The times., 1898-11-23

Relief Commission began its sitting today
at the Fifth Avenue Hotel Mrs. Powell
was ready TO take the stand. Mrs. Pow
ell was summoned because it was stated
that her offer to nurse at Montauk Point
had been refused when she would not
promise TO keep secret any dereliction of
duty should she discover any. The wit
ness said:
Il wish you would not ask me the ques-
ton
But the answer might aid us materially
in our investigator. To whom did you
make the offer 10 act as a nurse?'
ITO an officer of the Auxiliary of the
Red Cross Society.
Where did the offer take place.
In private house"
Was it a male or female officer of the
Red Cross?''
Il do not care TO state"
Well. had the person any authority at
camp? Was it any officer of the United
States army?"
Il don't know how much authority the
person may have had, but l will say that
it was not an officer of the army. 1t was
merely an officer of the Red Cross
Moatnuk Trip Abandoned.
After Mrs Powelrs refusal to divulse
the name of the Red Cross officer the Com
mission went into executive session and
reconsidered its decision to go in a body
TO Camp Wikoff 1t decided that il would
be a waste of time. in view of the fact
that all the soldiers had left The Com
mission is already in possession OF the
ground plan of the camp, with diagrams
of the railroad terminals and the steam
boat landings. II was stated that one or
two of the whitewashers would probably
visit the camp site while the others con-
tinue TO hear testimony al the hotel.
Joseph Gurke, of Yonkers. a corporal in
Company L. of the Eighth New York,
who had kept a diary while at camp N
Chickamauga read extracts from his
diary relative TO the quality of focd.
He had acted as company cook. He said
that there was plenty of food. He had
no complaint TO make against the Gov
eminent He said that if all of the food
which was sent TO camp had reached the
men they would have Jared sumptu-
ousiy.
Officers as Financiers.
But" said Gurke, sometimes food
would come TO the regiment and never
get distributed. On one occasion some
bacon came to our company in charge of
Lieut. Meyer and Acting Sergeant JOS
eph Jacob. Probably they didn't think
the rest OF US liked bacon. just because
they didn't and the next morning there
wasn't a pound of bacon in sight for the
boys. II was not uncommon to learn
that some goods intended for the soidie-s
had been disposed of by the officers i
don't think the money from the eanteen
was equally divided. My company didn't
get a cent
Col. A S. Kimball. Assistant Quarter
master-GeneraI of the United States
Army, stationed at the Army building IN
this city. was the next witness. Col.
KlmbaI told of the preparations made
at this port by the Government for the
purchase of supplies and the comfortable
transportation of troops to and from
Cuba. Col Kimball stated that all the
contracts for supplies at this dsp1t
were let to the lowest responsible bidders
after the usual manner of notification by
advertisement to respective bidders.
Coy. Woodbury. said:
No Personal Favor Contract.
''You have stated that all contracts
were let after proper open competition.
Was there any contract ever let as
matter of personal favor?"
Not one. Contracts were awarded by
the Department upon the merits of The
opened bids. Sometimes. in cases where
the articles were not standard. the De-
partment would accept my recommenda-
ton, which was made in such cases on the
quality of the goods rather than the
price. In the case of tents, for instance
# was impossible to get enough canvas
up to the fun required standard. In that
case / had to be guided by the samples
sent. and the capacity of the bidder to
furnish the goods in the required time
Were there any protests from unsuc-
cessful bidders on account of the awards
through your department."
II never heard a complaint of any inter-
ested bidder
Did you ever know OF any contract let
In your Department because any person
was TO receive money, or on account of
any influence being used?"
Il never knew of any money or inf1u-
ence 20 be used in the awarding of con-
tracts. and my records show that from
May l. to June II my office let 81. 900
worth of contracts for clothing and camp
and garrison equipage'
Unloading Ships in Cuba
Col. Kimball. you are familiar with
the charges that there was unnecessary
delay in the unloading of supply ships in