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The News and Observer, VOL. XLV. NO. 36. LBBI ALL NORTH CMOUM DAILIES St KBS SID NRCUUTU. HI Cliff COM LIBRE War investigating Committee Taking Testimony There. PRESENT CARE OF SICK TLE WOULD HAS NEVER SEEN ITS PARALLEL. SICKNESS FROM EATING TAINTED MEAT Testimony Regarding Commissary and Quarter Master Departments. An Intoxicated Hospital Nurse Sets Fire to a Patient's Bed. Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 18.—The war investigating commission lield three ses sions to-day, dealing during the two day sessions with the general staff of ficers of the Seventh army corps, and at night hearing the testimony of officers and men of the Second South Carolina regiment. The general officers examin ed included the chief surgeon, the chief commissary, the chief quartermaster and the inspector general of the corps, and all gave detailed information as to their respective departments of the service. The sub-committee, consisting of Gen eral Wilson and Captain Howell, ap pointed to investigate the selection of Fernandina, as a camp site, returned to-night and reported their complete ap proval of the selection. They made spe cial inquiry into the report that the camp had been located there for the purpose of enhancing the value of land owned by a son of Secretary Alger, go ing through the county records as a part of their work. They failed to find his name in any of these documents and their investigation convinced them that he had never owned any real estate in that vicinity or had been in any way interested in any. COLONEL MACS TESTIFIES. Colonel Louis M. Mans, chief surgeon of the Seventh army corps, was the first witness sworn to-day. He is a regular army surgeon and has occupied this present position practically through out the history of the camp. He said Ilias when the order came £<>r the estab lishment bf division hospitals there was some delay in getting supplies such, as tents. lie made his requisitions on Tampa, but finding that all efforts there were directed to getting the expeditions off. made his requisitions upon Washing ton direct. After this they were prompt ly filled. There was no suffering amonsr the sick. Still they did not Lave the luxuries at the beginning of the war that there were in the latter days of it, “Nor.” added the doctor, “do i think that the history of the world has ever seen a parallel to our present care of the sick.” Taking up the present condition of the hospitals he said there were .*IOO trained female nurses now at work here. He said the employment of these nurses had proved entirely satisfactory. Replying to a question, I)r. Mans said that after the first few days there had been exceptional promptitude. He had never seen such utter diregard of ex pense in earing for sick soldiers. As a matter of fact, the troops had a greater allowance of rations than they could use or dispose of in any way. MS 1 LICENCE OF SURGEONS. He thought typhoid had been intro dined into the camp by Mississippi and Virginia troops. Shallow wells and sur face drainage had done much to increase the scourge. He also thought the flics had done much to disseminate fever. Dr. Mans said lx* had found it difficult to prevail upon surgeons in tlm volun teer service to learn the administra tive duties rtf their positions. Often in the early history of the war some of the volunteer regimental surgeons had been found negligent in the matter of inspec tion, but later on sanitation became the principal duty of everybody aboyt the camp. Much trouble had been experi enced in keeping the public from the hospitals. In many cases they had surreptitiously carried food to the sick. Dr. Maus also dwelt upon the newspa per reports of the suffering in the camp, saying they had generally grown out of exaggerated statements from the men themselves. Dr. Maus thought, the fever was now decreasing. He mentioned one instance in which serious sickness had followed the use of tainted meat and snid he had heard of a few other instances in which poor meat had been issued. ■ Dr. Mans was questioned in regard to the camp at Miami. He said he had investigated it and found it to he un suitable on account of tin* water, which analysis had shown to be impure. He also thought Tampa unsuited to a large army camp. He said in response to a criticism from a Jacksonville* lady that General Lee had given the most careful attention to the hospitals: that he made frequent calls on tlm sick men and did much to cheer them up. A letter was read from Mrs. Gordon, wife of General