The Portland daily press., 1898-10-03
OF YELLOW HUE.
Charges Made Before the War Investi
gators.

Washington, October 1.-The war inves-
tigating committee devoted its time today
largely to the consideration of state
ment filed by Mr.. Nelson Hersh, on be.
half of the New York World, giving what
he styles "a record Of facts concerning
the establishment ofsCamp Wikoff and its
management, together with specific in
stances of abuses charged to have existed.
dates, number of sick in hospitals,
deaths, etc." The statement was made
lin response to the general invitation from
the commission
The specifications cover 81 pages OF
typewritten matter, taking up the move
ment OF the Santiago troops after the sur
render of the Spanish at that place and
before the breaking out of yellow fever
there in July. 1t Is asserted that ats the
time Montauk Point was selected for the
camp it was barren waste. ;. i The
details of the selection of the CAMP site
are given as are also of the Transportation
of troops, and it Is asserted that when
the first detachment of troops arrived on
August 1.-THE camp was not ready to re-
ceiye them and they slept under their
blankets and in the open air as no tents
had arrived"
"This.'' 1t is added, twas II days since
it had been decided to establish the
camp"
Continuing the assertion is made that
by the 10th of August the sick reported
suffering from want of food and proper
accommodations; that their tents we're
without floors land with only their blank
ground, and that glass of sour milk
apiece was all the nourishment the sick
reeei we'd In "a hours.
1t is asserted that Gen. Young was only
given six days for the preparation of the
camp before the arrival of the troops,
when two weeks time was necessary,
which caused great confusion.
On August "A Dr. Edison visited the
camp and found that the 140d troops there
were almost wholly dependent upon
body of water without inlet or outlet
and known as Fort pond, for their
drinking water. This pond received the
drainage of the camp and the doctor
found the water to contain 90 grains OF
salt to the gallon. This condition, he
said, caused disease and rendered the
pond constant menace to the men.
By the 18th of August there were 20. 600
men in camp and 1900 in the hospital
with many unable to secure admission
for the transport. The regulars were re-
ported to be suffering for the necessities
of life AMI had received no pay for three
months. Contract surgeons were report
after the doctors had lunched, says
the account, 1875 empty Appollinaris bot
ties were counted on the table said to have
been diverted from hospital stores. =
Particulars are given In the death of
Private High Parrett ON August rs, and
it is asserted that DIR. Tabor refused him
permission to enter the hospital on the
ground that he was not sick
The assertion is made that when on the
18th of September DIR. Lee went to Camp
Wikoff with a special train to take sick
soldiers to the Brooklyn hospitals, she
was unable to get more than Is men on
the train on account Of the lack of ambu-
lances which were being used to carry
sightseers around the camp. While hun
dreds of sick soldiers were waiting to BE-
transferred to boats and trains asdoZen
ambulances stood at the depot filed with
laughing men and women who were see
ing the camp with officers friends. -
After this incident Gen. Young gave
orders that the ambulances were to be
used only for the transportation OF the
sick.
A list of witnesses forwarded is as fol-
lows:
Gen. Josph Wheeler, Gen. Young, Col.
Forwood, MAJOR Brown, Surgeon; Chef
Surgeon Sem, from the Red Gross; Miss
Melens, Mrs. Walworth, DR.. Cyrus Ed
son, DR.. S. Fl. Doty, Health Officer New
York City; DR.. W. L. Jenkins Health
Commissioner, New York; William
Smith, banker; Surgeon Linn, Thirteenth
Infantry; Surgeon Ames, Tenth Infan.
try.
A large number of names of witnesses
is also suggested in tine Parrett case. and
there is a general request that CORE
spondents and reporters of the World
shall be called. eS t#
The commission directed a reply be
made to MIR. Hersh informing him that
the statements should have careful con-
sideration. s8L5ss1