The record-union., 1898-09-25

the w ar department during the recent
conflict with Spain held it's initial meet
ing in the office of President Mckinley
at the White House to-day. There were
eight members present, and it was an
nounced that the services of a ninth
member We're counted upon, although
his name was not made public.
The eight present We're: Major Gen
eral Granville M. Dodge of Iowa. Colo
mel ]. A Sexton of Illinois, Captain E
P. Howell Of Georgia, Major General
]. M. Wilson (Chief of Engineers of the
United States army, Hon. Charles
DENLY Of Indiana Gate Minister tc
China), Ex-Governor U. A Woodbury.
! of Vermont, Ex-Governor James A
Beaver of Pennsylvania and Major
General H. j. McCook of the army (re-
tired).
The appearance of Governor Beaver
as a member of the commission was a
surprise, as his selection was not known
until he appeared at the White House
The commission spent an hour and a
half with the President, and then ad-
! journed to the room assigned it at the
| War Department for the purpose OF
organizing and beginning work
| The proceedings with the President
consisted in the main Of a general ex-
change of views as to the scope of the
| commissions investigation, in which
the President participated quite freely
He told the members that the organiza-
| tion Of the commission had been un-
| dertaken at the request Of Secretary
Alger, and read a letter from the Sec
retary in which he made the request
The President had put his own views
| in writing and read them before pro-
| ceeding to verbal discussion. In
| this statement he said that complaints
had been directed especially at the Sur
| geon Generals, the Quartermaster Gen
erals and the Commissary Generals
department of the army, and he sug-
| gested that the conduct of these de-
partments should receive especial con-
| sideration at the hands of the commits
| sion
| To this specific request he added that
it was his desire that the entire mill
| tary organization should if it should be
necessary, be made the object of in
| quiry, saying that he wished the COM
mission to go to the bottom Of the sub
ject in all cases and proceed with its
work without fear and favor
IT, he said, in the informal discus
| sion that occurred, "the commission
should have difficulty in securing the
attendance of witnesses or obtaining
| access to papers thought to be essen
| tial to the prosecution Of its labors,
| hope the matter will be brought to my
attention, when I will do all in my
| power to overcome the difficulty.
want the commission to have a clear
| field, and I will do al that is possible
| for me to do to see that it has,
The suggestion was also made to the
commission that the first efforts should
be to secure general information in re-
| gard to the organization of the army
and the time in which the work was
performed
The President offered the name OF
| Major Mills of the army for the posi-
ton of recorder of the commission.
| Secretary Ayers request, as made in
the letter read by the President, was
for complete inquiry into the conduct
of the war, especially on the lines OF
the charges published in the newspa-
pers He said these charges had as
sumed such magnitude that he did not
feel satisfied to have the department
|
investigation by men eminent in mill
tary and civil life.
DR.. Phineass S. Connor Of Cincinnati
was later announced as the ninth mem
| Der of the commission. He was not
present at to-day's session, but nc
doubt was expressed that he would
serve.
After the close of the conference at
the White House the President express
ed his satisfaction with the personnel
of the commission, adding that he be-
lieved their investigation would be
thorough and their report fair and i'm
partial.
| The commission organized by electine
| Granville M. Dodge Chairman and
Richard Weightman Secretary; Major
Mills Of the Inspector Generals office to
be military recorder.
The commission adjourned about 1:So
to meet at 10 o'clock on Monday.
The session was devoted to method
| Of procedure, nothing definite being
reached. 1t was said that probably the
| investigation, SO far as the examina-
| ton of witnesses Is concerned, would
| be open, but other proceedings in ex-
| ecutive session.
DIR. CONNOR ACCPETS.
CINCINNATI, Sept 24.-Dr. Phineas
S. Connor of this city, distinguished
physician and surgeon, who served as
an assistant surgeon in the United
States army during the civil war, has
accepted the invitation of the Presi-
dent to become member of the COM
mission to investigate the conduct OF
the War Department.