W. W. Gordon, in re lation to tin* hospital at Miami, in which she made serious charges, among others one to the effect that a hospital nurse had become intoxicated and set tirff to a patient's bed, burning him somewhat, and another that dies were often found crawling into the mouths of dying pa tients. Mr. Mans had a report from Dr. Vilas, in charge of tl:o hospital, read, admitting tin* statement concerning the burning of a patient bed, but denying all others. Dr. Maus expressed the opinion that the charges were exagger ated. COL. WOOD TALKS OF FOOD. Colonel Oliver E. Wood, chief com missary at Camp Cuba Libre, under General Leo. was before the commission at its afternoon session. lie had occu pied this position since the 21st of May and he had been able during all this time to fully meet all requisitions made upon him for supplies, and there had never been any lack of them. As a rule also the quality was excellent. At first there had been trouble with the bacon and about lot 1,000 po-uuds of it had been spoiled and therefore condemned and or dered destroyed. There had also beftn weavils in softie of the hard bread, but it had never been issued when found to be bad. All the fresh beef was secured from Armour A Company and was brought to the camp in refrigerator ca rs. As a rule the meat was excellent, and in case where the meat was not good the contractors had replaced it without requiring official condemnation. Yet it was necessary either to cook refrigera tor meat or put it on ice in order to pre vent its spoiling in this climate. In this connection Colonel Wood read a letter he had written to General Lee in re sponse to a complain made by Colonel William Jennings Bryan concerning the beef. In this letter he said that if beef was spoiled it was generally due to the almost criminal negligence of regiment and company officers. He said also in the letter that the beef must lu* inspect ed when issued: that this inspection must be final and after this no complaint could be entertained. COMMAND SHORT OF STORES. Capt. Cluiuncey V. Baker, chief quar termaster. was also examined during the afternoon session. He had been in Jacksonville from the beginning of tin* camp on the 21st of May, but at that time was quartermaster for the Second corps. He said that when he arrived the command was short of all kinds of stories, and that he had been unable in the beginning to meet all requi sitions for supplies when made by the regiments as they arrive*!. There had for instance been some trouble in secur ing tentage. There was also shortage in clothing, and in most cases he had assumed the responsibility of making purchases, and his course had afterwards; been approved. The first clothing re coil cd was not of good quality, but it was afterwards improved. However, tin* men were, as a rule, glad enough to get anything and there was no complaint. Indeed the troops had manifested a dis position to be satisfied with whatever they received. Captain Baker sanl that he attributed whatever delay had been experienced to the necessity of equipping so large an army in so brief a time, and lie thought that under the circum stances it was no greater than was to have been expected. Explaining General Lawton’s selection of the first camp here he said it was due to the fact that the railroad company ’ could offer good facilities here and to the additional fact that water could b; secured conveniently. Where the site was lowest men were moved when the rainy season began. General Lawton had ex pected the troops to be ordered almost immediately to Cuba, and this circum stances controlled him entirely in the se lection of the site for the first encamp ment. He said that the volunteer regi mental quartermasters had all worked hard to learn their business and that their service had been satisfactory. COL. GUILD ON VOLUNTEERS. Captain Baker was followed by Colo nel Curtis Guild, Jr., inspector general of the corps. Colonel Guild said He had been on duty in Jacksonville since June Ist. He said lit* had made it his business to make an early morning inspection of the camp each day with regard to sani tation and In* knew that this had been the custom of others in his department. lit* had also invented a form of weekly report which had given excellent satis faction. Colonel Guild said he had found the officers of the volunteer forces willing to accept suggestions and in many cases he had been thanked for them, lie had also made frequent in spections of the hospitals. In the be ginning there was a lack of government supplies for these institutions. But