The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-29
MANY MISTAKES.
Charles H. Knibbs Replies to the Reform
Club Circulars.

Charles H. Knibbs Replies to the Reform
Club Circulars.
The Massachusetts Reform Club,
for several weeks have been sending
out circulars to soldiers and others who
were at Santiago, Montaul1 Point and
other places where the volunteer sol
diers We're encamped during the late
war. The circulars ask seventeen
questions as to quality of rations, in
spection of camps medical treatment
and the general conduct or misconduct
of the war.
The object of the club is to get to-
gether facts that will be beneficial in
the years to come and to point out to
the government the mistakes they
made in the war with Spain.
Many people to whom the club sent
their circular of questions have an
swered them in full. Among the num-
Der is Charles H. Knibbs of Worcester,
q private in Co. c, Second Massachu-
sets regiment.
Only a few statements made to the
club have been given to the public.
They will not publish them unless they
have the full consent of the writer.
knibbs makes q statement which sup
ports the statement that was made by
Sergt. Thomas c. Boone, who was q
sufferer at Santiago, and claims that
he did not have proper medical treat
ment and was abused by the surgeons
of the army.
Boone's story is sensational and in
teresting, and Knibbs' is also of interest
to every soldier and those who are in
terested in their welfare.
KnibbS' statement. in part. is as fol-
lows 1t shows some of the hardships
Boone, Knibbs and their companions
suffered.
Il. Charles II. Knlbbs. a resident of
Worcester, Worcester county, Massa-
chusetts, enlisted on May 8, 1898, at
South birmingham, Mass, III Co. c
OF the Second regiment of Massachu-
sets volunteers, and went with that
regiment to Cuba, landing at Baquiri,
province of Santiago de Cuba, June
%. On July 10 1 was sent to the hos
pital at Siboney, Cuba, suffering with
a rupture At that hospital saw Thorn
as c. Boone, formerly OF Co. Is, Second
regiment, Massachusetts volunteers.
Boone was suffering from internal in
juries and bilious fever. His lips were
covered with yellow sores; he could
scarcely speak, and only with great pain
and difficulty, and could scarcely
Boone off a cot in an unoccupied hos
pital tent and compel him to lie on
the damp ground all night The man
ner in which lie Garde spoke to Boone
was such as I should not use in speak
ing to a dog. Boone could not speak on
account of pains in his abdomen.
The next day Boone and myself
went to a large tent occupied by de-
tachment of the Ninth Massachusetts
I.Tr, ia 4
tachment took care of us, giving us
food and allowing US to occupy the
tent. I slept there one night and
Boone slept but little, f any, and drank
a great deal of water, and got up to
urinate number Of times, being I'M
able to hold his water. He was ap-
parently in great agony. I came over
with him on transport Aransas, and
did all ! could to alleviate his suffer-
ing, which was painful to witness.
went aboard transplant Arkansas with
him. we paying 50 cents each to get
aboard.
For nearly two days after reaching
the vessel, we had nothing to eat eX
cept some scraps of food which the
cook gave us. The correspondent Of
the Chicago Record who was OIL board,
paid for one meal for IA of us at so
cents per meal. After that we got
IOOu three times u Jay from the cap
tain. do not know what arrangement,
if any, had been made. There was
doctor on board but he had nothing
but quinine, and very little Of that.
Boone was undoubtedly the most sick
man on board, He slept but little. My
bunk was directly under his. One morn
ing he told me that he had seriously
contemplated suicide the night before
10 end his sufferings, but the possibili-
" of some day being able to bring to
account the men who We're responsible
for his suffering, caused him to change
his mind.
The doctor ON board examined him
a number of times and said that he
was ruptured and that his right kid
ney was displaced. i noticed that in
examining Boone he would handle him
as though he were d stick Of wood
Upon reaching quarantine at Edg
mont Key, Fla. number of newspa-
per correspondents who were on board
endeaVored to have Boone sent to Tam
pa at once, instead of spending six days
at quarantine, but the officials refused
to allow it. We landed at Port Tampa.
Fla, Sunday morning, July 81. and l
went with Boone to the general hospi-
tai of the Fourth army corps, Mai.
Gen. Coppinger's army.
I'VE were refused admission on the
ground that they could do nothing for
jutant general of the Fourth army
we might receive attention. The adju-
tant general said he had no authority
to furnish US transportation, and direc-