The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-04-19
Profligacy Among Some
at Manila.
UGLY WAR SCANDAL
House OF Manager of Evans g.
Co., Government Contract
ors Was Baeehanalian
Rendezvous.

Manila. April 16.-The trial of
Commissary Sergeant John Meston.
charged with complicty in the COM
missary frauds. was finished. No
verdict was announced and Meston's
conviction was uncertain. Other
trials OF those implicated will follow
Captain James c. Reed, formerly
depot commissary at Manila, was ar
rested.
1t was alleged that entries upon
the books Of Evans & Co., govern.
ment contractors. indicated that the
commissary officers received the fol.
lowing sums. Major George b.
Davies, upwards of $1,000; Captain
James C. Read. $1,000; Captain Frank
II. Lawton, $3.50; Mr.. b. Tremaine
Colonel Woodruff's chief clerk, $500.
1t also appeared that Evans & Co.
furnished the handsome residence of
Colonel Woodruff. Harold NJ. Pitt
manager Of Evans & Co., who was
under arrest, was notoriously lavish
in entertaining commissary and other
officers, while the depot commissary,
frequenter of the "tenderloin dis
trict," occasionally spent days at
Pitts house. in questionable society.
Pitts house is a Bacchanalian rendc-
vous, and prominent officers frequent
ly visited 1t, drinking champagne and
playing poker, Women of doubtful
reputation had often been known to
be there. 1t was alleged that Pitt
had the inside track in securing gov.
ernment contracts, and it was also
asserted that he was the prime
mover in the scheme to re-establish
cock pits in Manila, Mrs. Lara being
subsidized in securing a cock pit.
1t was asserted that the commits.
sary department made unauthorized
purchases of quantities of cham
payne. Pitt sold some. In addition
to what the transports brought. the
commissary imported about 200 gal
Ions in February and a like amount
In March. The commissary and the
commlssary sergeant kept private
carriages and INDUCED in other ex-
travagances.
Washington, April 16.-The Army
Register, the official publication Of
the war department, showed Captain
James c. Read, who is a resident OF
Pittsbgrg, Adjutant General Corbin.
to whom all messages from the Phil.
ippines are sent, had received no Off
cial confirmation of the arrest of any
officer but as there is only one cap.
tain in the commissary service whose
name is anything like that given in
the dispatches, it was presumed that
the Pennsylvania officer is intended.
The Pennsylvania officer had been
in the service since about July 16,
1888. Until last fall he was in the
transport service between New York
and Havana. When he was relieved
Of that duty he was sent to his pre-.
ent station. Before entering the vol.
unteer service Captain Read, the
Pittsburg man, received some mill.
tary education. He was a cadet at
West Point from June Is, 1889, tn
Jan. 8, 1890. General Macarthur
some time ago recommended Read be
given a commission in the regular
army. That recommendation has.
however been withdrawn during the
last two weeks without explanation,
Manila, April 16.-The Methodists
were asserted to be planning a Wig.
orous PROSECUTING campaign. Bishop
Warren, of the Methodist Episcopal
church, arrived here and the native
converts were enthusiastic.
Commissioner Wright returned TO
Manila to complete his work on the
civil code.