The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-23


to Whom She Applied.
New York, Novsmber az. The war In
yestigating commission decided today
that it would not visit Montauk Point,
the site of Camp Wikoff, in body. but
would send committee to prepare re-
port.
Mrs. Susan G. Powell of this city was
the first witness. She said she did not
know why she had been called as she
had never been at any of,the camps and
knew only by hearsay of the treatment
received by the soldiers.
'fWe called you, explained Gen. Will
son, because we heard that when you
offered to go to camp as a nurse you were
not accepted because you would not
agree to maintain secrecy should you
find any dereliction of duty. We wish
to know who exacted such promise
from you.
81 wish you would not ask me that
a uestion.' y
ssBut," said Gen. Beaver, ''the answer
might aid US materially in our investi-
CATION. To whom did you make the offer
to act as nurseS"
$40 an officer of the auxiliary of the
Red Cross society"
twas it a male or female officer of
the Red Cross?"
81 do not care to say. -
ssWell, had the officer any authority at
caEapf Was it an officer in the United
States services"
~@l was not an officer in the army. /
do not know what authority the person
/ had in camp. My offer and its rejec.
| tion were made in private house. ~
"Since you have stated that" said Gen.
Wilson, would you mind telling us
whether you.or the Red Cross made the
matter public?'
ssI do not know who could have told it.
/ do not remember having told any one
| but clergyman. He may have told d.
B. Roosevelt.
Joseph Gurke of Yonkers. who served
as corporal In Go. l., of the Sth regi-
ment at Chickamauga, next testified.
He had kept diary OF the doings of
his company and it's officers during the
stay at camp and quoted from 1t at length
| to the commission. He had no fault to
| find with the government or the govern
ment supplies and nothing but complaint
| to make of the company's officers. He
spoke Of the lack of disinfectauts in the
camp. but said that the officers quarters
were well supplied.
| Replying to question by Gen. Beaver
as to the quantity and gu aliJy of the food
supply, Gurke said the supplies were
good and plenty, but they did not reach
1 The man. He had seen government
rations publicly offered for sale. The
profits to the regimental canteen, ne said,
were not fairly distributed. his oompa-
ny did not receive cent AS ne lert the
| room he said he had acted as detective
| in the camp because he had been a sold
| Ter before and knew the soldiers would
be robbed.
| Col. A. S Kimball, assistant quarter
master general of the United States army,
stationed in this city, was the nex6 VIII
ness. He said that all the contraets Ior
after proper notification and advertlss-
ment.
Were there any exceptions to the rule
to award contracts to the lowes5gbld-
ders?" asked Gen. Beaver.
''In all cases where bids were made,
| awards We're made to the ioWesG Il pluuer
when the articles bid upon were up to
the standard. In cases of bids made upon
articles where there were no STANDARDS
the lowest responsible bidder was always
accepted -
Answering ex-Goy. Woodbury., Col.
hlmball said: "ContIact was dWaruou
by the Department. upon the findings OF
the opened bids. Some times in cases
where the articles were not standard une
department. would accept any recon-
nendation which was made in such cases
as to the quality of the goods rather than
the price.
Ibid you ever know of any contract
to be let in your department." asked
General Beaver. because any person was
to receive money or commission on &C
count of any Influence to be used?"
IT never knew of any money or inhu-
enoe being used in the matter of award
ing contracts"
Still replying to Gen. Beaver Col. Kim
ball told of the purchase and hire of trans
ports in this city. He explained that
he had obtained list from the owners
of all the ships that could be purchased
or chartered and had submitted the list
TO Washington.
my office, / ignored him entirely. I dealt
only with principals"
Col. Kimban submitted a copy of his
Office records, showing the list of ship
ping offered for sale or charter. and the
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