The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-14
SAY MAJOR EGAN
ABUSED TIE SICK
Witnesses at CouFt-martiaI Ac-
cuse Ihe Post Surgeon.
OFFICERS ARE AGAINST HIM
DOCTOR ALLEGED TC HAVE RE
FUSED AID TO SUFFERING.

y
terday, The last Of the privates were
heard who have been telling in a half
hearted way of the treatment received
at the hands Of the surgeon major, and
closing their statements with the Gsser-
tiCn that they had no complaint to
make. officers standing on the same
ground and in no way in fear of the
accused were called in and the official
records of the post were introduced in
evidence against the man on trial
The rumors circulated by Major
Egan's friends that the commander Of
the post, Major Young, was trying to
Job" him We're strongly contradicted
by the evidence, and the hint that has
been studioUsly thrown out that Young
would be superseded in command of the
fort because Of his part in bringing the
charges became common laughing
stock. Tt developed that the charges
originated with the enlisted men them
selves, and reached Major Young in
the form Of written complaints from
the various company commanders.
Correspondence and conversations
passed between the post commandment
and the surgeon before the situation
was reported 20 department heaLqUar-
tiers, precipitating the investigation.
Sick in Barracks Complain.
It was said yesterday that the bar
racks of the fort are filled with sick
men grUmbling because Of alleged in
attentiOn-meE whose testimony IS out
side the scope of the present inquiry,
and whose stories will not be heard
unless the members of the court-mar-
tial decide upon departure from The
subject matter now in hand
An idea of the true situation is sug-
gested in the statement that within d
Few days, while the cOurt-martial has
been under consideration, Major Egan
preferred charges against soldiers who
insisted they were sick after he mad or
dered them from the hospital
Surgeon Accused the Sick.
1t is said that the surgeon brought
about court-martial to try Frederick
Barger of company L, Eighteenth in
fantTy, charging him on Nov. % with
violating the siXty-secOnd article of
war, feig 1ing sickness. Barger, il is
claimed, suffered with rheumatism IN
both legs and was almost helpless. In
stead Of receiving treatment he was
placed on trial for his liberty. After
thorough investigation before a court
martial the man was acquitted.
Charges Of a similar nature were said
TO have been brought by the surgeon
against other soldiers, but those in au-
thority refused to entertain them after
making an investigation One such
case cited is that of Sergeant Edward
Kane. company X. Eighteenth infantry.
The man suffered from an ailment.
For applying to the hospital and insist
ing that he was not "all right Major
Egbn brought charges against him Of
conduct Q-ejudicial to good order and
military discipline. His superior off,
GERS have ignored the charges, which
are still pending. If, as has been init
mated IS a possibility, these matters
receive consideration from the court, it
is said that peculiar conditions will be
unearthed at Fort Douglas such as
have only been suspected by those in
close touch with the institution.
Zigfused Aid to Cook.
Little new evidence was CLEANED
from the first two witnesses called yes
terday James Glover, a company
cook, left his kitchen sufferigg from an
unsightly disease contracted in the
tropics. and according to his statement
vas assigned by Cyan TO return %
duty. He made subsequent visits ia
the hospital and was finally admitted
on Nov. 80. after being relieved from
duty by his company commander. He
applied for medical attendance early in
the month, ne said, Since then il had
been found necessary to call in a spe-
cialist from this city to treat him
Glover looked every bit sick man and
is still in the hospital.
Sufferer Made to Work.
Private Crawford R. Holland. COM
pany X, Eighteenth infantry, stated
that en- route home from the Philip
pines on transport, an operation was
performed on him. This occurred
Sept Is. Upon his arrival at Fort
Douglas he suffered from the effects
of the operation TO such an extent that
he could neither stand erect nor sit
down without great pain. He asked
Major Egan TO complete tbs operation
but the latter refused, saying II was
unnecessary.
The surgeon. he said, bathed II
wound with a solution, applied a pow
der and bandaged it, assigning hir'
TO duty again. This relieved the pain
temporarily, but despite the treat ment
me suffered so that he had TO appeal
to the company officer in the ranks &c
= excuse him from the duty to which the
surgeons order had consigned him
Finally, on Dee. >, ne was admitted tC
the hospital, where he said he was now
recovering without any IuTther use OF
the surgeons knife.
The witness said the duty he was
compelled to do made his injury worse
hut that he had go redress.
Lieutenant Abel Charges Neglect
Lieutenant Charles Abel was then
called and proved an interesting wit
ness. He cOrrObOrated Hollands testi-
mOny and went INTO detail entirely toe
Tar 10 suit the defense. His statement
was, in brief, that at 10 a. M, Nov. s
he was placed in command of company
*. and went to the barracks to inspect
them. There he found Holland lying
on a blanket on the floor. apparently
in great pain When asked why he
did not go on sick c5pOrJ the soldier
replied, He had done So on the pre-
ceding Saturday, that Che surgeon had
told him nothing was the matter and
had him chased out of the diSpensary.'
The officer said he examined the man
end found hiI- Offering from swelling
and Inflammation the wound being
bandaged with rag. He reported the
matter 70 the commanding officer, who
asked for a statement in writing from
the private. This was furnished with
a written request that the surgeon be
directed TO use his professional knowl-
edge to afford the man relief. In the
evening the soldier appealed to him tC
be excused, saying he mad been giveT
powders at the hospital and marked
for duty. He ordered the soldier to go
or sick report the next morning.
Ordered Back to Duty.
with morning came a request from
Holland. who stepped out of line and
said the doctor had again ordered hin
on duty. The request to be excused