Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-23
ABUSED. THEIR PRIVILEGE
Enlisted Men at Manila Sold Goods Bought
at Commissary.
Private McFarIane Intimates That
Commissioned Officers Profit
ed by the Abuse.

T. NJ McFarane a member of the Astor
Battery, which returned to New York yes
terday morning from Manila makes serious
charges against the comm1ssary and med
zeal department of the army In the Philip
pines. The New York Herald this morning
publishes the following interview with Nc
Farlane:
Il have seem said Mr. McFarlane, 1.-The
United States government placed in the po-
sition of buying it's own property, little
surreptitious excursion intervening, and
paying for it, too, five times its price-to
the great profit of a soldier, civilian con-
tractor and the purchasing agents of hos
pital.
Red Cross Supplies Sold CheapIy.
Il have seen doctor in Red Cross de-
pot sell supplies at less than what they
cost in San Francisco to man who, as he
knew, could sell them for just sixteen times
that price in the open market of Manila
Il am not making this charge from hear
say. l know what L am talking about. Be
cause of the methods followed by the COM
missary department 1 myself am richer by
from $50 to $40 day than before the fall of
Manila
Mr. McFarlane then assured me 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
detail.
Because of several years experience as
hotel manager and through complete
knowledge of the work of steward and
cook L was put in charge of the battery
mess. The ratfons were issued to Captain
March, and turned over to me by the SER
geant receiving them from him. Every
thing IN the handling and disposition of
these supplies was strictly it should be-
The battery was well fed. The surplus of
the government ration, which is nearly a
quarter more to a man than he can eat
was sold in the open market in Manila at
the market price. and the proceeds turned
into the battery fund. L turned in S175 in
one month.
Enlisted Men Could Buy Supplies.
1t took me only a few days to see how
things were managed at the commissary
depot in Manila. | saw that any enlisted
man. if he only knew it, could without
authorization or voucher of any kind, buv
from the commissary supplies in large
amounts. Not even the formality of sign
ing for them was observed until about n
week before we left, and then there was no
identification of the purchaser. and there
never was any question asked as to the des-
unaton of supplies.
All that was necessary was to order the
stun and put down the money. You could
sign any name you chose, and the officials
neither knew nor seemed to care what be-
came of the property intrusted to them for
specific purposes.
Well, they were ready to sell the goods.
and | soon found it to my interest to buy
Lane, Crawford & Co. of Hong Kong, one
OF the largest concerns in the east. wanted
Just such goods as We're for sale in the
commissary department. The FIRMS Manila
agent. Jewell made this want known and
also said he was willing to pay double the
government price. l did not ask what he
wanted the supplies for. but incidentally /
found out. He wanted them to sell to the
general hospital
Jewell gave me his order daily when I
went into the city from Camp Dewey. I
went to the commissary laid down the
money and told what 1 wanted. No dues-
tons were asked. The stuff was taken nv
me directly to JEWELS store, in the princi-
pal street of the city.
Oatmeal dried and canned fruits and
American crackers We're the principal
things Jewell wanted. The commissary