the deficiency had been supplied by the Req Cross. The witness testified to the de votion of the medical department and in referring to the interest of all in the care of tin* sick, he instanced the fact that in tin* recent cyclone here not a single hospital tent had been blown down. In some instances In this emer gency an entire brigade turned out to pro tect the hospitals and held them down. Colonel Guild mentioned some cases in which goods had been received m poo! condition. In one case a large lot of canned beef had boon received which was putrid and effervescent, but the con tractors had replaced it with acceptable goods. The Second New Jersey had suf fered on account of tin* frequent changes of the commissary, and they appeared to experience the want of food because of the ignorance of the officers of the regi ment. Colonel Guild said that he had never found a case of deprivation duo to tin failure of the Government to furnish proper supplies. lie was also unable to recall any ■use in 'hi *n there had been any suffering in a hospital on ac count of neglect and was satisfied that all had been done for the sick that was practicable. Asked if he was still of the opinion that there would have been a shortage of supplies for the sick but for lln* great activity of the Red Cross, Colonel Guild said he had changed his opinion some what as he had since learned that steps might have been taken to secure Govern ment supplies, but lie was still of the opinion that there would have been de lay. Here the commission adjourned for dimmer. COLONEL JONES’ COMPLAINTS. The evening session of the War Com mission was given to Colonel Jones and RALEIGH, N. t\, WEDNESDAY MORNING-, OCTOBER 10, ISOS. A TTDfiEE 0© ASK!®™ m OTTS MJDTTa ___ TTtss ®. EFoosBcDUDa ' TTi?®® ©if [0 : ©or-sis) ©i others of the Second South Carolina infantry. Colonel Jones repeated his complaint about the fresh beef. He also complained of tlit* location of the camp as swampy and said that the water was bad. He said that of !>.’M men in tin* re giment 180 were now sick and that about two-thirds of those wore typhoid eases. He thought that other regiments in the vicinity were just as ludly off in point of health as his own command. Lieutenant Colonel Thompson said he had seen spoiled meat only on one oc casion, and that it was badly diseol- j ored. The men went without meat that j day. He complained that when men were sent to tin* division hospital it was impossible to locate them. Tic thought the sickness of the regiments was due , to the proximity of stagnant water. Lieutenant Alexander Davis, com missary f<>r the regiment, said the beef was good, when it was issued to lb* regiment, but that there were cases : n which the meat issued to companies had spoiled, owing to the failure of the com pany commissaries to conn* for it prompt ly. thus leaving it exposed. Lieutenant Edmund B. Tompkins, act ing quartermaster for the regiment, complained that the clothing issued to the regiment was of very inferior quality. He spoke especially of tin* shoes and trousers and complained of the difficulty of getting proper sizes in underclothes for the men. He also com plained that tin* tents occupied leaked, and that he had failed to get requisitions for others approved. Captain Daniel O. Herbert, of this re-, ! HIS EYES OPENED I <J*. <*> ❖ ♦ |W* H♦ Chadbourn, Postmaster, Now t Sees the True State of Affairs* I AHOTHfR LETTER!) PRITCHARD | vX TT O | In Which the Attempts to Put Himself A* ight Before % ♦ the Community. Possible Erroneous Impressions % X of his Former Letter Corrected. The Intense Feel- * X ing Against Negro Domination —Not the “ Usual ? Political Cry,” but a Determination of Tax Payers, | ♦ Property Owners and Business Men to Control the I City and County. f ♦ ♦ O (Wilmington Messenger.) <► Wilmington, N. (’.. October 18th, 181)8 <£ Senator J. C. Pritchard, ♦ <*> • Dear Sir: Since writing you on September 2dth, events have taken place in this community which necessitate some further exulanation on <§> my part in order to put myself right before the community here and also to correct any mistaken impression I have made in your mind. ♦ For the sake of any fancied political advantage I cannot afford to ♦ ♦ make a one-sided presentation of the situation in this city aiid county, and ♦ <?