Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-17

Washington, D. c., January 16.-
General Charles F. Humphreys, who
was in charge of the water ~transporta-
ton at Tampa for Santiago, "a chief
quartermaster on Gen. Miles staff and
was with Gen. Shafter prior TO Gen.
Miles arrival, was the main witness
before the war investigation commits
sion to-day.
Prior to his appearance, Frank E.
Nogel, representing the Nelson Morris
Packing Company and vice president
OF the Fairbanks Canning Company,
testified that his concern had sold
about $4,000 worth Of canned roast
beef to the government, used at Chick
amauga, and said it vas all of good
quality. No complaints ever had been
made to him, nor had any beef pro-
ducts of his concern been chemically
treated.
Captain R. J. C. Irvine, Eleventh
United States infantry, commissary on
the Panama at the time that transport
was in charge of Surgeon DAILY, who
wrote a report on the beef, c~ondemning
it in the most sensational language,
testified that the vessel sailed from
Ponce on September l or 2, and on the
18th there was a well marked odor as
of something that had been CLOSED
up" He was not prepared to say the
odor was like that emanating from a
dead human body injected with chem
zeal personalities as Surgeon Daily had
reported. AS soon as complaint was
made of the beef, he said it was ex-
amined and found to be very odorous.
The beef was thrown overheard. The
man urar.a thon mt IN +ha ract Af +h1
r%ations, living without fresh beef. The
witness said the lack of it was not felt
by the men. All the beef carried was
refrigerated beef. The ice taken
aboard had not been sufficient to pre-
serve the beef even as the commits
sion asked. IF it had been received in
good condition" II was received in
fairly good condition, however, wit
ness said. After the beef was thrown
overheard, he had thought it must
have undergone some change before it
was brought aboard or while aboard
before it was put on the ice. The
board of survey that inspected the beef
condemned it because it was spoiled,
nothing to any other effect being ad-
duced. Its report said that the beef
was not received in good condition and
it exonerated Captain Irvine from re-
sponsibility therefor. Despite this
finding witness said he insisted that
he believed the beef was in condition
fit for immediate use when received
and it was used for three or four days.
He cited the absence of refrigerating
facilities aboard and admitted the beef
was. not as good as should be gotten at
a first class restaurant, as it had not
the fresh flavor.
Gen. Humphreys, the chief witness
of the day, said the congestion at
Tampa was due TO the inability of the
roads to handle the cars.
Did you assign the troops in ad-
vance of their arrival at Tampa to the
different v~essels?" asked Gen. Wilson.
"No, sir"
when the troops anne to you were
they then assigned for the first timer
Yes, sir, because that vas neces-
sary." He said that under the circum-
stances the transports at Tampa were
as well fitted out as they could have
been. Each vessel carried its full
complement of ordnance, quartermas-
ters' and commissary stores; in fact,
all that could be taken. There were
ia mule wagons and seven ambulances
taken.
why were no more wagons and
ambulances taken?" asked Gen. Wilson.
Because the vessels were full" was
the answer.
Would your reply, then, be lack of
transportation"
Il would not like to say that"
All the wagons, said the witness,
were landed at Santiago but all were
not set up. Litters, he said, should
have been landed before the battle Of
FL Caney. Witness was aboard the
Seneca for two days and said she
looked all right to him.
Il know there were people aboard
the Concho who ought not to have
been" he said in reply to queries as to
passes for outsiders TO come north on
these vessels. He thought duplicate
issuance of passes for foreign attaches
and others might overcrowd the yes
sells, and had protested that only one
person should furnish passes. After
the vessel was turned over TO the med
zeal department, he said, he had moth
ing to do with the ships.
Asked as to the serious complaints
that had been made of improper con-
dition of the Seneca, Concho. Break
water and the City of Washington,
witness insisted the responsibility
rested with the medical department.
When the Seneca, Iroquois or the City
of Washington sailed for home with
the sick he said they had no ice, unless
the Red Cross had a little. The first
ice schooner, he said, reached Santiago
July 80.
There was a long wrangle over the
responsibility for the loading OF trans
ports for the sick.
If the Concho," asked Ex-Governor
Woodbury., was overcrowded, was it
because the government had not pro-
vided sufficient transportation or
through an error OF judgment OF the
medical Department."
Why, the medical department, GER
tainly," replied Gen. Humphreys en-
~phatically, because there were two
more ships, each as good as the Con-
cho, available"
Gen. Humphreys resumed his testi-
mony at the afternoon session.
Speaking OF the Santiago expedition.
he said it was easy enough now to look
back on things which might have been
done, but there were a thousand and
one things which happened which
could not have been anticipated. He
was closely questioned by DR.. Connor
as to the supply Of medical stores and
the transportation furnished TO convey