?
Major Seaman-I have answered your
question as i think fit.
DIR. Connor-Is that your answer?
Major Seaman-It Is my answer.
u. u
ord. l am through.
Gen. McCook-Dont get excited. doctor
or we will have TO take you out.
Major Seanin said the questions had
been of n character to insinuate that he
attacked the Administration.
When asked who was responsible for
any failure at Porto Rico. Major Seaman
declined to reply. He said as long as he
had his shoulder-straps on he did not pro-
pose to criticlse his superior officers.
Major Seaman than made a statement
in which he denounced the interview ac
credited TO him In a New York paper.
With that his testimony ceased.
Lieut.. Hill Examined.
Lieut.. Frank X. Hill. of the navy. was
then called. This is the first naval officer
to appear before the Commission.
Lieut.. Hill was regularly attached to
the Iowa, but when the army went to
Cuba he was assigned to take charge of
the landing of troops. He declared that II
the navy had not come to the assistance
of the army there would have been no
landing.
Gen. Shafter himself said that" he re-
marked. ''The army came with but one
lighter. which was about the size of the
room in which the Commission meets.
There were thirty-six transports with
men and provisions and the plan of land
ing was for the Cubans to advance on
Baiquiri, while the navy sheiled the beach
to clear the way for the landing. The
army did not come prepared to land.
though. and 1t was necessary to call upon
the navy for transportation to the shore
10 hal hot luht
| with the transports, but they were lost
on the way TO Cuba. The men in charge
of the transports did not he thought, go
| quite as close to the shore as they could.
This was attributed to the timidity of the
sailing masters. The navy provided steam
launches and in four days 1900 troops
and 5000 Cubans were landed. together
with the equipment He remarked that
there was some talk of building a dock
for Gen. Shafter.
For him personality" inquired one of
the commissioners. jocularly
Did they have any derricks?" asked
another
Lieut.. Hill thought that the navy should
have entire charge of all transportation
by water and the landing of the troops.
This was .rue in the English service The
navy. he said should have authority to
superintend all Transportation by water.
Naval officers should have charge of the
transports and hospital ships
The Commission then went into execu-
tive session to consider papers and reports
from the different divisions of the War
Department
1t is not believed that any more wit
nesses will appear before the Commission
until it reaches Jacksonville on Monday.
All preparations have been completed for
the trip and the Commission will leave
Washington at p. m. Sunday. Cen
Dodge has written the commander of the
camp at Jacksonville that the Commission
will arrive about, noon on Monday and go
directly to the camp for the purpose of
taking testimony.