* by naming only tin* white officials and leaving out the colored doubtless d some advantage lias been taken, and a false color given to tin* actual sit- ♦ nation, to which the business people and tax-payers regardless of party may have made serious objections. a <s* As a matter of fact, there are in this county thirty-six colored niagis- <e> trates and a colored register of deeds and various other minor officials he- * 4f> sides some Presidential appointees, and the property owners, lax payee- and business men seriously object to this state ot aflnirs, and then* now exists here tin* most intense feeling against any sort of negro domination. ♦ ❖ There is a greater feeling of unrest and uncertainty about the niamten- •C * ance of order than I have ever seen and many, even the most conservative, * ❖ feel that a race conflict is imminent, than which nothing could he more dis- N* O a strolls not only to this city and county, but to our party in the State, and rather than have riot, arson and bloodshed prevail here. I. nejmblicaii *s► though I am, advise giving up tin* local offices in this coiiniy, as there are v <s. no National political principles involved in lliis conllict. ♦ ♦ l had thought at first that it was merely the usual political cry and the ♦ ❖ ti dit for the offices, but lam now convinced the feeling is much deeper « than this, as it pervades tin* whole community, and then* seems to be a ♦ *s> settled determination on the part of the property owners, business men ♦ <s* and tax-payers that they will administer city and county government. .v Your Friend, * i W. H. CIIADBOURN. ♦ t ♦ ***♦*♦♦*♦*♦♦ ♦♦♦*♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ gimei.it, complained of the monotony of the rations. lie said much of the beef had to be thrown away because it was spoiled. A number of non-commissioned officers and privates were also sworn. Ail the members of lliis regiment ex amined complained of the issuance of four days’ travel rations to the regi ment when they left their State, which had made a shortage in other rations for ! two weeks. Sergeant Mooney, of eom ’ puny A, complained that very little fresh meat was issued. RIOT IN A SALOON. After the Riot Soldiers Set ire to the Saloon. j Newport News, Ya., October 18. —A riot occurred at a saloon in Phoebus hit > ..to-night. Five regulars from Fort Mon ro** were shot. One la'ing killed and an other mortally wounded. No civilians were hurt. The names of the soldiers and ■ other details are unobtainable to-night. It is understood that the men were sin t by the proprietor or employees of the saloon which is owned by P. E. Eagan. After the shooting soldiers set tin* to the saloon. At midnight the town was in a turmoil, the civil authorities being power less to preserve order. After continuing their threatening demonstrations for- some time, the riotous j soldiers were taken in custody by a detail from Fort Monroe. 1 HUB HEW TROPIC GEM Star Spang’ed Banner Rip ples Over San Juan. OUR OFFICIALS’ HOPES HIGH TIDE OF SPANISH OPPOSI TION IN PARIS. THE OMMISSIONERS* ADROIT ATTACK Their Arvma.t’ng Purpose to Enlist Sympathies if Cuban Bond Holders. Our Real Purpose Touchirg the Bonds. Will epariards Recede ? San Juan, de Porto Rico. Oct. 18. — Promptly at noon today the American !lag was raised over Sail Juan. The Eleventh regular infantry, ’ with two batteries of tin* Fifth artillery, landed this morning. The latter pro ceeded to the forts, while the infantry lined up on the docks. Rear Admiral Schley and General Gordon, accompanied by their staffs, proceeded to the palace in carriages. The Eleventh infantry regiment and band, with Troop 11 of the Sixth United States Cavalry, was then marched through tin* streets and formed in the square opposite the palace. At 11:40 a. m. General Brooks, Ad miral Schley and General Gordon, the United States evacuation commission ers. came out of the palace with many naval officers and formed on the right side of the square. The streets behind the soldiers were thronged with towns people. who stood waiting in dead si lence. At last she city clock struck the hour of 12. and the crowds*, almost breathless and with eyes fixed upon the Hag-polo, watched for developments. Ai the sound of the first gun from Fort Morro, Major Dean and Lieuten ant Castle, of General Brooke’s staff, hoisted the stars and stripes, while the baud played the “Star Spangled Ban ner.” All heads were bared and the crowds cheered. Fort Morro, Fort San Cristo bal and the United States revenue cutter Manning, lying in the harbor, tired twenty-one guns each. Congratulations and handshakings among the .American officers followed. Ensign King hoisted the stars and stripes on the Intendeucia. but all other flags <m tin* various public buildings were hoisted by military officers. Simulta neously with tin* raising of