The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-09-08
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responsible head, is charged with
the most disastrous incompetency,
TO use the mildest terms that is ap
piled to it, resulting in the illness,
neglect, starvation and death Of
over 1000 volunteer and regular
soldiers in the various army camps
in Cuba and the United States.
The Secretary of War disputes
many of the charges. He denies
that the most OF them are true.
They are worked up for the sensa-
ton they will produce" he says.
They are inspired by personal and
political enmity to me.
II am not the man to run in the
face of fire." he declares. Some
newspapers and some people are
endeavoring to force me out of the
Cabinet. They cannot do it They
are endeavoring to besmirch my
reputation; they cannot do it
1T the opportunity arises will
fight back. II attacks are made upon
me by the press, out of which the
law can take notice, / will send my
accusers to jail. I have already
made inquiries as to the possibility
of Furnishing some of my tradueers,
aud if can bring them to justice 1
will do SO
Here is part of the reputation
which Secretary of War Russell A.
Alger declares that some newspap-
ers are trying to besmirch,
but which lie claims ''they cannot
do
Some other matters have not yet
found their way into the mustY files
of the Governments record room,
but which are facts, nevertheless,
are:
Less than 400 American soldiers
were killed in battle in the war with
Spain approximately 1000 have
died in the army camps at Chicka-
manga, MoDtauk Point, Camp Alger,
Tama, Fernendina, Santiago and
other points-600 having died at
Chickamauga alone, according to
Secretary Ayers own statement.
/ Tons of camp supplies and medi.
cines have been chung up by in
competent or dishonest subordinates
of the War Department, while hun
| dreds of soldiers died for the want
of them.
Sick soldiers at Montauk Point
paid TO the restaurant owned by
the one railroad which enters there
Is cents per glass for mill and 10
cents each for sandwiches, while
train loads of delicacies and substan-
tials consigned to them and for their
free use were ''stalled" along the
line OF this same railroad.
nCdF r1On udtO uShtU- were lSIE 10
lie and die in their tents, with no
other attention than their sick com
rades could give them.
Men who had fought at Santiago
were crowded into filthy ships, i'm
provised as transports, and sent back
home as so many cattle, without salt
in some cases, without medicine fre
queutly, and without ice almost al
ways
Men too sick to move without
help we're fed on salt pork and soup
made from 40 cans of tomatoes for
$50 men, while ship loads Of provi-
slons, especially prepared for them,
were left to rot.
Sick men were sent from army
camps back to their States with only
one physicians to train containing
from 200 to 800 invalids in some in
stances
Sick men were left lying in their
tents for hours on the plea that
there were not ambulances enough
to carry them to hospitals. while the
ambulances on hand were being used |
by parties of girls and women being
escorted about the camps.
Nobody has been removed for this
condition of things, except a few in.
consequential assistant surgeons or
slmhsr petty officers. Secretary
Alger declares that no investigation /
Is necessary.