The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-31
sr,nrI1NG srArEMENTs.

Tho New York Herald of Sunday last
makes some publications which are most
startling. to say the least, even if they
should prove to be sensational and no'h-
ing more.
MIR. William Clarke Marshall am old
and retired meat packer of chicago
lesrnine I'm october. 1897, that the gov
eminent was going to provide the Alas
kan relief party about TO be sent out
with canned beef only as its food wrote
,o Secretary Aleer that he was perfect
iv versed I'm the matter and that canned
beef possessed no nutritive properties
and persons fed on it must die OF star
walton. The War Department paid no
attention to- his communication.
when the War Investigating Commis-
sion had got we'll under way. he wrote
Mr. Alger letter I'm which be told him
he was preparing TO show the commits
.i,, that the canned beef sent to our
soldiers at Santiago had no nutriuTe
,,roperties and that fully one thousand
of them had died of starvation. lie wrote
IN the same effect to the commission
lie got no invitation TO appear before
the commission. Subsequently he COM
municated with Captain Howell oil inc
commission. and he brought the matter
before # with the result trat ;ac corr
mission frt decided 1t had no authority
to investigate and then invited informa-
,ion. The rest of the story is told In the
following affidavit of Mr. Marshall pub
iished by the Herald.
city of Chicago,
County of Cook.
state of Illinois.
civilian Clarke Marshall 81 citl@en oil
the Tinted States, residing n s"i' Guy
o. Chicago. being duly sworn ueposes
and savs.-Tuat ON the nineteenth N7lh)
of September last hc mailed addressed
d, fhe comissiOn. certain lniormal
charges AGAINST the conduct OF tne war
Department defining as well as he could
some of the causes leading 90 the great
disasters 10 the soldiers OF the govern
ment before Santiago. Cuba.
-That mo- reply being received by dee
moment. he. ON the ith uay OF october last,
addressed letter to the Hon. Evan l..
Howell stating that fact aud requesting
that the proper blank form Doe forward
"a Co dep0uent % enable the dcponent 10
place the charge formally before the
commission
"DcpOnent was then requested by the
secretary OF commission 90 forward in
writing In complete form all facts based
on his own personal experience and
knowledge as would aid the pending in
vcstigauon TO which communication
the deponcut could not and did not reply
Dep0ncnt is now-Noyember g. ls9S-nOti-
feed that The commission will De glad TO
have bis testimony on the 1th or Sth
instant ou the subject of meat supplied
as stated in IBIS ldepouenfa letter Co
Hon Evan p. Howell October q. iSgS
ITO this request dcponent submits
protesting, however. against the inform
aIty and tine very short time allowed
him in which Go prepare charges OF the
nature indicated iu Dds letters 90 the
commission.
"rhe charges In effect stated.-
"First-That The Medical Department
Of the army. Of whousocver composed
as described 10 this deponent by W -
Carter. assistant adlutant general. I'm 90
communication addressed 10 dcponeut
October 10. iNq,. we've either grossly ig-
norant OF their plainest duty Of ircompe-
tent.
"second-.Doponent asserted I'm said let
tors 90 the commission that the main
cause OF the fatal weakness developed IN
our soldiers before Santiago resulting
On the deaths Of many hundreds and per-
manenily disabling thousands was due
not go much 10 insufr Gent food 90 no
fact that much OF the meat food provided