The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-16
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MORE ARRESTS EXPECTED
Information From MacArthur Re-
garding the Philippine Frauds

4 Copy of Charges and List of stores
MisaPprOpriated Received Cen
eraI Weston's Statement Concern
ing the Purchase of Champagne
Adjutant General Corbin today re-
ceived copy of the charges against
officers of the commissary service in
the Philippines from General MacAr-
thur The despatch also gives = list OF
the stores supposed to have been sold
and the cash appropriated, together
with some Of the entries discovered in
the books of both the commissaTies and
several Of the Government contractors
Immediately after the receipt Of the
despatch General Corbln and Secretary
Root held a conference and instructions
were forU arded to General Macarthur
At the suggestion Of General Weston,
the head of the Subsistence Depart
rent, Secretary Root placed the en-
tire matter in the hands Of the Adjutant
General several days ago and the
despatch from General Macarthur was
in response to the request of General
CoTbin for information concerning the
frauds.
The report Of Colonel Woodruff, in
charge of the commissary department
at Manila, is being awaited before any
new orders for arrests viii be issued
1t is expected, however. when the prop
er time arrives the arrests viii be plen-
tiful
Cumrnissary General Weston today
made a statement regarding the charge
in a Manila news report that the Com
nissary Department had purchased a
large quantity Of champagne. General
Weston showed from the correspond
enee on file in the Subsistence Depart
ment that January S, 1899, General Ea-
gan had, on a recommendation from
Surgeon General SteTnberg, authorized
the subsistence officers to place guam
titles Of champagne on transports for
the use OF the sick Early in May 1860,
General Weston discovered that
through the carrying out OF this order
quantities Of champagne had accumu-
lated at San Francisco and Manila
where the transports discharged their
cargoes. He then wrote a letter to the
Secretary of War recommending that
champagne, and suggesting that The
purchase of champagne by the Subsist-
ence Department would probably re-
suit in criticism
Secretary Root Immediately approved
General Westerns recommendation and
General Weston tefegraphed orders that
the purchase of champagne be stopped.
This order was issued May IL Two
weeks later one of the subsistence off,
GERS enquired Of the department wheth-
er the order also prohibited the pur-
chase of champagne by the transport
stewards. General Weston replied that
it did.
The question again came up last De-
ee.nber. when the department saw from
returns from Manila that Colonel
Woodruff had purchased champagne
there and had a quantity on hand.
General Weston at once cabIed Colonel
Woodruff enquiring about his action.
Colonel Woodruff answered that the
purchases were made under an order
issued by Secretary AIger in May. 1885
authorizing the purchase OF effervescent
drinks. He said he considered cham
then told that champagne did not come
within that order and was ordered 10
make no more purchases Of champagne
/ under any Grder.
| Despite this order. it is claimed. the
commissary officials at Manila contin-
ued TO store away the champagne, and
it is now alleged that they have been
| selling the wine to contractors and out
| side parties for large sums.
| The cemmissary frauds formed one Of
! the topics for discussion at the Cabinet
meeting today. The President is much
| concerned about the matter and has
| given instructions that the investiga-
ton be thorough
| Major George B. Davies, one of the
commissary officers at Manila who is
! charged with having been Implicated in
| the Irregularities there. arrived in
| Washington from San Francisco this
morning on sick leave. When seen in
regard TO the charges, ne denied any
| knowledge of them and expressed sur
prise at the news He is very III with
rheumatism and would not talk at any
length about the matter today He Will
report later to Adjutant General Cor
hin