New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-25
THE SUFFERING ON THE SENECA.
MISS JENNINGS BLAMES THE RELIEF FOR
NOT KEEPING THE WOUNDED THAT
WE'RE BROUGHT HERE ON
THE TRANSPORT

WE'RE BROUGHT HERE ON
THE TRANSPORT
Miss Jeanette Jennings the Red Cross nurse who
won the thanks OF the wounded soldiers on board
the transport Seneca. made a statement last night
concerning Troopship No. 5. or the Seneca. as 1t
formerly called. Among other Things she says
her signature
The discomforts the Seneca are Of small mo,
ment. and now that we are all IN Gods country
Was not IN the ship NSSody was more
over the wretched conditions than the captain OF
sick and wounded placed where there were no ac-
computations even for well men. But ne ne, was aI,
that man could do to soften and better me condi.
lions. and was most helpful In every possible ""y'
The responsibility for the condition OF the Seneca
as a hospital ship Is at Siboney. The Seneca was
not inspected This is a grave assertion. but re-
peat 1.-THE Seneca was not Inspected. The SICK
and wounded we're placed on board by orders OF the
surgeons. They could not have gone on board by
any other authority. The wounded men were from
the Relief. the most perfectly appointed and thor
oughly equipped hospital ship in the world. These
wounded men were sent from the Relief to the
Seneca for transportation to the United States
without a stitch Of clothing except the night shirts
they had on They had nothing else to put on from
the time they left the Relief-almost nine days. for
they were two days on the Seneca before she sailed
until we reached New-York. when they could not
be taken off the ship until Dr. Doty brought out
clean clothes for them The supplies for them
sent from the Relief were some pandases'
some ouinine and one case Of beef tea. That
was all.
There was absolutely no other food provided for
these wounded excepting the regular Army ra
lions which few OF them could eat. They had not
knife fork. spoon, plate cup-nothing for use at
meals I do not know whether the surgeons who sent
these wounded soldiers board the Seneca ex-
pected them TO eat of the floor with their fingers
serving as knvers forks and spoons. not. | SIM
ply state the fact that no provision whatever was
made for them. appreciate the situation. / should
say that II perfectly we'll understood that the
| ship was not TO serve these men. They were 10
have their mess, and convalescents were ex-
| pected to take care Of them though not an order
| had been given. detail made. which would insure
| either the preparation of food Of the men,
This was serious enough but not so serious as the
| lack Of medicines and surgical Instruments
There were no medicines and not a surgical IN
strument on board the Seneca. The two young sur
geons sent on board TO take charge Of the sick and
wounded were not supplied with either medicines or
| Instruments And yet some OF these wounded men
needed surgical treatment whey they came on board
the Seneca One soldier in the Regular Army
shot In the body, suffered intensely. and had dill
| Guilty I'm breathing Much OF the time this soldier
could not lie down. made pad or cushion Tor MS
| side where the pain seemed most severe sa"
him Yesterday at Bellevue. He looked quite Ike q
new man-so much improved-though but three
DAYS In this hospital. oh am so much better,
| he said with a bright smile. II breathe now.
| The doctors have pumped that bad stuff out OF my
wound" Think Of the poor fellow. tossed about on
the ship week suffering torture. because there
we're no surgical Instruments to relieve him.
Who Is to answer for what seems to have peen
the greatest negligence. If not, In fact, criminal
| Indifference? 1t cannot be said there was no time
to get instruments and medicines from the RELIEF.
These men on the Seneca two days peiore
she sailed. The young surgeons with Dr Bro ana
DR. Hicks told me they had asked for case OF
ha told
lief had none TO spare" Then the Relief shouid
have kent the wounded men board, where there
were decent quarters for them and surgical instru
ments at hand. The Relief carries 3tO beds' :"
folding coty and go extra mattresses WINE a.
s,bonev the Relief received 265 sick and wounded
Che has lust arrived In New-York with 125 persons
on hoard leaving over half her beds unoccupied
Why were the wounded put on board the Seneca
under such wretched conditions when there was
ample room for them on the Relief ana every
thing at hand to make them comfortable?
The Relief has an Ice plant, but there was not 9
mound of ice sent 10 the Seneca for these wounded
men from the Relief All the Ice we had we oo'
tanned from the Red Cross ship State Of Texas
the night before sailed, which lasted only t"'
DAYS Then we had none until reached For
Monroe | also went to the Red cross shil
early in the morning making hurried trip while
the Seneca was getting ready to take up ne
anchor and got the knives, forks, spoons cup'
and plates-all we had to use-malted MIX oa.-
meal jellies towels and whatever could De quick
IL got together and thrown into a big sack I'M
last thing was a bundle of unbeached cotton cloth
that Miss Barton added TO the sack. saying ina ina
II might be of some use. II was cut II up i'''
pocket -handkerchiefs for the men. ,,aso vounae,
The Relief could well have Kept these woui ht
men on board, with moro than hair or her Deu
unoccupied. on the Seneca many OF them WERE VI
mattresses on the floor. Others were III a Wors,
| deck where the wooden hunks were put up nc, io'
the troops to sleep in when the transpJT sae,
merely sleep in the cattle PEN but II was 9n.!
at night. and they were on deck during me uay
on the Seneca the helpless sick and wounueu Wei
nut In the cattle PEN there were the NOISE OF I'M
| machinery and the odors Of everything iown thete
Seventeen sick men were sent over rom ON the be
We're fever cases-one a typhoid and delirous whei
brought on board. AS soon as possible we oroug In
him up to outside room on the upper DECK VIM d
the Mayor OF St. Augustine. who was on board aaT.
gave up TO the sick soldier. There was no more
made tGT the mas 5ek For t the sen
from the Seneca. 1t quite the same-au wer
destitute Of the smallest comforts; pppd wo;nde
ofr-no matter how-withcut thought OF preparauoi
for their care Had the Relic, ho Tor oe excse B
she was there thoroughly equipped and with pient!
OF room to spare: ,., - .x,,s. FOR IN,
conditions under which these sick and wounde'
men we're transported to the United states. I'M M
only brief story With no desire w 70 sy we DEATH
, on board the Seneca is something to rejoice over
and yet the surprising part OF the Incident, ~,
G,,S was not / have laid aside the Rec
Cross brassard for the present an, hot on au,1
and am free to s9eatS 70, an invesga, He
right There should be an ih'eSus"'o' '0
ough one"
FIsCUs IN A CRITICAL CONDITION.
HIS FAMILY WITH THE LIEUTENANT AT FORT
w,nswoRru-Goop REPORTS FROM THE