The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-30

Kansas City, Mo, Aug. 29.-The Star
this afternoon prints i three-column
exclusive dis4,atch from Mr.. j. d.
Whelpiey, its special war correspond
i emf who has just returned from Porto
[ Eico, bearing upon the Miles-Alger
controversy. Mr.. WhelDley takes &C
casion 10 deny the statement that his
recently published interview in Porto
Rico with General Miles, wherein the
latter was quoted as casting reflections
upon the war department was not gen
Uine. and in support OF the statements
already made by it. the star prints in
teresting kilograms that passed be-
tween the war department and Gener-
ais Miles and Shatter on the points at
issue.
Doubt is expressed by sone," says
Mr.. Wheloiey, as to whether General
Miles said these things l credit him
with. Others suggest he may have
said them in confidence, which was be-
trayed. I Zee! confident" continues the
correspondent, General Miles viii
stand by the interview referred TO.
a STRAIGHT INTERVIEW.
My talk with him was not coniden-
tial. 1 went to him as d newspaper
reporter. for the avowed and express
purpose Of securing an interview. There
were no reservations from publication
III the conversation. This is proved by
his refusal to answer some questions
which he would have answered had
this not been SO. There was no hint of
condolences. In this instance, however,
no question Of veracity need arise.
General Niles himself, even il he So
desired. could not conceal the proof
of all he said. IT is written in the rec
ords OF the war department, and 1t only
needs u Clearing away of incOnseQuen-
Sl2i ssatter to tell the story clearly and
in full
The star article says: THAT General
Niles was in command OF the entire
army when in Washington was, OF
course, evident. That he did not resign
\ this supreme command OF the entire
karnly when he welIU TO Tampa, and
That il was he who was treating with
the Cubans for cooperation in Cuba, is
shown by nun erCu.; kilograms eX-
changed with General Garcia. The war
department recognized Miles as chief
when lie was in Tampa, for June l. a
telegram was sent to him from Wash
ington, which begins:
81" The following extract Of telegram
from Admiral Sampson to secretary of
navy is repeated for your information,
etc.
when General shafter went to
Cuba and General Miles returned
to Washington, the latter did not
resign his control of the situation,
but. on the contrary, kept in as close
touch as possible by wire with the
movements of Skaters command.
SKATER IN DESPAIR.
On the Fourth of July General
Shafter sent the following dispatches
to Washington, addressed TO the adj
jutant general:
" Headquarters Fifth army corps, in
camp near Santiago de Cuba, July 4
There seems To be no reasonable doubt
but that General Pando succeeded in
entering Santiago last night with his
force, said 10 he about 5.GgG men.
- This puts a different aspect upon
affairs. and while we can probably
maintain ourselves, it would b. at the
cost of very considerable fighting and
loss.
General LAYTON reports that Gen
eral Garcia, VINO WAS to block entrance
of Pando, Informed him at 10 o'clock
last night that FandG mad passed in on
Cobra road. LaWtnn says cannot COM
pei General Garcia TO OBEY my inStruc-
tons TO place themselves in any posi-
. ton where they viii have 10 fight, and
lLhat il we intend to reduce Santiago
We viii have to depend alone upon cur
own troops, ana that we viii require
twice the number we now have.
MESSAGE TO SAMPSON.
"I sent a message to Admiral Samp- |
son asking If he proposed entering the !
ha1-por so as 10 give Us his assistance. i
Commodore watson replied that he ,
does not know Admiral SIMPSONS in ]
tentions since the destruction of the /
Spanish squadron, hut does not him I
self think the fleet should try to go |
into the harbor Of Santiago. This, I'M |
der the circumstances, is not very en- /
couraging.
from Tampa and Dufneld's Second /
brigade from Camp Alger, but only !
small number of recruits has appeared !
so far If we have to so TO try and I
reduce the town, now that the fleet IS /
destroyed, which was stated TO be the !
chief object Of the expedition, there /
must be no delay in getting large bod /
les Of troops here.
The town is in a terrible condition
as TO food. and people are starving, as !
stated by foreign consuIs this morning, |
but the troops can fight and have a /
large quantity of rice, but no other
supplies. There will be nothing done
here until noon of the 9Th, and l sup
pose ] can put them off a little longer
to enable people TO get out. Country
here is destitute OF food or growing
crops, except n27ngoes.
. Men are in good spirits. though it
IS hard 90 tell how long the latter will
continue
=" I am sorry to say am no better,
and, in addition to my weakness, can
not boot on account OF the slight at
tack Of govt, but hope to be better
soon. Lieutenant Aliley had interview
with ccnsuls this morning and his re-
port Will be telegraphed Immediately
] do not send this in cipher, as time
is precious SHAFTER,
Major General
MILES IN CUBA.
at was this situation which deter
mined General Miles TO go to Cuba
The day he sailed with reinforceInents,
July :, he sent the following dispatch
from washington:
General Shafter, Santiago. Cuba.