The record-union., 1898-09-27
Holds Its First Formal Session, All the
Members Being Present.
Proceedings of Yesterdays Meet
ing, Which Was Strictly Se-
cret, Limited to the Outlining
of General Policy, and the
Formulation of Letters of In
quiry, Which Are to be Made
Public To-Day.

| WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-The COM
mission selected by the President To
| investigate the conduct of the War De-
partment held its first formal session
to-day, with all the members present
| The meeting was in the room or the
Fertilization and Ordnance Board OF
| the department, but it was found to
| be too small for the purpose of the
! board and it was announced that fu-
ture meetings would be held in apart
ments secured in the Lemon building
on New York avenue.
To-day's meeting was strictly secret
no newspaper representatives or others
not connected with the board being ad-
| mitted.
After a meeting of two hours dura-
ton, an adjournment was taken until
| 10 o'clock tomorrow
The proceedings were limited 20 the
outlining of a general policy ana the
formulation of letters of inquiry, which
will be made public tomorrow.
The letters decided upon are to be
addressed to the Secretary Of War, the
Quartermaster General, the Commits
sary General the Surgeon General and
the Chief of the Ordnance Department.
| of the army. They will consist in the
main of inquiries intending to bring
out all the facts that can be given rel
ative to the organization of the volun.
teer army.
These officials will be asked to give
| specific information so as to cover each
of the departments in question, con-
corning the condition of the army, both
at the beginning and the close Of the
war. For this purpose a date in April
! has been selected as the one for the
beginning of the preparations and an
other in August for the close. The
questions are SO formulated as to call
! out answers covering the organization
of camps, the purchase of supplies end
the making Of contracts with transpor-
| tation 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 70 de-
department in the choice of camp sites
as there have been charges of favorit-
] ism to railroad companies
| The commission also considered sew
eral letters Of complaint from persons
| ing upon the subject of investigation
and decided to address replies to the
writers, requiring them to put their
charges in specific shape, and inform
ing them of the scope of the inquiry /:
is intended, if the replies received Ia
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, otherwise
to secure their affidavits When. 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 attea-
ton.
| The commission also expects to ex-
| tend its inquiry before it closes its
work, to the extent of summoning be-
fore it the commanding officers of the
various divisions and Brigadiers and
| probably CoIonels 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 concern
ing the location of their troops and
their general welfare
The commission decided to hold two
sessions daily. one from 10 m to
12:3O p. m. and the other from 2 to 4
| p. m.
! DR.. P. S. Connor sat with the com
mission to-day. He arrived from his
home in Cincinnati early in the day
and called on the President for a brief
interview before joining his fellow
| members in the War Department. The
President expressed appreciation OF
the doctors acceptance of the position
and outlined briefly his wishes in the
matter of the investigation. DR.. Con-
nor secured a leave of absence for two
or three days in order to go 20 Gin
cinnati to put his affairs in shane. to be
absent as long as the work of the com
mission may require.
In DR.. Connor the commission sa-
cures the views 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 Westchester. Pa. August
20, 1882, and is a graduate Of Dart
/ mouth college. His service in the army
extended from 1862 to 1866 and he was
Assistant Surgeon and Breyet Major
He resigned on the 1st of August. ,St6
and sinos then has been in practice in
! Cincinnati. He is now, and has been
for many years, professor of surgery
in the College of Ohio. and in Dart
mouth Medical College.
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