New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-09
THE ARMY INVESTIGATION.
WORK og TIE COMMISSION NEARLY
COMPLETED.


TAKEN IN CHICAGO.
r-,,ceoo Nov s-The subcommittee OF the War
peuartmen: Investigating Commission to-day con,
,inrod the examination OF witnesses. Hehe'"'
Dodge the chairman. says that he can begin 10 sec
an end Of the long investigation. AFTER soi"o '
dence has been heard g: Detroit, the Cominss'oi'e
will 60 10 Washington. They have YET 10 '''.
Camp Meade Pennsylvania. bat 1t Is likely 'n"'
this camp Will not be reached until after the return
20 WASHINGTON Members o. the Commission nave
visited Camp alger Jacksonville. Fernandna' fof'
Miami, Tampa Atlanta Annistoh' go.
Chickarauga, Lexington. Cincinnati for' i"o'
and Chicago According to Dr. conner ''o -,
mutation Of papers and documents IN possess
Of the Commission would iii large room i"eY
ropslst Of Army surgeons reports letters from pr
yatc soldiers and nurses, complaints. reports "
ouartermasters and commissaries ana MASS u
testimony. 49,. es.
witness to-day From August 10 september ~
ne was in charge Of the Second Division Ihird
Army Corps. hospital at Camp Thomas
IN regard TO the sinks. dsinfection ana uidi'
age" said the doctor, right back OF 'he tVn's VI
the Second Brigade there was cesspooi which con-
,ained most Of the water from the camp. ana 'hat
,rn,i,c5 = stacnant pool until some time in Au-
c7,st one great trouble. in my Judgment was inc
shalowness Of the sinks" In speaking or the IN
lection OF the camp. the doctor expressed te opn'
ION that typhoid fever germs were carried a'oulD
nv
Judgment the water supply was not contaminated
nv sewage carried into IL from the camp. but main
l ny m inorganic sediment which acted az an irr'-
tant on the mems digestive organs ana causeu III
many cases dysenery and other intestinal diseases
81 never knew Of more than two instances where
should say that there was any amount OF neg
let in my hospital" said the doctor. Yes, sa"
sick men lying in their camp clothing because OF
the want Of blankets. clothing, etc, to make Il
change. Usually within twcnty-four hours aiteT
such a thing was discovered II was remedied
There are times when had not single sheet
or blanket In our s;ororooms. and many men were
using their private blankets brought from their
companies l went TO General Compton once and
told him OF the conditions prevailing IN our nos
pital. and far as know he made efforts TO nave
my recommendations carried out. think that
fully half of our sheets pillow-casos and pajamas
were furnished by charitable institutions of various
kinds and that practically all the nourishment
proper for seriously sick men was furnished by the
Red Cross and the National Relief Association
Charles s Bullock, chaplain Of the LIST Illinois
Cavalry. with rank Of captain. said that the great
majority Of complaints OF poor FOOD or llnaqequtnc
supplies at Chickamauga were absolutcy uh-
newspapers about the inhuman treatment OF the
soldiers were without foundation.
Ar% at chicago WAS called to enghtSn the com
mittee on provisions Ior the Ioops' .ne Iva NO
official complaints about any OF TIE supplies Io u
chased except in me case OF els, bas copGo
81 the request Of one Of the Commissioners ne
then went into details as 10 the quantity ana quali
ity o. the canned beef used by the Army. and SAID
that in nearly all cases he personally tested
sample OF the goods before making purchase
Tho committee next heard two witnesses iio'il
loca, packing houses touching the character o, 'ns
canned beef purchased for the Army. ihcy Sain
Inc same quality OF goods had been delivered 10
Inc French and British governments, ana no com
nlo3rtS had ever been received from them Ihey
thought possible that the weather az me soGCll -,
EN- camps and in Cuoa might nave n"u S0'Ne ''00'
First Lieutenant Char.es McQuiston Of the 4th
Infantry VINO served quaTtermaster ana reg
Cuba " other capacities Until the close Oh ut
campaign SAID that at Tampa ana aiteiWHIu III
Cuba his regiment almost always had .e I nov
plies allowed bv the Army regulations. H"uM ".
Of no complaint being made BY any meihO'' Oh NY
regiment" he said ,,,-, COO,
Colonel EDWARD { Young Of the 1st illinois cay
e.rv said! "At Chickamauga our quartermastGIs
supplies were fairly adequate ana pr1np1' .,,d ~
water however was not TT to drink half the tlinc
1,f,n,rv who was II Camp Alger nearly thrce
months said his regiment had not haf az muci,,
I 10, h., went into the service The mistakes
which happened II they were mistakes were ulose
which resulted from lack Of eXper,ncI, II Wines
Al the evening session Or. FrederIck r. Wins
SECRETARY of the Illinois Army and Navy League
who visited Chickamausa; Tampa ana Jacksoi,Y a dT'
submitted report he had MADE 10 secretary
cSnmending conditions in the camps as sentIauE
SATISFACTORY He said he was paruculdTI! III
pressed with the lack OF surgical insrumen,s' ..h
nuisine in the division hospitals VAS very uhsa,l
factory. i was my obs ryatl9n that seho, p a
ro~f rho condition Of things In the camps ana nos
initials when the condition was bad. did not see
any evidences Of Carelessness. neglect or lhCoin-
nitals but there Was difficulty in obtaining medl
cnes in proper quantity. and complaint that speciI
diets ice milk and similar supplies Couiu no, "
secured I personally observed no case of sold-er
In hospital being ill-treated although IuINO4s 10
that effect came 10 my notice