The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1899-11-08
GEN. SKATER IS SEVERE
Criticises the Treatment of Sick
Soldiers.
OFFICIALS CENSURED.
A Board of Inquiry Found the Sick
Men in Deplorable
Condition.
AIS CENSURED.

San Francisco, Cal, Nov. 4.-Gen.
Shafter has forwarded to Washington
what is declared to be a sensational re-
in charge of the sick soldiers who re-
turned frem the Philippines on the trans
psrts Tartar and Newport October 10.
The document consists Of 100 typewrit-
ten pages and Gen. Shafter is quite Sc
we're in his comments.
Upen Maj. Rafter, the surgeon Of the
Tweatieth Kansas volunteers, who came
back On the Tartar the heaviest censure
is laid. Col. Metcalfe of the same regi-
ment, who commanded the troOpship,
Gen. Funston being only passenger, is
indirectly referred to.
Many ether Off, cers are given hard
measure Of criticism, but their names
are being withheld until the war depart
ment sees fit to make known the details
Of the report. .s.
The board of inquiry which has so Sc
yerefy arraigned the transport service
was appointed by Gen. Shafter two
weeks ago at the suggestion of Col. Al
fred G. Girard. chief surgeon i'll the gen
eral hospital at the Presidio. Col. Cir
ards desire for an investigation was oc-
casioned by the deplorable condition in
which he found the sick men from the
transports Tartar and Newport. There
were about forty Of them and nearly all
were suffering from dysentery.
Three men who came on these trans
ports died a few days after arrival They
were John Fabisak and John A. Logan
of the Fourth cavalry and George W.
Mills of the Twentieth Kansas.
Due to Overcrowding.
Topeka, Kas.. Nov. An reference to
the charges of the ill-treatment of sol
diers returning home on transports Tar
tar and Newport as told in tOday's ASso
ciated press dispatch from San Fran
cisco. Maj. Rafter, surgeon general of
the Twentieth Kansas, telephones the
following from his home at Holton, Kas.:
The troops on board the Tartar We're
given every attention possible with the
facilities we had for taking care of them.
The ship was greatly OvercrOWded, with
no hospital room for the sick.
''The carrying capacity of the ship was
151 and there were 400 passengers on
board. There were places in the Hospital.
for twenty-four sick men only and we
had about 200 sick on board. The bunk
part Of the men had to sleep on the decks
while the sick had to sleep in their quar-
tiers below. They had every attention
and every care that could be given
them"
Insurrectisn Soon to End.
Washington. D. c., Nov. edward
C. Andre, the Belgian consul to Manila,
is ia Washington on a short visit, and
being fresh from the Philippines is in
position to speak with some authority
On the conditions existing in the archi-
pelage. When approached today on this
subject Mr.. Andre declared that in his
opinion the hostilities in the Philippines
weuld already be at an end but for the
intervention of the rainy season, which
enabled the natives to continue fighting
under conditions favorable only to them
selves.
The fighting qualities of the Filipinos,
he said, could never be claimed to be OH
a par with those of the Americans. Their
nethed is to harass the enemy from the
cover Of dense woods or swamps, where
they can run and hide if hard pressed.
Ten thousand Filipinos would not stand
in the open against regiment of Amer
leans.
San Francisco, Cal. Nov. 4.-The
transports Leelanaw and Conemaugh
have sailed for Manila with horses for
the United States troops in the Philip
DinpS