Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-04-27


Washington, April 25.-The Wade
court OF inquiry held its last open SEES
sion yesterday and is now engaged up
on the preparation OF its report. The
court has been in session almost ten
weeks Several hundred witnesses
were examined and over $500
pages OF testimony submitted. Monday
cept the report made by Lieut.. Col.
Darlington Of the inspector generals
Office. This report was transmitted to
Gen. Miles through Inspector General
breckenridge. The report of Col
Darlington covers about 80 typewriter
pages and goes exhaustively into the
reports made by officers and men
without drawing flndf conclusions At
the afternoon session Recorder Davis
read brief reports from Gen Breck-
cnbridge, Inspector general, and also
from two of his subordinates, Mai.
Reade and Lieut. Col. Darlington, as
10 the result of individual work and
observations. Breckenridge con-
demned the canned beef ration ana
said that while the army ration full
filled all scientific requirements as to
food values, its component parts
should be changed for men in service.
The court decided that if any deposit
tions for which Miles has called be re-
ceiyed prior to the completion of the
report, they will be admitted as evil
dence, subject to the boards limita-
tiOns.
Major Lee summed up the case, dis
claiming that he was acting as counsel
for Miles in a technical sense, adding
that he had been there simply
to present and elicit evidence.
we neither allege nor charge" Lee
said, any intent or design on the part
Of any officer of the army to furnish
bad or unfit ration, but The evidence of
regiment and company commanders
shows that an irreparabIe mistake has
been made, that some one Numbered
ana soldier became the sufferer" He
contended that canned roast beef was
adopted as a ration without adequate
or proper test Lee declared that some
inspections were so perfunctory that
canned meats were accepted ION the
reputation of the packing firms. 4"
Since when he asked, have corpo-
rauons and trusts o. come exempt from
the close scrutiny that would be APP
piled to the dealer of moderate
means Taking up the question OF re-
trigerated beef, Lee quoted testimony
to the effect that Eagn said Armour &
co. ana Swift A. Co. had knowledge OF
a preserving process and continued:
All this transpired before the opening
OF bids June 70 and shows clearly that
a preserVatiye process was then under
favorable consideration Lee con-
tended that ii was established beyond
all doubt by competent and reliable
testimony that the beef furnished the
troops in Florida had been subjected
10 some process TO insure Il keeping
The specified contract time. He then
Sain: 81 must be clear that If secret
chemical process was used with meat
delivered to the troops at thar point, a
similar use no doubt of the same pro-
cess would be used on meat
sent 10 other points. Lee
IN summing up said in part. I'VE
believe that a great fraud has been
perpetrated upon the government ana
great crime has been perpetrated on
the soldiers, and as to the party of
parties who committed this offense,
and whether the evidence should be
referred to he judicial officers Of the
government we leave to the considera-
lion Of the court
Al the conclusion of Lees argument
Recorder Davis arose and said simply.
y submit the case to the board with
out argument