Complaints About Food Served Soldiers at Oteen Hospital, Feb. 16, 1920

From The Daily Times, Wilson, N.C., February 16, 1920

Wouldn’t See a Reporter

Asheville, Feb. 14—Colonel W. H. Lysten, commanding officer at the United States General Hospital No. 19 at Oteen, when told by a reporter that a dispatch had been received here from Washington telling of a complaint made by two sick soldiers at the hospital regarding the food, not only refused to listen to the dispatch read over the telephone, but hung up the receiver in the reporter’s ear in the most discourteous manner. The telephone operator at the central exchange at the hospital, when called back, said that the officer refused to talk to any newspaper men after 10 o’clock at night.

This is not the first time complaints have been made to the Congressmen and Senators from this state at Washington regarding the poor food served the sick soldiers at Oteen, who are considered by many people as special wards of the Christian people of this city.