The evening times., 1899-01-23
ALLEGED OFFICIAL
LAIITY IN MANILA
Frauds in Hospital and Com.
lnissary Departments.
Assertions, Of an Enlisted Man of
~ the AstOr Battery.
Goods Intended for Soldiers Sold to
an Agent of Firm in Hong
kOnS-Red Cross Supplies.

New York, Jan. 23.-Charges that care
| lessness amounting to criminal negligence
| and official blindness that results in the
defrauding of the Government exist in the
commissary and hospital departments OF
| the United States army at Manila were
made yesterday by T. NJ. McFarlane, form
| erly representative of a well-known tobac-
co company and at present an enlisted man
in the Astor Battery. He also stated that
| the Red Cross would find il profitable to
| look into the management of it's affairs in
the Philippines.
'I have seen,'' said Mr.. McFarlane, "the
United States Government placed in the
! position of buying its own property, little
surreptitious excursion intervening, and
paying for it, too five times its price-to
the great profit Of soldier, civilian con-
tractor, and the purchasing agents of
hospital.
II have seen a doctor in a Red Cross
depot sell supplies at less than what they
| cost in San Francisco to a man who, as he
knew, could sell them for just sixteen times
that price in the open market of Manila
II am not making this charge from hear
say l know what I am talking about Be-
4! cause of the methods followed by the Com
missary department | myself am richer by
| from $40 to $40 day than before the fall
of Manila
Mr. McFarlane said that this had been
possible without any transgression OF the
military regulations on his part and that
! he had not in any way laid himself open
to arrest. He then gave his story in de-
tail.
| Because of several years experience as hotel
! manager, and through competent knowledge OF
] the work of steward and cook, | was put IN
| charge OF the battery mess. The ratons were
issued to Captain March. and turned over 20 ME
: by the sergeant receiving them from him. Every
thing in the handling and disposition OF these
supplies was strictly as il should be. The bat
tery was we'll fed. The surplus of the Govern
Inent ration, which is nearly quarter more 10 a
man than he can eat, was sold IN the open inar-
ket in Manila at the market price, and the pro
ceeds turned into the battery fund. turned
in Sl75 In one month.
Ii took me only few days 10 see how things
were managed at the cOnrmissary depot IN Ma
Mia saw that any enlisted man, X he only
knew it, could without authorization or voucher
of any kind, buy from the commissary supplies
in large amounts. Not even the formaity of
signing for them observed until about a
week before We left, and then there was no iden-
titication OF the purchaser, and there never was
any questions asked as to the destination OF sup
plies.
All that was necessary was to order the stuff
and put down the money. You could sign any
name YOU CH0se, ana the Olnf-ldth HSililtt hIsh
nor seemed 10 care what became Of the property
entrusted to them for specific purposes.
Well, they ready to sell the goods, and
soon found il 10 my interest to buy Lane,
Crawford d Co, OF Hongkong, OF the largest
concerns in the East wanted lust such goods
for sale in the cOmmissary departments
{ The firms Manila agent, Jewell, made this want
known. and also said he was willing TO pay
double the Government price | did not ask
what he wanted the supplies for but incident
/ ally found out He wanted them 10 sell TO the
general hospital.
Jewell gave me his order daily when | went
into the city from Camp Dewey. went to the
commissary, laid down the money and told what
l wanted No questions We're asked. The stuff
vas taken by me directly TO Iewelfs store, IN
the principal street OF the city.
! Oatmeal, dried and canned fruits and AmeTi-
can craokers were the principal things Jewell
wanted. The ConmiSsary sold them to me at
cost 1-2 cents a pound, for example, in the
! case ef oatmeal and prunes. Jewell paid me 20
cents a pound I bought them in original pack
ages, usually fifty pounds 10 the case.
These packages bore the Government stamp
I and the usual markings by the Quartermastcr's
! Department. On arriving at JeWelis store these
marks and stamps removed, and Jewell was
/ ready to fill orders from the General Hospital.
All the details of Jewell's transactions with the
| General Hospital not known to me by per-
| sonal observation. but do know that the very
/ supplies delivered TO him were bought there.
Jewelrs price was invariably twice what he
! had paid For example he got 20 cents 4
! pound for oatmeal. No with any knowledge
! there was a single steward in that hospital who
! did not know that there was oatmeal to he had
at the commissary department at : IL cents d
pound.
! Ii was discovered or suspected by the conInis-
! sary department about week before we left that
/ some of the volunteers were selling supplies
They then began 10 require signatures from those
making purchases. Some restrictions to guam
/ tity also imposed, but it very easy to
! get other men buy and turn over the amount
r sold them.
I As to the methods at the Red Cross depot, one
! example will illustrate them. ! bought prunes
! there for cents pound. They cost the Red
/ CoTss cents in san Francisco | sold the prunes
! for 50 cents pound in the open market in Ma
Mia The way sago, tapoca and other delicacies
( were handled, indicated that the Red Gross does
not require very stringent accounting for the
goods entrusted to It's representatives
| Mr. McFarlane said that none of the
transactions of which he had spoken could
have come under the observation of any
! of the officers of the Astor Battery, and
| that not the slightest imputation of laxity
| could in any way be imputed to them.
! Captain Marsh, when seen at the Seven
ty-first Regiment Armory, said that under
! general orders from General Otis at Ma
Mia it was possible for enlisted men to
buy for cash a limited amount of supplies
| at the commissary depot without an order
| from an officer He said he had not heard
of any abuse of 5 privilege, and added
that the good of the service would demand
| the severest punishment for anything of