New-York tribune., 1898-11-11
6O-62 West 23d St.
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION.
TAKING OF TESTIMONY BEGUN BY A
COMMITTEE IN DETROIT.
EVIDENCE GIVEN AS TO CARE OF THE SICK AT

SANTIAGO AND IN CAMPS.
Detroit Nov l0-The Western section OF the War
Department investigating Commission to-day began
the examination OF witnesses at the Hotel Cadillac
Major A. W. Corliss of the 7th Infantry was the
first witness. lie was in camp at Chckamauga
and Tampa went to Cuba with General Skaters
army, was wounded at the battle Of FL Caney. and
returned New-York on the transport Seneca
At FL Caney. he said. his men had fair quantity
Of ratons but there some growing. After
being wounded Major Corliss Inmate or
several hospitals and in all Of them he said he
Jared well. There were two contract surgeons on
board the Seneca" he said, but they could not get
any thermometers or any delcaces for the sick ex-
cept a little matted milk and cereals. Most Of the
supplies obtained at the last moment. think
from the Relief. There one nurse on board.
Miss Jennings"
Dr. Conner-Do you know whether any effort
was made by these medical officers TO secure sup
plies except from the Relief?
Major COrss-I do not The Relief was asked
TO furnish certain amount of drugs when 1t was
discovered that there was not a sufficient quantity
on board the Seneca. The men were fairly well
taken care Of notwithstanding the scarcity OF
supplies
General Dodge read a statement reported to have
been made by soldier OF the 7th Regiment, to the
effect that positions corporal were readily
obtained by paying stipulated price.
That is lie" replied Major Coriss.
CONDITIONS ON TRANSPORTS
First Lieutenant O. $. Rosenbaum. quartermas-
ter of the 7th Infantry testified that he with
the regiment In Cuba from the time IT left Tampa
until it reached Montauk Point. on August q. His
statements that the men Jared fairly well as
to food through the campaign His command re-
turned to Montauk on the Yucatan, and the men
were well taken care OF.
Captain Charles A. Booth. 7th Infantry, testified
that he returned with three companies on the
auxiliary cruiser Prairie. which had no accommo-
dations for carrying troops There were no regular
nurses aboard and the two doctors, witness con-
sidered were young and inexperienced. and hardly
qualified to cope with the conditions especially as
one Of them was III. Captain Booth said the men
were all in such miserable condition from malaria
poisoning on reaching Montauk that their stomachs
would retain nothing.
Dr. Charles b. Nancred. surgeon Of the S3d Mich-
gan Volunteers testified In relation to conditions
as he had observed them at Camp Alger. Siboney
and Montauk Except In reference to water, he
thought the site Of Camp Alger satisfactory In
his Judgment the regmenta medical ofhcers werr
competent as class. ne commended as satls-
factory the care Of the wounded IN and after the
Santiago fights. The sick suffered especially In
the early part of the campaign from the multi
plicitv Of duties imposed the medical officers
IThe fault was not so much the lack OF doctors but
lack of proper assignment and management or the
whole
Asked as 10 the efficiency OF the division as COIN
pared 20 the regimental system of hospitals. re
said that in his opinion the division hospital was
all right In dealing with regular troops. but that
with volunteers there should be more than one
surgeon with "a IN regiment. He continued: i
saw at Montauk wilful neglect bat dld notice
inconveniences and discomforts, consequent upon
the lack OF division Of labor and responsibility
Interference from friends and relatives was a
great source of trouble, ard think caused the
furoughing OF a great many patients from the
hospitals before they were We" e'i0us" - 'e ''
DR. Lawrence D. Knowles. of the S2d Michigan
Volunteers was heard in reference 10 the hospl
tails at Tampa and Fernandina Palmetto beaSh, at
Tampa, was not regarded by nm as goon slte ti
also said that at times tney were S1or' Oh i'euiT n
Knowles was in my judgment charming place
for a camp. The site of the hospital AT Ferhahdlnd
l regard as proper one
SUFFERING AT CAMP THOMAS
The Rev Helen Stuart Richards of Boston. testi-
fed on the condition of the hospitals at camp
Thomas where she helped for the soldiers
from June 9 to August t. by permission of General
Brooke She said: I'm the Second Division. Third
Corps. hospital l would mention the general or art
and disorder, the lack OF dsintectantS ana tne no %
ribe stencil Patients were frequently nlihy' nliy' % ai.H
they were infrequently bathed Some with @ hiSn
fevers were never bathed not having even NH NH
necks and arms sponged. lounu pttiemtSS AZ, an
their eyes nostrs and mouths run OF horrlpe ncs.
Mosquito netting was there Dut II was ~, ior nos"to
netting down where II would relieve the men NY
opinion is that the nurses were lncomie'tIt Ou
that is not strange. perhaps In view OF the iact
that they were taken from the ranks ,no Gould no
Dr. Conner-That Is the only way they could De
provided under the Army regulations. ,,
Nrs Richards said she could give any special
incident evidencing neglect on the part OF any
doctor in the hospital - - ,
Captain George S. Young Company II, 7th In
f,ntry testified to having returned from cuba on
board the Concha. which carried 10 sick men. No
medical officer detailed to go with the SNIP
but Or. Lesser. volunteer doctor from the Ked
cross was aboard, and had with him pharmacist
and eight Red Cross women nurses. There was
nothing to eat the boat excepting ordinary
rations not any such food sick people could eat