The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-02
INSPECTOR-GENERAL
CONDUCTS INQUIRY
AND MAKES REPORT
Neglect in Case of Private
l4estwood. Cited in Senate.
Results in Order for Tribu.
nal at Camp Doniphan


I general court martial has been ord
cred by the secretary OF war of Major
Philip b Connolly, medical corps. L.
s. A. and First Lieutenant Walter II.
! Kirkpatrick. medical corps, national
guard, following the death from spi-
nal meningitis of First Glass Private
! Albert Hestwood. Of Camp Doniphan.
Okla.
! Private Hestwood's tragic Illness
and the narrowing circumstances of
his death wer" told on the floor OF
( the senate, January "a. by Senator
/ George &c. Chamberlain. of Oregon.
! Investigation was ordered immediate
! ly.
| Major General W. NJ Wright. the
I commanding general Of the division,
/ and BrigRdier General L. G. Berry,
! formerly commanding general, have
/ been directed to make q report.
! Major Connolly was the commanding
officer of the hospital and Lieutenant
( Kirkpatrick was the nrst officer to
| examine Private EASTWOOD after he
was taken III. 'Deplorahle conditions"
were stated to exist in q report made
] by the inspector-general to the sec
rotary OF war.
| This IL the Srst case OF high Off,
| GERS being severely dealt with for
conditions In the medical service
Soldier Erwem Eanma&-
Private fleetwood easFe from Lib
eraI. Kas. His death almost unatterd-
cd and with insufficient bed clothin
| and no Ere in the stove in his little
shack. was told by senator Chamber
lain. as an illustration of why ne be-
iieved the military establishment had
fallen down" The senator read Il let
ter from the father of the boy, the
Rev. Mr.. Hestwood.
The communication. although the
!
been deieted, presented the facts with
out criticism or hope of obtaining any
personal redress, but the minister said.
he thought that the situation should
be laid bare 70 prevent d recurrence
OF such tragedies in the future.
II told the helplessness Of an mex
perienced orderly. who tried to give
the dying boy a drinS through a fun
mel: how. the father went back 10 tina
shack himself, and as Senator Cham
heriain read,
Il had my pass into the building. L
dsd NOT stop and knock. but opened
the door to enter, when It struck
something that would not let II open
further.
sons body lying on the floor of the
hall and II was his head that I struck
with the door,
Tears Over Recital
When Senator Chamberlain came to
this point in the letter women In the
galleries gave gasp. Even senators
them selves wept with the women
Senator Tfllnan was 80 moved that he
with Quiverlng voice. arose and de-
manded 10 know who was the author
OF the letter so ar immediate inquiry
could be held
Further complaints were made by
the father of the dead private in a let
ter TO Governor CHpper. of Kansas, and
to Henry J. Allen. of wichita. who is
connected with the Red Cross.
-Four or ave other letters on the
Same incident found their way TO con-
gressmen and one to Senator James w.
wadsworth was the one Senator
Chamberlain read.
Seven days later the war department
had It's investigation under way. To-
day digest OF the report OF the in
spsctor-generai was made public by
the secretary OF war. Il read;
Inw~~ttwatt on IL Made.
The case OF First Glass Private
Hestwood. Company II, One Hundred
and Thirty-seventh infantry. Camp
Doniphan. Okla. was investigated by
an officer OF the inspector generals
department during the period of jan
nary 81 to February IL = At the same
time a comprehensive and searching
pital at this camp and investigation
made OF other similar complaints
which were brought TO the attention
OF the inspector
The investigation disclosed that
prior 10 the date OF Private Hest
woods death December eS. and for
considerable period thereafter con
dttsons In the hospital were nothing
short OF depiorshle. In fact the con
ditions cited by Private Hestwoods
father In HIS letter Of January IL TO
Henry ]. Allen were found TO be sub
stantialiy correct.
.fDuring this period the hospital wasl
In charge of Mapor Phillip a. Con-
molly. NJ, c.. who Ia held to be respon-
sibie for such conditions
Tells of Other Cnses.
There were many causes which pro.
duoed these conditions. some of which
cannot rightfuily be charged to the
local authorities. When the hospital
WAS first established the medical OH |
GERS were unframed In Military hos
pitai ways and organisation: the en-
listed personnel was almost wholly |
unframed; there were no female !
nurses: there was a shortage OF sup
plies, due to the unusual number Of |
patients which flooded the hospital:
there was a long delay in compIetins |
the hospital; total lack Of nearby Iaun- |
CONTINUED on Second PaxaY