Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-06
WHEELER CONCLUDES,
He Is Examined on Line Of New
York World Charges
PRAISES ALL DEPARTMENTS,
Says Their Work Was Marked by Zeal
and Intelligence.
SURGEONS AND SOLDIERS HEROIC.
The General Panied to Have Them
Represented rs Complaining, when
They Were Not-Gen. Boynton Tes'
tiGes Regarding Chiclsamauga.
SURGEONS AND SOLDIERS HEROIC.

WASHINGTON, October 5.-General
Wheeler completed his testimony before |
the War Investigation Commission to-
day. and was followed by General II. V.
Boynton. who wss still on the stand
when the days session closed.
General Wheeler's statements OF to-day
dealt entirely with the conditions at
Camp wikon. ard General Boynton's
with those Of Camp Thomas, where ne
Is now in command.
General Wheeler's examination was on
charges. He said il there were any
"camp horrors on the 9th Of August
as charged, the commander Of the camp
was responsible, for he had full power
10 furnish ratons. There were individual
cases of suffering. out as far as he
knew the soldiers were well cared for.
There was certainly no lack of food
THE PARRETT CASE.
General Wheeler explained the circum-
stances concerning the death of Private
Parrett He said Major Beach had inves-
tigated the occurrence, and had made a
report.
my inquiry" said he, developed the
fact that Dr. Tabor was a little gruff TO
the men, but it also developed the fact
that he had proved so efficient in the
field that they were devoted to him, and
had petitioned for his retention in the
army"
Continuing, he said that the charge
was that the man was not sent 20 the
hospital when he had complained just
before his death This, he thought, was
one Of those individual cases of neglect
and he thought it was to be explained
by the fact that DR. Tabor was probably
III himself He found this to be true Il
other cases.
General Wheeler said it was true tha
many soldiers would fall on the streets
He thought that all of them had beer
weakened by their experience in Cuba
and most of them had the germs o.
| fever i'm them.
sENN AND EDISON CHARGES.
The General took up a statement attri
buted to DR.. Sem, concerning the sinks
| Tie said the sinks were covered ever,
| hour with earth or lime. He had eXamln
ed the ground and found that the sol
was not porous. He also found that othe
physicians did not agree with Dr. Sen
as 10 the danger from typhoid. The wei
were a long distance from the SINKS an
the soil was very compact, eirectuali
avoiding the danger of contamination
There was no outbreak OF fever, such a
DR.. Sem had predicted; hence 1t was
false prophecy. He admitted also' IN re
nIv IN a charge attributed to DR.. Cyru
Edison, that a small percentage OF IN
NOR I'm the hospitals were without coti
and were lying on the moor on Ausus
a0th. They We're, however, supplied wit
beds and in no case was there complain
on this account
"The fact is" he said, that the SUI
oeons and the other officers and men cor
ducted themselves most heroically, ana
is nainful to me to see the effort to max
~ annear that they were complaining
when they We're not
Major Dimmick was quoted as havln
charged the contract surgeons with II
difference. The General admitted ina
there were instances In which officers ma
found II necessary to hunt up physician
and take them TO the sick men.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
, peplying to a question, he said he ha
| nut in a filter on the 3lst or Angus
merely as a precaution, not because the
was then any danger Dut because so',
of the surgeons had suggested that q
| hapnmQ imUurH as
, oreu, lower. Many Of the doctors ha
/ contended that the inter was not heeue
! hvt the Secretary Of War had said tn;
, - 3, wouId save one life IL should be o
) | dered and il was so done, out or abu
/ | dant precaution
, careraI Wheeler said ne had seen
2 statement from Dr. f.. f. Smith TO q
. eeSect that the drinking water was co
p taminated He had had an eXaminati'
\ r,ode not only by the surgeons. but
\ rolonel Smart. a noted expert. and m
1 had informed him that the water w
n pure. . -. a.. sts,rfa,
.,, nIant made by DR.. Gilman Johnso
: ,he General said it had been very effe
q tive and had done much good.
thoueht il entirely probable that ma
,,,er had developed typhoid-fever AFT
% reaching the camp. lie adnlttec III
"a before the steam laundry was put
/ work there was a scarcity OF clean be
D. linen for typhoid and other patients.
lie NEWTON CRITICISMS.
,e panlving to criticisms by DR.. Hef
- Nayton. referring especially to the failt
80 have the camp at Montauk proyid
revIous 10 the beginning OF the WI
- rpanerol Wheeler said that in view OF &C
S,tions as they existed then, 1t would
&c &c I've been expedient 10 build a hospital
10 Mr. Howell asked why there had !
% -, a court-martial investigation OF
=, oharges against DR.. Tabor ir the Parr
nc nc General Wheeler replied that
OF cans,dered, after the report made uf
d. NJ case. that the initiative OF a cou
ne ,nortial should be taken ny tne "ashn
ey M M authorities. and not by himself
n, pc '' PLENTY OF TENTS
ta u us also said. in reply to question fr
NC &c cdn,ain Howell. that he had encounle
obstacles in securing such supp
no We had made requisition for.
,ght a. there were tents enough TO M