tin* flag over tin* Captain General’* palace, many others were hoisted in different parts of the city. The work of the United States evacu ation commission is now over and all tin* reports will la* forwarded to Wash ington on Thursday next. The labors of both parties have terminated with honors to all concerned. HOPES AT WASHINGTON. That Spaniards Will Not Oblige Us to Proceed to Extremities. Washington. D. C.. October 18— It is Imped, though hardly expected b.r :lie* officials here that yesterday’s proceed ings before the peace commission at Paris marked tin* high tide of So; uisli opposition and that from now mi the Spanish commissioners will retire grad ually from their extreme position. It is recognized that their attack up m tin , American position was marked by the ] LAST EDITION: PRICE FIVE CENTS. greatest cleverness and adroitness. Ihe opinion prevailed that the animatin'; pur pose of the Spaniards is to work upon the sympathies of other European nations while appealing to the interests not only of the holders of Cuban bonds but also to the holders of purely Spanish security's which would be affected 1 y sympathy. The Spanish argument directed to showing that the United States must as sume sovereignty, else the islands will be left without legal status, is interpreted as being a distinct bid for the interven tion of the foreign bond holders. The latter, according to Spanish hope, might be expected to call upon their Govern ments to aid the Spanish cause by pro testing to the United States against the destruction of the largo values repre sented by the Cuban bonds owned by their own citizens. Considerations based upon equities like those have at times had groat weight with international tri bunals. but back of it all is apparent, in the eye of the officials here, a purpose to influence, not so much the American peace commissioners as the Government at Washington directly. WILL NOT REPUDIATE THESE. There has never been any question as to the status of municipal and other local obligations bastxl upon Cuban assets. As the proceeds of tin* bonds issued by the municipalities have presumably gone to benefit the localities, it has never been contended here for an instant that these obligations should be repudiated. What ever may be the outcome of the negotia tions at Paris relative to the general debt of Cuba, the bonds of the munici palities and such securities will retain their validity. The proposition alleged to have been made yesterday by the Spanish commis sioners to surrender to the United States the entire Philippine group rather than Spain should he responsible for the Cu ban debt did not take the officials here bv surprise. It was recognized imme diately as only another phase of the Spanish effort to connect the Philippines and Cuba in some way in the negotia tions. ThewVmerican commissioners at the beginning refused to permit any such association: holding that each subject treated in the protocol must be djjalt w th separately and in order, and in so far as the State Department knows they have not changed their view on this matter since. While it is realized in official circle* that the negotiations in Paris have r> ached what probably will he the most critical poriml to be passed over until the commission is face to face with the question as to what disposition shall be made of the Philippines, there is an abid ing confidence that the Spanish commis sioners will not oblige the Americans to v, sort to extreme measures and that the negotiations will proceed with great er expedition from this point. THANKS TO THE G. A. R. Acknowledgments to Sedgwick Post for Escort Furnished for Miss Davis’ Body. Wakefield, R. T.. October 18.—Sedg wick Post, No. 7. G. A. It., has received a number of communications from Camps of Confederate Veterans Associations. Sons of Confederate Veterans and Chap ters of P. I>. C., thanking the Post for furnishing escort to the body of Miss Winnie Davis, the Daughter of the Confederacy, from the Rockingham House. Nnrrngansett Pier, where she died, to the funeral ear that conveyed it to Richmond. Among those who ac knowledged the kindness of Sedgwick Post were: R. E. Lee Camp, Confederate Vete ra us: Maury Camp of Fredericksburg, which will reciprocate the nttonik n 1»t placing a floral tribute on the stone that, marked the spot where General Sedgwick fell: Camp A. R. .tones. U. C. V. A., of Selma, Ala.. Jefferson Davis Camp. S. C. V.. and Richmond Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Oct. 19, 1898, edition 1
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