Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-01
FROM MANILA.
The Truth About the Manila Commits
sary Scandals-Col. Woodruff Vim
dicated-Tne Officers Impli-
Gated Punished-No Loss to
the Government.

Manila, f. l., June IS, 1871.
To tho Editor Of the Free Press:
on the 18th of April ultimo, "a man m
ploYod as an assistant by tho regular rep
resentauve Of the Associated Press here,
In the absence of his chief, sent to the
United States despatch in regard 90
commssary affairs IN Manila, which Tor
utter misreprcsc ntation and vicious sem
sationalism can hardly he cuuallcd by
the most rabid examples of so-called
yellow journalism.
Among other statements made in this
despatch was one to the effect THAT
Evans & co. government contradictory
furnished the handsome residence of Col.
" oodruH' tchlef commissarN). Further
that unauthorized purchases of cham
paSne had been made to the extent of 200
gallons in February and 200 gallons in
March, ultimo, and that the commits Saries
and commissary sergeauts kept private
carriages and engaged in other oXtraVa-
gances."
Tho present writer has made a careful
and thorough investigation Of these
charges with Wow to getting at all the
facts In the matter for the purpose of this
article. and he has found:
First-That a rumor 10 the effect that
the chief commissary was paying less rent
for his house than was paid for some by
the real estate agent from whom he rent
ed and that Evans e Co. the contrac tors
we're paying the difference. came to Col
Woodrufs attention early in March and
that this rumor was promptly reported
by him to Gen, MaCArthur, whom he ask
ed to investigate the matter; that an ofii-
cial Investigation was made at that time,
md that both the contractor and the real
estate agent who rented 10 him testified
under oath that said ruIpor was false and
that Col Woodruff paid N25. Mexican
monthly rental for the house. FurtNsr
That the house occupied by Col. Woodruff
Is by no means a palatial one as repre-
tented In the Associated Press despatch
but on the other hand, II is not considered
q very desirable ono, md that ii was only
accepted as a matter of necessity there
being great scarcity Of houses Tor rent
In Manila
Second-Official records show that the
statement that 400 gallons of champagne
were purchased in February and March
by the commissary department., with OF
without authority, to be absolutely false
no champagne having been purchased
since December 1900, a fact due primarily
10 tho recent agitation over such matters
by tho W. G. T. L. and other misguided
II good intentioned people, as champagne
is a most valuable medicine for the worst
diseases common to this climate
The statement that "commissaries au6
commissary sergeants keep private car.
riages and indulge In other extravagan
ces' seems petty and absurd to a resident
OF Manila, since nearly all the Americans
In tho city keep a private conveyance OF
some sort as the surest means of gettint
back and forth to business, the publ,
service being miserable and much more
expensive in the long run
The gross Misrepresentation in the ca
blesram referred to have caused wide
spread Indignation In Manila, and espoc
tally among the large number of citizen
who are personally acquainted with CO
Soodrun, man grown gray In the scr
V.ao OF the United States army and on'
who has always had a epotless recorC
and the confidence of his Supporters and al
with whom he has come In contact.
The facts in regard to the commissar'
troubles here are, briefly, as follows; on
March, ultimo, II was reported To III,
dRlef cemElissary that q certain Officer