War Inquiry Begun

Washington, Sept. 26.- The commission to investígate the conduct of the war department during the recent conflict with Spain held lts initial meeting in the office of President McKinley at the White House. There were eight members present and it was announced that the services of a ninth man were counted upon, though his name was not made public. The eight who were present were: Major General Granville M. Kodge of Iowa, Colonel J. A. Sexton of Illinois, Captain E. P. Howell of Georgia, Major General J. M. Wilson, chief of engineers of the United States army; Hon. Charles Denby of Indiana, late minister to China; ex-Governor Urban A. Woodbury of Vermont, ex-Governor James A. Beaver of Pennsylvania, and Major General H. McD. McCook of the army (retired.) The appearance of ex-Governor Beaver as a ïnember of the commission was a surprise, as his selection was not known until he appeared at the White House at the beginning 01 the session. The commission spenc an hour and a half with the president and then pro■ceeded to the room assigned it at the "war clepartment for the purpose of organizing and beginning work. The proceedings with the president consisted in the main of a general exchange of views as to the scope of the commission's investigation in which the president partlcipated quite freely. He told the members that the organization of the commission had been undertaken at the request of Secretary Alger and read a letter from the secretary in which he made the request. vCincinnati, Sept. 26.- Dr. Phineas S. Conner of this city, a distinguished physician and surgeon, who sepved in the civil war, has accepted the invitation of the president to become a memher of the committee to investígate the conduct of the war.