The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-23
WILL GO TO PORTO RICO
GOVERNOR APPOINTS STRICKLAND AS
INVESTIGATING AGENT.
Ladies' Auxiliary to Battery A to Pay His
Expenses--The ArtilIery's Flag
Over Guyana.

Governor Mount Senator Turpie and sew
eral of the women of the ladies' auxiliary
to the Twenty-seventh Battery met yester
day afternoon in the Governors office, and,
at the request of the women, the Governor
appointed Smith Strickland, formerly
lieutenant in the battery, an agent to go TO
Porto Rico and investigate the charges
made by the members of the battery in the
letters they have written home. The wom-
en- returned to meeting of the auxiliary
which was being held and reported their
success. The auxiliary decided to drop eff
forts to locate the persons responsible for
the troubles of the boys when they were on
the transport Roumanan and 20 load the
agent with medicines and other supplies
when he goes to Porto Rico instead. This
resolution of the women is only part of
the Governors intention in commissioning
Lieutenant Strickland to go to Porto Rico.
The Governor will provide him with pa
pers, stamped with the great seal Of Irdi-
ana, showing the errand on which the bear
er goes, and requesting that he be given the
liberty of all guard lines. Lieutenant Strick-
land will be instructed by the Governor to
examine carefully into the causes of the
complaints made by the battery boys He
will investigate their present condition, so
that relief, If any is needed, may be pro-
vided by the women's auxiliary. He will
determine whether or not the regular gov
eminent rations were issued to the battery
en- route to Porto Rico, and if not, who was
responsible for the omission. He will dis
cover whether or not the ratons that were
issued were spoiled ratons, and if so who
was responsible for issuing spoiled rations.
When he has collected all the facts it is pos
sible to gather he will return and make a
report to the Governor. If there is shown
sufficient evidence that the battery was
mistreated, the Governor will ask the secre-
tary of war to make an investigation look
ing to the punishment of whoever was re-
sponsible for the mistreatment.
1t was the Governors intention to have
Lieutenant Strickland paid the salary he
would receive as lieutenant in the army
$120 month-but Strickland said he would
do the work for the salary he receives at
his place Of business. The Governor could
not authorize the bearing of the expenses
of the expedition by the State, but he will
ask the Legislature to pass a special appro-
priation bill for the reimbursement of the
Womens auxiliary for whatever it may
cost TO send Lieutenant Strickland to Porto
Rico The Governor expects Lieutenant
Strickland to start on his trip as soon as
the women's auxiliary has collected the ex-
pense money and he has prepared for the
trip. The Governor said Yesterday that it
is the understanding that when lieutenant
Strickland returns he will be commissioned
by the Indiana Soldiers Aid Society to visit
al the Indiana regiments, unless they have
been by that time mustered out of the serv-
Ice, and to act as the agent of the society
IN distributing supplies for the comfort of
sick
Lieutenant Strickland was second lieu
tenant in the battery and could not pass
M f11G g
hcient chest measurement. 1t was the Gov
ernors intention, however, to commission
Lieutenant Strickland anyhow. This was
prevented by the fact that the number of
guns stipulated for the battery did not call
for the extra lieutenant, and so Strickland
could not go to the front as a member of
the organization.
THE AUXILIARY MEETING.
The ladies' auxiliary to the Twenty
seventh Battery held a called meeting in
the afternoon at the home of Mrs. R. o.
hawkins. There was a very good attend
aEce of the membership. The question to
be considered was the sending of an agent
to the battery to care for the sick, attend
to comforts for the others, ard discuss the
manner of raising the necessary funds. Mrs.
Irene V. Webb gave an account of the visit
OF the committee to the Governor, relative
TO sending a state agent. The Governor
said he would furnish the passports for such
an agent, but no funds. Finally it was de-
LADIES' ine Sn S So1a ee sent oy the
was not reached until after a lengthy dis
cuSS1on pro and con. Some were in favor
of the agent, and others against, although
the latter were decidedly in the minority.
The ladies who have husbands, sons and
brothers in the battery wish to have them
cared for if they suffering. The various
letters that have been received. recounting
the trip on the transport have aroused in
cignation:.. There was talk about the later
letters telling of the beauties of Porto Rico,
and discussion as to the probability of
the sufferings being those of the past, and
the necessity of an agent much less than
at first. The arrival of a letter from Capt.
Curtis nearly upset the meeting, and the
ladies were for spending whatever money
Trey have in the treasury, little more
than 500, direct for the purchase of Quinine
and other medicines or luxuries. Many left
the meeting, thinking that there would be a
reconsideration of tie subject. Other minds,
however, that were not so readily diverted,
were continued. These are to this effect:
Each member of the auxiliary shall raise all
of the money possible by tomorrow morn
ing at 10 O'Clock, when a meeting will be
diana Trust Company and the money will
be turned in. 1t is expected that the forty
or fifty women will raise $400 This, with
the 800 in bank will be sufficient to send
tries, to Porto Rico. Mrs. Cortland Van
Camp and Mrs. John w. Kern were asked
to visit the firm where Lieutenant Strick
land is employed to ask for leave of alb
ser ce for Strickland ana reinstatement on
his return. The matter of investigating the
difficulties on the Roumanian transport trip
by the battery boys will be dropped by the
auxiliary. The meeting was a long one,
and the various matters were thoroughly
discussed. The society is not incorporated
and the money cannot be borrowed. Each
member will collect all the money possible,
and each Of the forty-two members is ex-
L~w- l-~, 49, ~ .1axr