The herald., 1898-11-18
MEN AT CAMP WIkOff
HAD ALL THE COMFORTS OF AN
ELEGANT HOME
FOOD WASTEFULLY ABUNDANT
Of the Kitchen-"Roast Orders"
Given Reporters
Associated Press Special Wire

WASflINGlON, NOV. I.-lhe war IN
vestigation committee adjourned at o'clock
today to meet at the Fifth Avenue hotel in
New York at 10 o'clock tomorrow. After
concluding tho work in New York, the COM
mittee will proceed to Boston, and, return
ing, will stop at Philadelphia to make GER
tain inquiries there. 1t is also expected that
a number of witnesses will be called after
the return of the commission to Washing
ton, and if the commission does not go to
Cuba some persons there will be asked to
come here. Colonel DENLY will remain in
Washington while the other members of the
commission are absent and will take the
testimony of such persons as may ask to be
heard.
DR.. Forwood continued his testimony as to
conditions at Montauk Paint, where he was
chief army surgeon. He said that from the
beginning to the end of the history OF the
general hospital at Camp WikoH there was
never a time when there were not from
fifty to five hundred vacant beds. Many
patients were sent away to hospitals in
neghboring cities, largely in response to
public clamor. The patients taken away
were largely typhoid cases, and were select
ed chiefly because it was believed not wise
to allow typhoid cases to accumulate at
Montauk. Another reason was the necess-
ty of extending the hospital accommodate
tions. During the first thirty days of the
treated, and it would have been out of the
question to take care of them all in the camp
hospitals.
Speaking of the nurses, he said there was
n considerable number of hospital corps
men who had been trained in the post hos
pitals before the female nurses arrived. This
was limited training, but it rendered the
men much more efficient than they other
wise would have been.
DIR. Forwood said that he had expected
typhoid fever would break out in the hos
pital, but he never Cad expected that the
troops would remain there long enough to
cause an epidemic OF this disease. As it was,
he did not believe there had been a case
originating in Camp Wikoif. lie declared
there had been a sutIiciency of medicine and
medical supplies at all times-a wastetul
abundance, in fact.
DIR. Connor read letter from Major w.
NJ. Wood, a regular army surgeon dated at
Montauk in August, complaining that there
was pressing want of medicines and that
the camp was i'll deplorable condition. DR..
Forwood said that DR.. Wood was dsap-
pointed because he did not get leave OF
absence immediately after arriving from
Cuba, which he had asked for, notwithstand-
Ing his services were needed and he was in
good physical condition. General Wheeler
had refused to grant this request.
From that time" said DR.. Torwood, "he
was constantly kicking and buckng. lie
was disgruntled and disloyal and found fault
with everything Fer instance, he said the
well water was polluted, declaring he would
not take drink OF it for $5"
A dispatch was read from General Wheeler
saying that DR.. Wood had failed to secure
medicines only because he had not sent for
them.
DR.. Stimson had spoken of the conduct OF
the kitchens. As a matter of fact, the
kitchens were in the most expert hands Miss
Helen Gould had supplied number OF chefs
and most of these were from the kitchens of
the wealthiest people of New York city. He
had talked with one of them who had been
with w. II. Vanderbilt for more than three
years. As a matter of fact, the hospitals
were never so abundantly supplied. The
army rations were supplemented by every.
thing that could be found in the larder of
the Waldorf-Astoria, including roast turkey,
pheasants, squads, lambs, sheep, pigs, game
OF all kinds pate de foie gras, mineral waters,
the finest champagnes and liquors.
At one time lie had noticed eight barrels
OF brandy and large number of cases of
wine. There was so much Appollinaris water
that it was in the way, and when nurse
came for bottle they would offer a case.
He said the newspaper men at the camp were
gentlemen, but they appeared to be under
orders to criticise the camp. He knew OF two
instances when the reporters had received
orders to "roast everything" He had told
them not to spare where they found criti-
cism justified.
In conclusion, DR.. Forwood sal that many
patients who had been removed by their
friends had died, and that in many instances
their deaths were due to the mistaken kind
ness of friends who had taken them in
charge.
Major General s. B. Young was before
the commission at its afternoon session, re-
lating in detail his experience at Santiago
and vicinity and afterwards at Montauk. He
said he had landed at Baiquiri OH the 2lst
of June, and that by the morning of the
23d his entire brigade had been put ashore
He had notified General Wheeler imme-
dately and had received orders to move on
four or five miles and secure good camp
He accordingly pushed on to Siboney. lie
had asked Wheeler where the good camping
ground was and he had replied that the
Spaniards occupied it.
IT them" said General Young, "asked per-
mission to go out and see the ground. to
which General Wheeler assented."
In accordance with this arrangement he
moved out at o'clock next morning to
fight the battle of La Quasina, sending the
volunteers and Rough Riders by one road
and the regulars going by another.
General Young said he had occupied the
enemy's camp that day, "and it was very
good camp" he added, naively.
in reply to a question as to what aid he
had secured from the Cubans in this firht. he
replied, "None whatever" The Cuban guides
had deserted him upon the first fire. General
Castillo on the night before had told him
that he would send 500 Cubans with him but
when next morning came and he sent to
notify Castillo that he was prepared to pro.
coed, his messenger found card on the
Cuban's door saying that he must not he
disturbed. He had, therefore, proceeded
without the Cnbans. After the fipht was
over, however, had come up under the com.
mand of Frenohman, who saluted very
tragically with his sabre, saying that he had
been ordered by General Castillo to follow
the enemy and fight him wherever he could
lind him. General Young said he simply or.
dered the Cubans to the rear, and the only
seryicp they had perforp, ad ,,,o -.