New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-02
TIE CUBAN INVESTIGATION
A FORMIDABLE TASK CONFRONTING
THE SENATE COMMITTEE.
LACK OF MATERIAL IN THE WAR DEPART
MENT ONE OF THE OBSTACLES EN-
CoUNTERED AT THE START.

LACK OF MATERIAL IN THE WAR DEPART
MEST ONE OF THE OBSTACLES EN-
CoUNTERED AT THE START.
[BY TELEGRAPH rRIBUSEl
Washington. June 1-Some of the members of
the Senate Committee Relations with Cuba
have already discovered that the task of in
vestigating the financial administration of the
island will consume more time and be more
difficult and perpexing one than they had ex-
pected One of the obstacles encountered at the
very threshold is the fact that the War Depart
nent in Washington has not in its possession
at present suitable and we'll arranged material
TO throw much needed light on the condition or
management of affairs in the island Some or
the information may perhaps be found In the
! several tons of reports, correspondence ana
other documentary material which has been re-
ceived in the last seventeen eighteen months,
but this material appears never to nave peeh
methodicay arranged critically examined
In fact as Mr. Toots would have said, IL seems
to have been largely considered "of no conse-
quence' and to have been pigeonholed to form
a part Of the historic archives of the war De
partment. This disposition of IT was one or the
natural and inevitable consequences or the pan
adopted to have the auditing of the accounts
performed IN Cuba by men who might De mex
perienced or careless dishonest-and all three
kinds appear to have been represented IN
the Cuban service-without any check or
scrutiny of their work IN Washington The
knowledge that the means for careful scrutiny
and checking, of the items of the various &C
. counts by the authorities in Washington was
, impossible under the system adopted when
offered premium on carelessness, extravaganza
and dishonesty in Cuba and the revenues OF the
island have suffered in consequence or IT, not
only as respects the postal service, but also IN
other branches of the service.
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE REPORTED
Mr. Brstow, who took charge of the former
has already effected economies by cutting Off
perouisites, reducing extravagant salaries. dis
missing supernumerary employees etc. amount
ing to about $4,000 year. and there is I'M
doubtedly room for still further economies
Moreover, he has reported criminal negligence
en- the part of the high priced Inspection Blu
reau which was supposed to keep vigilant eye
constantly on Nicely and his associates. who
handled the postal funds. On April % the in
spectors on the faith OF the Auditors state
ment and Neely's balance sheet, gave the latter
a quttance. Among the items to his credit and
allowed were amounts due to the Bureau OF
Finance on postal account, for the following
Offices" Then followed a list of postofces. with
the amount charged against each. THESE charges
made a total of $50, IA 16. 1t is now reported
that these accounts also were "doctored, as
were some of the others, to force balance ana
Mr. Bristow is reported to have declared that II
the work of the inspectors had not been per
formed in incorrect and slovenly way they
would have discovered the frauds which passed
unnoticed and unsupported until they were de-
tected by Assistant Inspector General Burton.
DENIED BY GENERAL LUDLOW.
The attention of General Ludlow. who is now
in Washington. having been directed to pub
lication from Havana alleging that a member of
NJ
had been guilty of bribery and corruption, the
General made the broadcast possible denial of
the truth of the allegation. He said he was not
surprised at the publication, for while he was
in Havana the particular officer referred to. Ma
jor John G.. Davies brigade surgeon, was
the object of repeated attacks of this kind
and he General Ludlow had fully expected
them to find their way into the press in this
| country
According to General Ludlow, Major Davis
who the sanitary officer Of the city of Ha-
| vana. was singled out for attack because of his
relentless execution of the orders given by Gen
| eral Ludlow himself and by Colonel Black
! looking to the Improvement of the sanitary
/ dition of Havana Major Davis had been origi-
! nay designated as sanitary officer by General
Greene. the first Military Governor of Havana
! and General Ludlow simply retained him in the
same capacity He was an indefatieable worker
| and, with the single exception of Colonel Black
| he was the man TO whom all the credit was due
| for the tremendous revolution in the sanitation
| of Havana Naturally his rigid enforcement of
| sanitary rules said General Ludlow. incurred
for him the i'll will of many people. some of high
social position. who, with their perverted views
| of public morality, Immediately declared that
| Major Davis was acting from corrupt motives.
General Chaffee had felt 1t his duty to report to
J General Ludlow certain allegations to the effect
: that Major Davis had accepted brides from
| darymen This one OF the few instances
where specific charges were made on which the
| military authorities could act. and General Lud-
| low did act promptly.
Instead of snothering the complaint, he says
! that he Immediately caused a searching eXami-
nation to be made by officer selected by him
self for his especial capabilities I'm such work
! The result complete vndcation of Major
/ Davis, and, according to General Ludlow the
same conclusion reached in each inquiry.
Major Davis was transferred from Havana to
| the Philippines last November not because of
any impeachment Of his official integrity, but
; actually because of his high abilities The sani-
tary work in Havana had been practically
! pleted, far the military authorities We're
| concerned. and the Health Department had been
| turned over to the civil administration. There
| fore IT for the reason that he had succeeded
| so well In cleansing Havana that Major Davis
| selected TO undertake similar work in the
| city of Manila, where the sanitary conditions
We're believed to approximate those in Havana.
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| TO DDOnOTE 1fJJES Avn CODDTN