The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-30
WHERE SHHFTER is BLAMED
HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR YELLOW
FEVER IN SANTIAGO ARMY.
Gen. Miles Makes Clear that He Wus
Always in Command of Skaters
Forces and All Others.

KANSAS CITY, Mo, Aug. 29-The Star
this afternoon prints a three-column ex-
elusive dispatch from Mr.. ]. D. Whelpley,
its special war correspondent. who has just
returned from Porto Rico, bearing upon the
Miles-Alger controversy Mr.. Whelpley
takes occasion to deny the statement that
his recently published interview in Porto
Rico with General Miles, wherein the lat
ter was quoted as casting reflections on the
War Department, was not genuine. and in
support of the statement already made by it
the Star prints interesting kilograms that
pa Ned between the War Department and
GeRerals Miles and Shafter on the points
at issue.
Doubt is expressed by some," says Mr.
Whelpley, "as to whether General Miles
ever said these things 1 credit him with.
Others suggest he may have said them in
confidence, which was betrayed. feel con-
fdent," continues the correspondent, Gen.
Miles will stand by the interview re-
ferred to.
My talk with him was not confidential. 1
went to him as a newspaper representative
for the avowed and express purpose of Sc
curing an interview. There was no reserva-
lions from publication in the conversation.
This is proved by his refusal to answer
some questions which he would have
answered had this not been so. There was
no hint Of condolences.
'In this instance, however, no question of
veracity need arise. General Miles himself,
even if he so desired, could not conceal the
proof of all he said. 1t is written in the
records Of the War Department, and 1t only
needs a clearing away of inconsequent
matter to tell the story clearly and in full.
It would not have waited for him to tell it..
He has simply precipitated the avalanche
which was already moving.
General Miles in his interview in the
Star makes several distinct statements, one
to the effect that he was commanding gen
eral of all the American armies first, last
and all the time, in Washington, in Tampa,
in Cuba, in Porto Rico or anywhere else he
might be.
MILES'S CHARGES.
He charges General Corbin with sending
a secret dispatch to General Shafter con-
trary to this
He charges the War Department with
mutilating and even suppressing parts or
the whole of certain messages in their
transmission to the public, thus putting him
and his relations to the army in a false
light to the people at home.
He charges that his recommendations in
regard to moving the troops from Santiago
We're disregarded, this disregard leading to
grave consequences. He recites the fact that
General Shafter disobeyed orders in occupy
ing fever-infected houses and allowing Gu
ban refugees to mix with the American
troops.
Finally he claims that Washington al
lowed the plans of his Porto Rico campaign
1r,T oh,
them useless and dangerous. These charges
are the sum and substance of his interview
as printed in the Star" The full text of the
Stars article follows:
1T needs only a glance at the official rec
ords of the War Department to show each
and every one of these charges to be truth
and to throw much additional light on the
situation. That he was in command of the
entire army when in Washington is, of
course, evident. That he did not resign this
supreme command when he went to Tampa,
and that it was he who was treating with
the Cubans for cooperation in Cuba is
shown by the numerous kilograms ex-
changed with General Garcia. The War De-
partment recognized General Miles as chief
when he was in Tampa, for June II a tele-
gram was sent to him from Washington
which begins: The following extract of
telegram from Admiral Sampson to secre-
tary of navy is repeated for your informa-
ton etc.
NO man who was at Tampa when Gen.
Miles arrived from Washington ever will
doubt his supremacy, for all others. in
Guiding Gen. Shafter. became at once mere
creatures at his beck and call. When Gen.
Shafter went to Cuba and Gen. Miles re-
turned TO Washington the latter did not
resign his control of the situation, but, on
the contrary, kept in close touch as possi-
bic by wire with the movements of Sbaf-
ters command.
After the fight of July 1 and Gen Shaf-
ter was in despair. Vacillating, weak and
discouraged. on the 4th of July he sent the
following dispatch to Washington, ad-
dressed to the adjutant general: Head
quarters Fifth Army Corps, in camp
near Santiago de Cuba. July 4-There seems
10 be no reasonable doubt but that Gen.
Pando succeeded in entering Santiago last
night with his force, said to be about 5000
men. This puts a different aspect upon
affairs, and while we can probably maintain
ourselves it would be at the cost of very
considerable fighting and loss.
LET PANDO SLIP IN.
" Gen. Lawton reports that Gen. Garcia,
who was TO block entrance of Pando, in
formed him at 10 o'clock last night that
Pando had passed in on Cobra road. Law
ton says cannot compel Gen. Garcia to obey
my instructions TO place themselves in any
position where they will have to fight. and
That II we intend to reduce Santiago we will
have 10 depend alone upon our own troops.
and that we will require twice the number
We now have
sent a message to Admiral samp-
son, asking II he proposed entering the har-