The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-30

/
| Senator George +. Hoar has had an
interview with Secretary of War AIger
! TelatlVe TO bringing back the bodies of
dead soldiers from Cuban soil.
yesterday Capt. p. l.. Rider received
| the following letter from the senator
Whieh is of considerable interest ia tbe
relatives and friends of the heroes who
are buried Ill Cuba. The senator tells
| why the war department twice pranfad
and twice refused permission 10 ra 1r1,1v
the bodies. The war department will
extend all possible courtesies to fine eY-
| petition after Feb
Inc letter was as follows.
| committee of the Judiciary
United States Senate.)
washington, ID. c., Dec. q, 1887
MY Dear Capt Rider:
ME- Lodge, Mr. Gillett, Mr. Weymouth
ana myself visited the SECRETARY Of
war at his house, Monday n,ornin, in
regard to the matter of returning the
bodies of the dead soldiers. We stated
the whole case to Mr. AIger. and re-
minded him that the department had
Twice issued orders permitting the ner-
sons designated by the friends Of the
oead soldiers of the MASSACHUSETTS, Sec
9hd ana other Massachusetts, men who
l lttu oled at Santiago, to go upon the
9olace, winch had been placed at their
disposal for that purpose by the secre
tary OF the navy to recover the bodies
we told him of the great anxiety of
the friends and relatives of these dead
soldiers that there should be no nos
slDie question of identity of the remains
mat We're brought home, a sentiment
Whlch he fully appreciated and respect
ed.
The secretary seemed troubled and
anxious about the whole matter. He
agreed that we were right in under
standing that the department had twice
given permission, and that the permis-
sion had been twice revoked. But he
SAID that Gen. Wood, himself a high
medical authority, and in command up
on Inc SPOT, was very earnest and en-
phatic IN his remonstrance and insist
eel that IL would not be safe to remove
the bodies of soldiers who had died of
yellow fever until about the middle of
the dry season, which will be in Feb
fuary, and that many soldiers who did
not die of yellow fever were buried in
trenches or in the same graves with
those who did, and that a further
granting of permits in a few special
cases such as have taken place. was
likely to create COMPLAINT
The secretary, after making this
statement, and considering what has
happened, said he wished to do what
we four think right We all agreed
that, under the circumstances, it would
be presumDtuous for us to insist fur
ther that the secretary should disregard
the opinion of Gen. Wood, whether it
were right or not, and of that we were
no. competent judges: and, further
that it would be presumptuous for the
secretary himself to disregard such an
opinion
We were all very sorry for the course
this interesting and delicate affair has
taken. We respect the tender desire Of
the friends of our dead boys to pay
them the only honor which is left to
pay--that of a burial in the soil of
Massachusetts. But we hope you and
they will think we did right.
We were not unmindful of the fact
that so much time has now gone by
that the month of February is near at
hand
The secretary promises us that every
facility shall be given to the persons
who go down there from Massachusetts
to bring home the remains or to identity
the burial places that can possibly be
desired, and that they shall be- treated
with every consideration and respect by
the authorities in charge of Cuba. This
promise, l am sure, viii be kept.
All persons interested in this matter
are under special obligation to my col
league, Mr.. GilletJ of the Springfield
district, who has been assiduous in his
efforts. You are at liberty in your dis
erection to make this letter public. I
AM, with great respect, faithfully yours,
(Signed), George f. Hoar.
Major +. T. Raymond, while in
Washington. had a talk with Senator
George F. Hoar, regarding the remov-
al of bodies from Santiago. The sem
ator told the major that he did not
bAliRVa that hOdipS ehnI1ld
be removed until February, and that
as Gen. Wood was surgeon during