Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-13
HOSPITAL CHARGES
PROBE TO CONTINUE
Committee to Hear Testi-
mony Regarding Reed and
St. E!izabeth's Next Week.

St. E!iZabeth's Next Week.
Testimony regarding alleged mis-.
treatm soldiers at Walter Reed
and st. Elizabeth's hospitals will be
taken early next week at resumed
hearing before Chairman Mckenzie of
the subcommittee of the House COM
Imittee investigating war expenditures.
1t was intended to continue the hear
ings today. but the number of wit
nesses subpoenaed have been .ex-
hausted.
Chairman Mckenzie subpeenaed
Mai. Albert S. Cummings. who, a. wit
ness said, could give the names ofisol-
diers who were denied treatment at
Walter Reed because civilians were
given preference. Mai Cummings was
discharged from the service Septem-
Der 6 and it has been impossible to
locate him.: :.
Both Sides to Be Heard.
The subcommittee plans. as far as
possible. to hear all the witnesses in
regard to alleged abuses and later to
give the authorities an opportunity
to, defend the Infringement Of the in
stitutions. De. William A.sWhite,- SUI
perintendent of ST. Eiizabeth's Hos
pital, has been notified to hold himself
in readiness to testify next week.
Statements by Enlisted Men.
Enlisted men who are held at Wal
ter Reed as attendants, and who pro-
test that they are eager to be re-
. rat oil
committee yesterday that they are
being held in the services to care for
civilians who are getting free treat
ment at the Army hospital through
pull They testified that relatives
of Army officers, including mothers
surgical and dental attention at the
hospital while soldiers have to wait.
That dozen civilians q day receive
free dental treatment was testified by
Private George w. Sells, who pro-
tested that he should be released in
stead of being held there to- attend
to these civilian cases while overseas
men have TO wait. He told the COM
mittee that Maj. Albert S. Cummings
could furnish the names of soldiers
who could not get treatment.
Says Outside Patients Are Treated.
Testimony that twenty patients who
had nothing to do with the Army had
surgical operations performed at Wal
ter Reed during August was given by
Corp. John r. Dull of Glade. Pa, an
other soldier whose discharge has
been refused.
Corp. Hazen Elliott, "a Michigan boy,
serving as surgical assistant, said that
on August % a soldier, was held in
the operating room under anesthetics
for twenty minutes while the Army
surgeon was called away to perform
minor operations on the two sons of a
colonel
His own request for release from
military service was "a. rejected---fve
times, according to the testimony Of
Sergt. B. Coppinger of Alden. Ill, who
remarked that little attention. was
paid to priority lists in the discharge
of the men. go -
DR.. w. A. White Denies Charges.
Dr. William A. White, superintendent
Of ST. Elizabeth's Hospital, denied
charges against that institution
which were made at yesterdays hear
ing. He will testify again later on
invitation Of the committee. He dis
cuSsed with the utmost frankness and
in detail a complaint made by Philip
B. Wilson, an attendant at st. Eliza
beth's, who said that a patient named
James Murch. whom he turned over
TO two soldier attendants, had been
struck in the stomach and otherwise
beaten.
DR.. White told the committee that
he had taken this matter up with
Lieut.. Col. Chappelle, in command of
the military detachment, who investi-
gated and reported back to DR.. White
that the charges of brutality had not
been substantiated. DR.. White said
he insistently urged steps for a court
martial because this was a. case where
an employee had given first-hand direct
testimony. He said he believed it es-
sential for the morale Of the institu-
ton that the utmost attention should
be given to such charges. He got the
court martial and the two soldiers
were exonerated of the charges. 1t
is the policy and practice of the in
stitution, DIR. White said, to thus make
thorough investigation of each re-
port of abuses and to give any COM
plainant Ibis day in court"