The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-24
Former Commissary
General Testifies.
THE BEEF INQUIRY.
Testimony Of Regular Army
Officers Criticised.

Washington, Feb. 23.1rhe testimony
OF Gen. j. F. Weston, who was at the
outbreak of the war assistant commits
sary general, and who now is the sue
cessor of Commissary General Eagan,
and the appearance of Gen. Eagan,
were the features of today's proceed
ings of the court of inquiry, investi-
eating the charges of Gen. Miles as to
the beef supply to the army while in
Cuba and Porto Rico.
Each contended that the canned roast
beef was a wholesome and nutritious
component of the army ration which
was furnished the Santiago and Porto
Rican expedition, and took issue with
the regular army officers who have
criticised 1t. Regarding the refriger-
ated beef. the testimony of today tend
ed to show that it was satisfactory.
Gen. Eagan entered into the circum-
stances attending the entry into CON
tracts with the beef concerns, and will
conclude his testimony in a day or two.
lie took issue with Gen. Miles in re-
saro 10 peer on the hoof being the best
supply or fresh beef to the army. In
Slsting that such source of supply was
1 lmpracticable in Cuba and esnectalIv
undesirable In any country where tbe
animal heat in the beef could not dis
appear before cooking.
AFTER Capt. Alexander K. Piper had
peen examined briaAy by the court
Gen. j. F.. Weston was called He said
the whole question Of fresh meat was
thorougnly gone over, and the depart
| nent decided that the canned roast
beef was the best thing obtanable. He
SAD the war department had made an
honest and thorough investigation of
the subject and took the only course
| open to 1t. Gen. Weston said the re-
frigerator beef furnished the troops in
camp at Tampa was as fine as he had
ever seen anywhere. Regarding the
use of canned roast beef in Cuba. he
| SAID there were always both canned
roast beef and bacon on hand, and
| the men got whatever they asked for
| Gen. Weston said he received no com
plants as to the meat ration while
! no was in charge Of Siboney. IF any
preservatiye had ever been used on any
OF the beef, the fellow that used IL
| ought to be whipped for stupidity, foi
| il would spoil within II hours" replied
Gen. Weston to another question.
! Gen. Weston declared emphatically
that the government had no connec.
| ton with the Powell DruserVatiVe eX-
pertinent, that he merely sccommoda-
ted the beef people and observed the
result of the experiment. Canned
roast beef in Cuba was not spoiled
but the heat made 1t uninviting in APP
pearance.
Maj. Henry Osgood, Capt. G. L. Mott
and Capt. Charles H. Sriersim then tes-
titled.
Former Commissary Gen. Eagan, who
had just arrived from New York, was
then presented to the court. Proceeding
in reply to questions he said he con,
sidered carefully the question Of fresh
| beef for the army when beef on the
hoof or refrigerated beef could not be
supplied. He was faVorably impressed
with the canned roast beef and united
| with other officers of the department
in adopting it. The first complaint
about this beef came from Capt. PHILIP
Reed of the commissary department
Witness was surprised and ordered all
officers who had the beef to examine
and report. All responses endorsed the
| beef
The question Of supplying refrigerat-
ed beef came up at once, and there were
many consultations with packers rep
resentatives about the keeping of beef
after being taken in the refrigerators.
| were
sent to Tampa for test and witness
recollection was that the frozen spoiled
| first.
Mind you, however, said Gen. Ea-
gan, this was not process beef, that is.
beef treated with chemicals"
Col. Davis read the contract with
Swift g. Co. for the Porto Rican supply
of refrigerated beef. The beef concern
was required to put in refrigerato tor
plants on ships where necessary. Beef
was to be from steers Weighing not
less than 600 pounds dressed and
should be so preserved by the refriger-
ating process as TO be perfectly good
and fit for use II hours after delivery
from the refrigerator on ship, or "A
hours after delivery from any refri-
| gerator the beef concern might erect
at any port, to the proper officer Of the
/ United States.
Gen. Eagan, explaining further, said
TTMy understanding was that the beef
! should be perfectly good for u hours
| AFTER it left the ship or from their plant
on shore. and the "a hours in the con-
tract must have been originally the re-
suit of a clerical error" Gen. Eagan
said when the war came there were
| threla plans for a fresh beef supply
REFRIGERATED beef, beef on the hoof to
be furnished by contractors, and for
the Government to own its own herd
WITHOUT concluding the hearing of
Gen Tfagans testimony, the court ad-
iourneG until tomorrow morning, when
If is exnected he will be before court the
entire Forenoon, explaining the circum-
stances attending the furnishing Of
commissary supplies,
/