The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-10-02
Nelson Hersch Gives Some Facts
Regarding Camp WIkof
SITE WAS A BARREN WASTE
When First Detachment Arrived
Men Slept on Ground.
SUFFERING FF=- Want OF FOOD
SS
Glass of Sou : 8 Per Day Was the
Only Hou'55 mt For the Sick.
DOCTORS s9lOPRIATED STORES
After Surgeons Had Lunched, Twenty
Five Empty Apolonaris Bottles
Were Counted Said to Have
Been Taken From Supplies.

Washington, October 1.-The war investi-
eating commission devoted It's time today
largely to the consideration of statement
filed by Mr.. Nelson Hersch on behalf of
the New York World giving what he styles
"a record of facts concerning the estab-
lishment of Camp Wikoff and its manage
ment, together with specific instructions of
abuse, charged to have existed dates, num-
ber of sick in Hospitals, deaths, etc."
The statement was made in response to
the general invitation from the commits
sion. 1t is asserted at the tine that Mon
tauk Point was selected as the site for the
camp it was a barren waste the details
of the selection of the camp site given, and
the result of the transportation of troops
and it is asserted that when the first de-
tachment of 275 troops arrived, on August
| 8, the "camp was not ready to receive
| them and they slept under their blankets
and in the open air, as no tents had
arrived"
"Th's," it is added, "was eleven days
after it had been decided to establish the
camp"
Sick without Tents
Continuing, the assertion is made that by .
the 10th of August the sick were reported
suffering for want of proper accommoda-
tons and food; without tents and with
their blankets between them and the
ground. A glass of sour milk apiece was
tha oyl, ric in,
twenty-four hours.
The war department is charged with fire.
quent changes of plans, and 1t is charged
that General Young given only six
days for the preparation of the camp for
| the arrival of troops, which caused great
| confusion" On the 14th of August DR.. Ed
| son visited the camp and found only a
body of water, without inlet or outlet, ard
known as Fort Pond, for their drinking
water By the Goth of August there were
10000 men in camp, and LOO were in the
hospital, with many unable to secure ad-
mission from the transport. The regulars
were reported to be suffering for tie nec-
essaries of life.
AFTER the doctors had lunched," says
the account, twenty-five empty Apolonaris
bottles were counted on the tables, said to
have been diverted from hospital stores"
Death of Private Parrett
Particulars are given of the death in his
tent of Private Hugh Parrett on August
Is, and that he was refused admission to
the hospital on the ground that he was not
sick.
The assertion is made that when, on the
9TH of September DR.. Lee went to Camp
Wikoff with a special train to remove sick
soldiers to the Brooklyn hospital, "he was
unable to get more than fifteen men to the
train on account of the lack of ambuances,
which were being used to carry sight-seers
around the camp. While hundreds of sick
soldiers were waiting to be transferred to
boats and trains, dozen ambulancss stood
at the depot filled with laughing men and
women who were seeing the camp with off,
Ger friends After this incident General
Young gave orders that the ambulancs
were to be used only for the transporsa-
tion of the sick"