The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-03-14
THE HEsTWOOD
INCIDENT AGAIN
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION sus-
TAINs FATHERS LETTER. 20
COURT MARTIAL FOR OFFICERS
Inspector General Says Conditions in
Hospital as Cited in Letter Were
Substantially Correct, and Were
Nothing Short of DepIorable."

Substantially Correct, and Were
Nothing Short of DepIorable."
Some weeks ago, when the Cham
berlain exposures were being made in
the United States senate, the Herald
gave reports furnished by the United
Press Associations, and published the
letter of Rev. Eastwood concerning
the sad death OF his son, Private Al
bert Hestwood, from neglect in an
army hospital at Camp Doniphan. The
Oskaloosa Times accused the Herald
of playing politics and intimated that
the Hestwood letter was forgery.
1t is therefore refreshing to read in
the "OfIicial Bulletin" of March g.
"a bulletin published under order of
President Woodrow Wilson, by the
Committee on Public Information at
Washington, d. c." the following Sc
quel TO the exposure:
War Department Action.
1.-THE War Department authorizes
the following:
1.-The Secretary of War has received
a report from the Inspector General of
the investigation made of the hospital
at Camp Doniphan, Okla This in
quiry, directed by the Secretary of
War followed complaints from the
father of first class Private Albert
Hestwood, of Liveral, Kans., concern
ing the attention given his SON.. These
complaints were contained in a letter
written by the father to Henry J..
Allen, of Wichita, Kans., and subse-
quently carried substantially in the
press.
Court-Martial Ordered. :.
GAS result of the investigation it
has been directed that Maj. Phillip B.
Connolly, Medical Corps, United
States Army, and First Lieut.. Walter
H. Kirkpatrick, Medical Corps, Ma
tional Guard, be tried by general
court Martial Maj. Connolly was
commanding officer of the hospital,
and Lieut. Kirkpatrick was the first
medical officer to examine Pvt. Hest
wood after he was taken seriously i'll.
't.The Secretary of War has also di-
rected that the commanding general
OF the division, Maj. Gen. W. M.
Wright, and the former commanding
general, Brig. Gen. L. G. Berry, be
called upon for report.
"The report and testimony present
ed by the Inspector General have been
sent to Camp Doniphan to be used in
the court-martial proceedings.
Digest of Report.
"a digest of the report prepared by
the Inspector General says: y
1.-The case of First Glass Pvt. Albert
+. EASTWOOD Company II, 18TH Infan,
try, Camp Doniphan, Okla, was in,
vestigated by an officer of the Insepc,
tor Generals Department during the
period January 81 to February IL. AT
the same time a comprehensive and
searching inspection was made of the
base hospital at this camp and inves
tigation made of other similar com
plants, which were brought to the
attention of the inspector.
"The investigation disclosed that
prior to the date of Pvt. Hestwood's
death (Dec. 28), and for consider
able period thereafter, conditions in
the hospital were nothing short OF
deplorable; in fact, the conditions cit
ed by Pvt. Hestwood's father in his
letter of January IA to Henry ]. Allen
were found to be substantially cor
rect.
During this period the hospital was
in charge of Maj. Phillip B. Connolly
Medical Corps, who is held to be re
sponsible for such conditions.
Many Causes for Conditions.
"There were many causes which
produced these conditions, some OF
which can not rightfully be charged
to the local authorities. When the
hospital was first established the med
zeal officers were trained in mill
tary hospital ways and organization
The enlisted personnel was almost
wholly unframed; there were no re-
male nurses; there was a shortage OF
supplies, due to the unusual number
OF patients which flooded the hospi'
tall. there was a long delay in com
pleting the hospital; total lack OF
nearby laundry facilities; lack OF
sewerage and plumbing. etc.
"As n result of the investigation in
structions have been issued by the
War Department directing trial by
general courtmartial of the then com.
manding officer OF the hospital, Mai.
Phillip b. Connolly, Medical Corps,
United States Army, and of First
Lieut.. Walter II. Kirkpatrick, Medical
Corps, National Guard, who was the
first medical officer to examine Pvt.
EASTWOOD. and who sent him to the
hospital without making known the
fact that he suspected spinal menin-