The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-27
FIRST FORMAL SESSION
PROCEEDINGS LIMITED TO OUT
LINING A GENERAL POLICY.
THE MEETING WAS STRICTLY SECRET
Letters of Inquiry will be Addressed to War De-
partment officials, Army Officers ard
all who Know Anything Of
Facts Complained of.

Washington, Sept. 26.-The commits
sion selected by the President to investi-
gate the conduct of the War Depart
ment held its first formal session to-day
with all the members present.
To-day's meeting was strictly secret,
and was confined to session of two
hours duration in the forenoon. The
proceedings were limited to the outlining
of Il general policy and the formation of
letters of inquiry which will be made
public tomorrow.
The letters which have been decided
upon are to be addressed to the Secre-
tary of War, the Quartermaster Gen
eral, the Commissary General the Sur
geon General and the Chief of the Orb
nance Department of the Army. Thay
will consist in the main of inquiries in
tended to bring out all the facts that
can be given relative to the organiza-
tion of the volunteer army. These Off
cials will be asked to give specific infor-
nation so as to cover eacho f the Depart
ments in question, concerning the condi-
tion of the army, both at the beginning
and the close of the war. For this pur-
pUGt I ueilC Bl <1IJlIl ndS uSth SCltNlNu
as the one for the beginning of the prep
aration and another in August for the
close.
The questions are so formulated as to
call out answers covering the organiza-
tion of camps, the purchase of supplies
and the making of contracts with trans
portation companies, and also to show
the methods adopted for furnishing sup
plies to the various commands and for
protecting the health of the soldiers.
There will be an especial effort to de-
velop the motives that actuated the De-
partment in the choice of camp sites,
as there have been charges TO the effect
that they were located as Il matter of
fayoritism to railroad companies.
The commission also considered sew
eral letters of complaint from persons
protesting to have information bearing
upon the subject of investigation, and
decided to address replies to the writer's
of each of them requesting them to put
their charges in specific shape, and in
forming them of the scope of the inquiry.
1t is intended that if the replies receiv
ed to these letters show the writer's to
be in possession of real information to
summon them before the commission
when it is feasible to do so, or otherwise
to secure their affidavits. Where, how
ever, it becomes evident that their ac-
cusations are mere idle complaints with
no information back of them, the writer's
will not receive further attention.
The commission also expects to sum-
mon before it the commanding officers
of the various divisions and brigades,
and probably the colonels of regiments
from which complaints have emanated.
They will be expected to give full in
formation as to the pains they may have
taken or failed to take concerning the
location of their troops and their general
welfare. The commission decided to
hold two sessions daily, one in the fore
noon from 10 to 1870, and the other
in the afternoon from to 4 o'clock.
DIR. Phineas Connor sat with the com
mission to-day for the first time. DR..
Connor found it impossible to remain
with the commission for the present, and
received leave of absence for two or
three days in order to return to Cincin-
natl to put his affairs in shape, to be
absent so long as the work of the COM
mission may require.
In DIR. COnnOr the commission secured
the services of a man who is not only
eminent in his profession, but who is
also familiar with The conduct of the
medical department Of the army in
which he served for four years. He
was born at West Chester, Pa, on the
23rd of August, 1889; went to Cincin-
natl in 1914, and graduated from
Dartmouth college in 1859. The doctors
services in the army extended from
1862 to 1866, when he was assistant
surgeon and bervet major. He resign
ed his position on the 1st of August.
1866 and since then has been in practice
s III Cincinnati He is now and has been
for many years professor of surgery III
the Medical college of Ohio. ind in
Dartmouth Medical college.