The evening times., 1898-07-18
HUNGER CAUSES AUTlhI
Volunteers Refuse to Do Guard
Duty 1t Camp Black.
pRlyATEs TOO WEAK TO WORK
A Delegation of Recruits Watts
Upon Lieutenant Hopper and Lays
the Matter Before Him-He Pro-
poses to Buy Food On His Own
Account.

Camp Black. Hampstead, l.. l., July Is.
Alleged lack of sufficient food resulted
in open mutiny among the Seventy-first
Regiment recruits in Camp Black last
right, and not until some of the soldiers
who left camp and purchased substan-
tial meals volunteered to do guard duty
were the regular outposts covered.
Three men who were on guard tainted
last night. The men accuse Capt Charles
H. Stoddard who Is in command. of fail
ing to provide enough food.
One Of those who tainted was Private
Giles, a former member Of the Seventh
Regiment Surg. II. r. Humphreys told
Lieut.. Frederick Hopper that Giles had
collapsed because of lack of nourish-
ment. The lieutenant had Giles removed
from the guard tent and placed in his
own tent
Ine surgeon went to Lieut.. Hopper
later and told him that in place OF food
a substitute of milk and whisky ought
10 be given to some of the men- Ihis
the lieutenant ordered done. and pro-
videde the money for its purchase.
Cap. Stoddard's trouble with the men
has been brewing several days IL cui-
minated at O'Clock last night, wheh
those men who had been on guard twen7
ty-four hours with only two meals.
which ,hey say were inadequate. walked
into The guardhouse. laid down their
guns and declared they would do no more
duty until proper food had been given
to them.
sxtaen of the 391 men in camp comprise
4he guard and have twenty-tour hours
Of duty. For breakfast yesterday morn
ing they had coffee and bread They ssiu
there was not enough bread Tor all. or
,heir iinner there was no change IN the
menu. Up to $3.50 o'clock last sht theS
mad nat been provided with supper
While these men were on guard the
ras, of the recruits were hard at work
moving their tents to that part Oh the
camp where the SiNty-nintn had .hsir
tents a few weeks ago. These men ioud-
. ly and roundly denounced Captain S,od-
dard and declared that unless more Iooo
was furnished they would not continue
tha hard work. They. as well as the
n,eue,e-s of the guard, asserted that It
was lack of physical strength rather
than A lack of spirit that led them to
this determination.
Several of the men went to Lieut.. Kop-
per's tent and d private. acting as
spokesman. said:
Lieutenant. even though II appears.
and perhaps is. unmiiitary and mutinous.
we rnusl am We aSabSS ~ W.
any more work under the treatment We
have been receiving in the matter of in
sufficient food. We do not get enough
10 keep US going" .a
MEN" the lieutenant replied. 'you
have ali ooeyed orders promptly until the
present time. and You have done your
work well. l regret this unfortunate
situation as well as you. II 1t becomes
| necessary. l shall pay for food for you
-,
Sergeant of the Guard Smithberser
told Lieut. Hopper that a few of the men
who were prisoners in the guard tent for
trivial infractions of camp regulations
refused to pitch the guard tent and move
ito the new camping place on the
ground that ;hey were too weak
Lieut. Hopper instructed the sergeant
to release the men.
When the guard refused to go on post
eight or nine men left the camp. al
thui gin against IeGu' 'ations. and went To
an inn. where they bought what they
considered a substantial meal. They re-
turned a. 9:33 o'clock and reported that
they We're ready to volunteer for guard
duty in place of those who had refused
to do that duty One oil these Votuh-
teers was Private Howard. who has been
o, -,cJ,- leave thr"e.of four daE-
Through these men volunteering the
posts ye,re covered. which gave the scin-
blancc of military order
Surg. Humphreys said several of the
Seyenty-first were suffering from acute
bronchitis and Inflammation of the throat
and membrane of the nose
1t was after the men had been 10 Cap'.
Stoddard's cent and announced that they
wouId do no more work unless they were
given food that Private W. l.. Howard.
Of Company NJ. addressed several OF me
soldiers. saying Capt. Stoddard WAS p"f-
nosaly delaying the men in the camp
uoward made some very positive asser
,,ons concerning remark he SAID ne hao
beard Captain Stoddard make to iAeo'eh-
ant Hopper ,h er
=. had received a cable dispatch from
Eo,oneI Downs. of the Seventy-first, now
a, the front, in which the coionei IN
structed him TO keep his detachment Oh
an mon in Camp Black until further or
ders Lieutenant Hopper asked Captain
stoddard to show him the cable, but the
captain refused
There has been considerable hl-feeiing
hatuaan the Seyenty-first recruits and
S.ntain Stoddard for several weeks. The
men declared that he had Intentionally
prevented them from being sent to the
front.
This letter was sent to the Secretaryof OF
War on Saturday, signed Private Frank
Drunenthal and several other recruits.
Being member of the Seventy-first
Regiment. take the liberty of asking you
for help. knowing if possible you will do
so. We are willing to pay our own fare
to Tampa IL necessary. and If we can't get
off a good many of us boys have spoken
of deserting Several of us have persuad-
ed them not to- and we have taken this
step with the view of securing better
treatment.
.'Kindly let US know at once II you can
assist us. Answer by telegraph at our
expense"
The Manitoba Reaches New York.
New York, July 1S.-The Atlantic Trans
port Company's steamship Manitoba,