Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-10
TROOPS Sent HOME CHEAPLY
United States Rspatriatss spsniards on
Favorable Terms.
COMBINE TO FORCE UP THE PRICE FAILS
Colonel Hecker Testines as TO Square
Methods of the Transportation
bureau I'm Carrying Out the
t Terms of Surrender.

f" Terms Of Surrender.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 9.--The transporta.
tion to Spain by the United States OF the
Spanish prisoners surrendered at Santiago
was taken up by the War Investigating
commission today, and Colonel Hecker. who
made the contract for the United States,
was called to testify on this point
He said there had been a combine OF
New York shipping concerns which would
have caused an outlay OF 81 400, 900, while
the actual outlay made was $4,000 The
lowest bid was from a Philadelphia Junk
dealer. who, however, had no visible means
OF executing the contract, and admitted his
own doubt as. to getting sufficient bond.
This Philadelphan, Colonel Hecker testified,
protested against not being awarded the
contract. on the ground that he had -
chance to make some money out OF It,"
The most feasible bidder was the Spanish
Transatlantic company. Its bid, unlike
the others, relieved the government of all
medical attendance, and. finally, on the gov
ernments representations, the company
agreed to reduce Its figures about $iso.000
What induced the government to send
those people to Span?" was asked.
Don't know. The terms OF surrender
provided for It,"
.. Colonel Hecker read a long statement
signed by one William e. Ryan, detailing
the alleged methods Of the transportation
bureau in connection with the attempted
sale of certain ships to the government
Colonel Hecker said he did not know Ryan,
Several members Of the commission said
they would be glad to summon Ryan II he
could be found.
sl,ad bo = ohad hV A Nm
Mckinley relative to the purchase of ships,
Colonel Hecker replied: Never but once
He spoke to me once about q water barge,
for which there was no use at the time and
! SO Informed him. I never had any COM
municaton from him either directly or In
directly"
What part did the Arm Of which Abnsr
Mckinley Is a member play In the sale OF
ships?" asked Ex-Governor Woodbury..
None at all as to the army" replied
Colonel Hecker. II do not know as to the
navy"
Charge IL Declared False.
Asked as to Ryans charge that there was
. subordinate in Colonel Hecker's ONCE who
exercised much influence and could be ap.
preached, Colonel Hecker replied that nego.
tiations were conducted directly and that no
subordinate In the ONCE could have exer.
Ciocu any IuuVfuCcs kuhL WAS tue uTBI uls
rect charge Of corruption he had seen against
himself, as he considered himself responsible
for what went on in his ONCE and he should,
he said, like to be confronted with Ryan.
The commission decided to summon Ryan
II he could be found,
Surgeon A. e. Apple, the next witness,
was examined a. to the camp site and divi-
sion hospital at Miami, Fla. He did not
think Miami was a good place for camp.
but knew nothing about the reasons for Ito
selection. The equipment Of the hospital
there was good. but at times the water sup.
ply was insufficient. Witness said he had
requested some Red Cross nurses of DR..
Kent for service with the typhoid patients,
but before they arrived he had been In.
structed by Chief Surgeon Moss not to 90.
cept them.
Major A. H. Appel. q brother OF the pre-
4cedihg witness, followed. He was in charge
Of thsihospital At Tampa Heights until June
8. when he took charge OF the Oiivette, which
accompanied Skaters army to Santiago.
He said the hospital at Tampa was we'll
equipped and supplied, that the patients re-
ceived proper care and attention and that
the conditions were thoroughly satisfactory.
There were no complaints.
When camp was broken at Tampa no took
aboard the Olivette all the equipment Of the
division hospital. Only the patients were
left behind. The Olivette had aboard equip
ment and supplies SUFFICIENT to accommodate
200 patients for two weeks. He had 100
patients aboard the Olivette when the trans
port feet reached Cuba. They were trans.
ferred to the Olivette enroute from the other
ships. The wounded from the Quasimas
night were put aboard the Olivette. He had
no applications from the shore for medical
supplies.
He denied that the ship purpossly re-
manned of shore to avoid opportunities OF
medica: oficers ashore. The Olivette went
north July I with 275 patients aboard. It
had all necessary supplies aboard.
Witness described the case Of Lieutenant
william Tiffany. He was . convalescsnt
from malaria. He was on deck every day,
and when landed at Boston seemed In good
condition.
1t was not = fact that he could not re-
tain food on his stomach. He gained stead
lily during the voyage. On arrival at Bos-
ton he telegraphed the adjutant general
saying there were q number Of oficers on
board who should have sick leave His rec.
ommendation was approved. Tiffany. was
among them. He told the oficers that they
could 90 10 their homes. but warned them
that they must be careful. He did not know
eAeotiy "hou Ainshy ioil tho snip. ho ku'
vised him to remain until they disposed
ef the enlisted men. When he inquired for
Tiffany he had gone
"Couid It be supposed that Tiffany, who
died within seventy-two hours, starved to
death?" asked DR.. Conner.
ut could not" replied Major Appel
Tiffany during the voyage expressed him
self as we'll pleased with his treatment"
GUARD AGAINST FUTURE ERRORS.
Winter Camps In the south tn he In-
vestigated and Reported Upon.
WASHINGTON Dec. 9.-Surgeon General
eternberg has issued a detailed letter of
instructions to Colonel Charles r. Green
HOOD,C