The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-04-20

GRENADA, MISS, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1901.
ALLEGED FRAUDS AT MANILA.
Secretary OF War Root Cables Gen. Mao
Arthur Requesting Additional
Information.


Washington, April 17.-secretary
Root yesterday cabled Gen. MacAr-
thur asking for additional informa-
tion concerning the reports of frauds |
in Manila. 1t is expected that a reply |
will be received to-day.
While definite instructions have not |
been given Gen. Macarthur, hereto
fore, to make a searching and COM
plete investigation, it is understood |
that the requests for information
were of a character to imply that the |
department expected such an investi-
CATION should be made.
Nothing definite has been received
from Gen. Macarthur about the al
legged frauds, although reference has
been made to the investigation in ca
Diagrams received. The first dispatch
on the subject from Gen. Macarthur
said there had been exaggeration in
the press reports, but the persistence
with which the reports have been re-
iterated, and the news dispatch yester-
day giving names andspecific amounts
have indicated to the department Off
cials that perhaps Gen. Macarthur
was not advised fully when he made
his first report. 1t can be stated that
the department intends to have all
the information possible on the SUBJ
| ject, and Gen. Macarthur will be ex-
pected to push the trials and make
complete report of any and all wrong
doing.
Maj. George B. Davis, whose
name is mentioned in the dispatch
from Manila, as being credited upon
the books of Evans e. Co., as having
received 81 1000, is in Washington. To
a press reporter, he would say moth
ing when asked if he desired to reply
to the assertion. He was called upon
by the war department, however, for
an explanation, and to an officer said
that he knew nothing about the mat
ter. He was closely questioned and
said that he never had any money
from the firm of contractors men,
toned, had not borrowed, and could
not explain how there had been any
charge made. Although he is in this
country on sick leave, he will return
to Manila and if the matter is not
|
will demand a court of inquiry.
Evans, of the firm of Evans & Co.
is known to some army officers il
: Washington. Evans was in this coun
try a short time ago and may be il
New York.
= At the commissary department Gen
, Weston spoke of his subordinate. Col
Woodruff, in the highest terms. IL,
said:
''Col. Woodruff always has borne
the highest reputation in the army 4!
splendid officer and thoroughly
honest man. There might be oppor
tunities for small frauds in a Srea
: depot such as that at Manila, bu
there would have to be collusior
among the officers and the sergeant!
in charge if frauds were carried on t,
any great extent, 1t depends largel,
upon the honesty of the commissar,
in charge to prevent any wrongdoing
| and he would be very likely to know
if there was anything crooked going
on in a large way.
: where so much business is done, i
is almost impossible to make an in
| ventory of goods on hand. Before
) such an inventory is completed hal
of the goods may have been takel
away The usual method is for tn
= commanding general and the commits
sary officer in charge to go through
the warehouse and inspect the store
| and make statement as to the store
: on hand at a given time. 1t is recog
t nized that such busy man as Gen
e Macarthur would not be able to max
such an inspection, and even if he di'
!, he would have to take the word of tn
commissary for nearly everything, sc
l as a matter of fact, the chief commits
v sary has almost exclusive control ant
is the man held responsible. 1t is 70
: this reason that a man of eNperienc
e ard rank is selected to be chief com
, missary of an important point lik
n Manila, which is the distributing
h point for 10000 troops"
f "Col. Woodruff has made allusion
t to the arrest of the commissary ser
t geant in kilograms to Gen. Weston
e but nothing like a report has bee
q | 10 l.;