Evening star., 1901-05-24
General MacAlthur's Report Received
'aat the Department
EI0NERRTIoN OF. COLONEL WOODRUFF
Lax Methods Said to Have Been
Found.
R Es Its OF INQUIRY

The report of Gen Macarthur in regard
to the Investigation made to the alleged
completely of Col. Woodruff and other
commissary officers Of the regular army in
the recent frauds in the commissary de-
partment at Manila, has been received at
the War Department. This report, 1t is
understood, exonerates Col. Woodruff
from all criminal connection with the
transaction. Some Of his subordinate OFF,
GERS, however, sare said to be criticised for
lax methods of doing business
Col. WoodruT's Investigation.
1t appears from the officials reports that
Col. Woodruff had set ON foot an investi-
cation of the Irregularities. especially those
relating to the sale Of commissary supplies,
before the arrival Of Major West, although
Major West also began an Independent in
vestigation. When Major West became
depot commissary he found a very lax
state of affairs. There were several large
warehouses, mostly in charge of commits
sary sergeants, and there was no way of
holding these non-commissioned officers ac-
countable for the property under their
charge. Major West decided to take an
inventory before proceeding with any other
business, but found this almost impossible.
because Individual stock books for each
warehouse had not been kept under the
former management. Large amounts OF
house daily. and the opportunities for irreg-
ular1ties, it's said, induced the commissary
sergeants, civilian employees and teamsters
to engage in the business Of selling COM
m1ssary supplies. The method by which
this was accomplished was as follows:
How Supplies Were Sold.
Orders would be given by commissary
sergeant In charge Of a warehouse for de-
livery Of certain goods to the civilian
reg ms CT 3o1i, {I,o
goods to parties to whom they were pre-
Viously sold by SOM other individual in
the alleged conspiracy. and the money
would be divided pro rata among the men
engaged in it. 1t is charged that the
methods OF Maj. Davis. the former depot
commissary. and Of Capt. Read. allowed
the system to go on. Maj. West. in report
ing upon the general conditions, recon-
mended that a commissioned officer be
placed iE charge of each warehouse, and
that he be made responsible for the prop
erty. ..
From a report made by Col. Woodruff it
appears that he became satisfied that the
purchase privileges of the commissary
stores in Manila swere being abused. This
induced him to make an investigation. and
it was found that flour, bacon and other
supplies in small amounts were being
sold in Manila. 1t was also found that the
ratons which were not used by the troops
were also being disposed of. This was at
tributed largely to the sales made by re-
turning volunteers. Col Woodruff reports
that Read accepted rebates from a cigar
dealer, andsthrorfgh a naval officer solicited
percentage from vegetable contractors
Stealing on the Lighters.
Colonel Woodruff also found, it Is said
that there was stealing to a certain extent
on the lighters, something that was very
hard to prevent owing to the conditions
prevailing IN Manila harbor, and the sys-
5{,cr frnp he,
ports to the lighters. and thence to the
shore. 1f -
1t Is stated that the men who engaged in
the alleged peculiarities expected to cover
the losses by boards of survey which
would report certain losses of stores. but
fix no responsibility, there having been a
loss in the shipments Of goods to Manila.
and their delivery to the troops. losses
which are said to be unavoidable.
The reports received indicate that the
losses not large