The times., 1898-10-06
OFFERING OF HuLOGIES.
Proceeding. of Ahe Aieer Relic
Com s,ss !, ! ifpri

Comnsi ssifAi.
The Alger Relief Cpmmtssion finished its
examination of Maj sien. Joseph Wheeler
yesterday and then called Brig. Gen. Hen
| ry V. Boynton to the stand.
Nothing was elicitsd from Gen. Wheeler
of a startling natuse.a He continued to
defend in general t@ms the management
of the recent war. and said that most or
the mistakes that were made were due to
the short time available IN which to get
ready for hostilities and the unprepared-
ness for war at the time of the blowing
| up of the batteshp Maine
Most of Gen. Wheeler's examination
yesterday related to the state of affairs at
| Camp Wikoff Montauk Point. Many of
the questions put to him were about GER
tain specific charges formulated by a New
| YORK paper. He characterized all of these
accusations as gross exaggerations and
declared that the camp at Montauk Point
was exceptionally healthy
Regarding the statement made by DIR.
Sem that Camp Wikof was unhealthy
and that an epidemic of typhoid fever was
likely to result if the camp should be
maintained at that point. DR.. Sem was
not sustained in his opinion by other emf
nent medical authorities. Right there the
commission decided to summon DR.. Sem,
| Rev. DR.. Heber Newton and others men
TONED as criticising the condition of af-
tairs at Camp Wikoff. These gentlemen
VIII be asked to testify as to what they
really know about the matter.
IF there were any camp horrors
said Gen Wheeler. the commander of
was Fo- ba
thority to get all that was necessary for
the comfort of the men. / do not believe
there was any lack of food. The sur
geonS mad fund of 60 cents a day per
man in the hospitals for the purchase of
articles for the sick not included in the
rations, Besides, there were the pur-
chases | made, which were mentioned
yesterday, and then there was the money
sent by friends and sympathizers TO me
| directly, amounting to more than So 900,
| l should say This / returned to the
senderS and suggested that IL be sent
to the organizations engaged in provid-
ing luxuries for the soldiers and the
J ladies, like Miss Helen Gould, who were
engaged In caring for and aiding the sol
diers.'
, 1T is said that men were ordered TO
double up and sleep four in a tent TO
make room for new arrivals"
THAT is true said Gen. Wheeler. 1.-The
regulations fix four as the number of men
! to occupy a wall tent, and the order
caused no suffering or Distress. >.
Several members of the Commission
united in declaring that their experience
had been that four men could sleep in
tent and that this did not crowd them.
Gen. Wheeler referring TO the statement
credited to him by Capt. Higgins, chief
signal officer, that Commissary General
Egan had overruled his (Wheeler's) requi-
sition for special articles of food. said 1t
was due 10 misunderstanding at Wash
ington. 1t caused a delay of two days in
getting the supplies described.
The case of the death of Hugh P1rrett,
of the Eighth Infantry, was discussed Ut
length. 1t was charged that. coming 30
: Camp Wikof from Mobile sick he was
: not put into the hospital and was found
, dead next morning in his. tent. His death
. was charged TO neglect and brutality by
/ DR. Tabor.
Gen. Wheeler said that the case had
2 been reported TO him and he ordered Ma
jor Beach, Inspector. TO make q report.
which was done. This was followed by
further newspaper charges and another
investigation was made Dy Major Beach,
) the report of which was sent 10 Wash
ington. Il found" said the general,
that DR.. Tabor was sometimes rough
with his men. but his attention TO his
command in Cuba was sucn as to earn
|
men. It was mistake that the man was
not sent TO the hospital; a mistake on
the part of the surgeon, of judgment,
and not an act OF Intentional brutality.
THE surgeons themselves were often
sick. and irritable in consequence OF i'll
ness This was so noticeable that on one
; occasion ] spoke to them about it"
Regarding statements that men fell In
the company streets from weakness. Gen.
Wheeler said 1t was true. II saw that
they were weak and could sympathize
with them. for | had been in the same
condition myself. The men had a long
distance to walk from the transports TO
| their quarters; they had to go slow, and
| some had to take occasional rest. Their
condition was due 10 the malaria in their
systems, and not to lack of food or at
, tention. The campaign in Cuba was one
of inaction, and after the surrender of
Santiago the men could not exercise for
| weakness
Regarding the assertions about the
quality of the water supplied. Gen.
, | Wheeler said it was frequently examin-
ed and pronounced to be pure by the
surgeons and by DR.. Smart, the highest
: | authority in the United States.
! Throughout the campaign" said Cen
: Wheeler. soldiers and officers conducted
themselves in a praseworthy manner,
i and it is most painful to me that such
glorious conduct should be prejudiced be-
fore the country by an effort to crea te
the impression that they complained of
their treatment or experience. when they
did not"
In this connection Gen. Wheeler paid
a compliment to the fidelity and faithful
ness of the surgical corps. There was
lack of surgeons at first, and officers
of companies were compelled to hunt up
surgeons to send their sick to hospitals,
THAT was their duty, and an officer has
| none higher to perform" he said
The fact that a filter was provided by
Gen Wheeler on August 81, a month
after the camp had been laid out drew
forth the explanation that it was an act
of precaution on the part of the engi-
neers, because the water supply was fall
| ing off and in such case there was dan
ger of contamination.
Then" said Mr.. Beaver, SIT was not
to meet a condition that already existed
but a possible contingency"
Exactly So" answered Gen. Wheeler
There was quite controversy as TO its
necessity. / remember. Col Forwood.
chief medical officer. protested that 1t
was absolutely unnecessary. But when l
asked for it, and the Secretary of War
approved the request, he said that If it
saved the life of but one man it would
| be we'll paid for"s "a
1t was for the same reason, Gen.
| Wheeler said, that the condensng vessel.
Iris was sent to the camp
"A break stopped the pumps about a
day, the result being that water had to be
carried half a mie# I've seen soldiers
carry water three or four miles, There