The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-26
SURGEON w. F. KING REBUKED
FOR MAKING AN IMPROPER REPLY
TO COMPLAINING SOLDIERS.
Told Members of the Fourth WiscOn-
sin to Go to the Devil and Eat
What They Had.

relation to conditions at Camp Thomas
Dr. r. ID. Boss, assistant surgeon in the
First Infantry, was the first witness to-
day. He was with this regiment and with
the Fourth Infantry in Cuba. He arrived
at Santiago on the 10th of July. He found
the medical supplies short and was unable
to secure any of them for few days until
he learned how to get them from the di-
vision hospital. There was sufficiency of
quinine, but a shortage of morphine. How
ever, he had ali of this latter remedy that
was absolutely necessary. He was able to
secure hospital stores such as food delica-
cies by "rustling" for them, getting them
first from the Red Cross Society and then
going to Santiago for them. He had made
requisition on the chief surgeon of the
division for these supplies, but had been
unable to secure them. because they were
rot there. However, he had no serious ILL
ness in the command.
DR.. Conner asked if the government could
not have got these supplies to Santiago
Boss replied that while he had no informa
ton, he thought it could have done so. He
had left Santiago with the Fourth Infantry
and gone to Montauk Point the Seneca.
When they left Cuba, he said the command
was ''all broken up, and every man of the
command was sick on the way north. The
doctor himself sick and in the deten-
ton hospital at Montauk He testified to
the careful conduct of that institution, say
ing the supplies were ample and the at
tention was all that could be desired.
SINKS TOO NEAR TENTS.
Colonel Fyffe, of the Third Tennessee,
having made requests to supplement test
mony of yesterday, gave some particulars
concerning the sinks used by his regiments.
He said they were very near the tents and
it was impossible to remove them farther
owing to the proximity of other regiments,
six of them being within a stones throw.
In one instance the sinks of another regi-
ment were within twenty PAGES of the tents
of the line officers. The character of the
soil also had rendered it impossible to put
the sinks down more than four feet, render
ing it necessary to renew the sinks every
two or three days. Thus the soil became
honeycombed with sinks. Nevertheless the
sinks were carefully looked after and his
regiment had been especially commended
by the brigade commander for the condi-
ticn of its camp. He characterized as false
and malicious some charges made against
his regiment by Chattanooga musician
named Hunt who had been with his regi-
ment for time.
Other witnesses examined were Lieut..
Reed, of the Fourth Wisconsin; Lieut..
Robert West, of the Third Alabama, and
Lieutenant Haley, of the Third Tennessee.
West is the commissary and quartermaster
of his regiment, and Reed was commissary
for his regiment for a time. West said the
supplies were ample and excellent, but
Reed complained somewhat of the meat
supplied before the regiment left Wisconsin.
Lieutenant Haley is commissary for his
regiment He said there had been a few
complaints that the rations were not suffi-
cient. but he thought the complaint was
caused by the return of men on furlough.
were Fountain Ragland and Edward Sim
mons, two colored men of the Third Ala
bama; II. G. Lemke, quartermaster SER
man Colson, colonel of the Fourth Ken
lucky, and Lieutenant Colonel Cabell. of
the Second Arkansas. Colonel Cabell said.
in reply to questions put by Dr. Conner,
that he had observed a condition of at
fairs at the hospital of the Second Divi-
sion of the Third Army Corps in June
seen one sick man lying in the rain with
out the protection of even a tent fly, and
several others had been left in the same
way. He thought the doctors were honest
enough, but that they did not know how to
get supplies. Mule drivers had been used
for nurses, and he had been reliably in
formed that many Of them were in the
habit of getting drunk, and on this account
neglecting their patients. He said DR..
Schooer was the division surgeon at the
time. Colonel Cabell is lieutenant in the
regular army, and his testimony made an
evident impression upon the commission.
A TESTY SURGEON.
Major Charles f. King, surgeon of the
Fourth Wisconsin Regiment, was one of
the first witnesses this afternoon DIR. King
said the medical supplies of his regiment
were insufficient, and that there was much
delay in getting acquisitions filled. He
thought there was a sufficient quantity of
food, but said some of the men would not
eat it, preferring to buy food for them
selves.
General Wilson asked if the man had ever
complained to him as surgeon of the regl-
ment, and Dr. King replied that they had
What did you say to them?" asked the
general.
Il told them to go to the devil and eat
what they had he replied.
you to have made" said General Wilson.
and he declined to further continue the ex-
animation.
DR.. Henry H. Lee, major and surgeon of
the Third Brigade, First Division Third
Corps, said he had urged the removal of
the camp from Chickamauga because he
considered the water bad and because of the
impossibility of getting deep sinks
Major Benson: who was inspector general
amauga, said it had been impossible to en-
force sanitary regulations at Chickamauga
because when men were arrested the courts
would not punish them. He thought the
camp site good but said some of the camps
had been poorly located. He considered the
men who had located the camps responsible
for this state of affairs.
Major Woodbury., an engineer General
Franks staff: did not consider the site of
Camp Thomas suitable for a permanent
camp He said he had after a rain seen
water from the creek draining the camp
running into the intake pipe of the camp
pipe supply system.
Captain Fremont. who adjutant gen.
eral of the Second Division. Third Corps
detailed the difficulties attending the gov
eminent of the hospital of that division.
He said that when attendants were COM
planned TO concerning neglect IL was not
uncommon for them TO swear at the COM
planants. DR.. Fremont said DR.. Hubbard
who was 1T one time executive officer of
the hospital. was tyrannca and overbear-
ing. After the examination of several other
witnesses the commission adjourned TO meet
at Huntsville tomorrow, leaving here at
D. IN
Sternberg ON Sanitary Questions.
MONTPELIER, VT, Oct 25.-Surgeon
General Sternberg spoke before the State
Sanitary Association tonight, his subject
being Modern Health Regulations" He