Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-04-26
PROBE FOR manila FRAUD
Scandals Stir Capital Chiefs at
Washington.
SURPRISE Is MANIFESTED,
Co1missary Irregularities Cause the War
Department to Take Active Steps to
Secure Full InformatiOn-Rapid Living
In Certain Army CIiques.

Secretary of War Root has cablej
General Macarthur at Manila for full
report on the latest developments in
the commissary department frauds
there, adding that an early reply by
telegraph would be expected. The lat
est disclosures in the scandals nave eX-
cited war department officials to re-
newed efforts to learn the truth, the
statement made by General MacAr-
thur heretofore on the subject having
led the department to conclude that
these frauds amounted 10 little. Sur
prise is manifested at Washington be-
cause of the report that Captain James
c. Read is implicated in the scandal.
The Manila dispatches are to the eff
feet that he has already been arrested
and that he is deeply involved. Cap
tain Read halls from Pittsburg; his
family is reputed to be Of considerable
social prominence and his father a
manufacturer of wealth Captain Read
has been in the service Of the United
States in the commissary department
or the army since July 16, 1898. He
was in the military academy at West
Point for short time ten years ago.
The semi-ofticial judgment at Wash
fngton is that the scandal will assume
considerable proportions before all has
been revealed. There is no question
in the minds Of those who claim to
know the situation in Manila as to
80 ;-Ir
certain army cliques there. Private
reports from Manila for months and
verbal statements by officers and men
who have witnessed passing events in
that city are to the effect that the
army of officers in many instances
were devOting much more time to dis
sipation and midnight revels than 10
chasing the willy insurgent or other
wise doing their duty. 1t is pointed
out at Washington that naturally a
few officers will succumb to such
temptations, but that it does not fol-
low there is general laxity on the
part of majority of the men in COM
mand. 1t is believed that arrests will
follow within a few days.
Major George B. DAVIS, whose name
is mentioned in the dispatch from Ma
Mia as being credited upon the books
of Evans & Co.. as having received
$1,000, is in Washington He would
say nothing when asked by reporters
If he desired to reply TO the assertion
He was called upon by the war de-
partment. however, Tor an explanation
and to an officer said that he knew
nothing about the matter. He was
closely questioned and said that he
never had any money from the firm
of contractors mentioned. had not bor-
rowed, and could not explain how
there had been any charge made Ev-
ans. of the firm of Evans q Co. is
known to some army officers in Wash
ingtOn. Evans was in this country a
short time ago. and may now be in
New York. if he has not returned to
Manila. He is from Niagara. though
from which side Of the river is not
known. At the commissary depart
ment General Weston said he had no
information to impart concerning the
scandal He reiterated the high praise
of his subordinate, Colonel Woodruff,
who is in charge of the Manila serv-
Ice, that he expressed when the first
reports of the irregularities were re-
ceiVed