Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-09-10
FIGHTING JOSEPH
BECOMES INDIGNANT
Stories Of Suffering and Starvation
at Camp WikoR Arouses
His Ire.
q CHARACTERISTIC LETTER
General Wheeler Says the Traops
Are Well Cared for at
Montauk.
CHARACTERISTIC
LETTER
IT IS A VERY HEALTHY LOCALITY
Sick Are Receiving the Best Posi-
bic Treatment and There Is
No Occasion For sensa.
tionnl Reports.

lamp NlkOnr Montauh fOlnt, L. j.,
Sept. 5.-Major General Joseph Wheel
er gave the following TO the Assocf
ated Press yesterday:
"The following is a sample of the let
tiers we are constantly receiving re-
garding the soldiers in the camps
LIN regard to my stepson, I'VE feel
very uneasy about him on account of
the newspaper reports Of the ~privation
and suffering inflicted on tho private
soldiers. Although he has never ut
tered a complaint since he has been in
the army, We hear from other sources
Of the cruel and horrible treatment in
Aicted on soldiers under the pre-
tense OF humanity for our peighbors
and the whole country is In n state of
terrible excitement.
81 should not be surprised il the
feeling should lead TO revolution Of
some kind, sol ssure you ] hear on
all sides the most violent and bitter
denunciations Of the war department
and the army. II is indeed a great
pity that the glory Of our triumphs
should be dinmed by such u shameful
thing as the i'll treatment and starya-
ton of our own brave soldiers, while
the Spanish prisoners have the best
treatment that the country can at-
ford
No Complaint by Soldiers.
ut will be seen that this letter says
that not Q word IL complaint has been
received from this soldier, and so far
as my Investigation goes, no COM
plant has been made by any OF the
brave soldiers that have added glory
to our arms in the Cuban campaign.
A great many anxious fathers, moth
ers brothers or sisters arrive here
from all parts of the United States to
look after their relatives whom they
say the papers tell them are suffering,
and many of them have heard that
their relatives are in n condition of
starvation. Most of these people are
unable to spend money for such u
Journey, and they are surprised when
they come to find their relatives sur
rounded with everything to eat which
can be procured by money; and If
sick in the hospital they are gratified
and surprised to find that they are
given every possible care. In reply to
q direct request that | will give the
exact facts as | see them, | will state:
every soldier who went to Cuba
believed he was given a great and spe-
cial privilege in being permitted to
engage in that campaign. They knew
they were to encounter yellow fever
and other diseases, as well as the tor
rid heat Of the country and they we're
perhaps glad to do so. They were
more than glad to incur the hardships
and dangers. They realized that in
the hurried organization Of an expedi-
ton by a government which had no
one with any experience in such mat
ters, it was impossible to have every
thing arranged to perfection, and
they will testify that under the cir
cumstances the conditions were much
more perfect than anyone would have
reason TO expect and that the presi-
| dent and secretary Of war and others
who planned and dispatched these eX-
petitions deserve high commentator.
"One reason why our army was slack
ing in some essential equipments was
that a telegram was received from Ad-
miral Sampson reporting that If the
! army reached there Immediately they
could take the city at once, but If
there should be delay the fortifica-
tons of the Spaniards would be per-
fected and there might be great diff
Guilty In taking it. On receiving this
dispatch from Admiral Sampson the
war department directed the army to
move at once, and, as all connected
with the army will recall, though the
orders were received after dark, the
army travelled nine miles and was on
the ships at daylight. As soon as the
Spanish fleet was destroyed so that it
wa possible for unarmed ships to sail
safely to Santiago, everything that
could be accomplished for their com
fort was done by the president and
secretary of war,
a HcnIthful Locality.
after the surrender had been com
pleted and arrangements perfected
for transporting the Spanish army to
Spain, the president and secretary OF
war sent ships to Santiago and trans
ported our army to one of the most
healthful localities in the United
States. The soldiers, upon their ar
rival at this place, received every care
and bounty which could be procured
by money. There is no doubt that
there have been individual cases of
suffering and possibly neglect among
the soldiers, not only in Cuba. but
since their arrival at this place. Near
" $4,000 men were brought from a yell
low fever district to the United States.
1t would have been impossible to have
landed them and allowed them to go
promiscuously among the people. 1t
has been stated by prominent physi-
clans that if it had been done yellow
fever would have spread through
many of our states. Over 5000 very
sick men have been received in the
general hospital and as many more
have been cared for in the camps and
yet only about sixty deaths have oc-
Cured in these hospitals.
TENTS had to be erected, hospitals
constructed and preparations made to
supply these $4,000 men with whole
.-~ ,r,ta, ro1l n,alininac phrCi-