The record-union., 1899-02-21

eTdl BateS at that time reported that
only about one-fifth Of the men al Mon
tauk Point were in condition to march
through New York. General Miles
said this seemed to him to be remark
able, as there was no yellow fever at
the point, and he thought the men GER
talniy ought to be over their malaria.
he therefore ordered an inquiry into
the beef, about which there had been
SO much complaint
Did you report this matter at the
time to the Commissary Generals Of
fice?" asked Colonel Davis.
General Miles leaned forward, draw
ing his brows to furrow, and replied
1orcefully: Il am not required, sir, to
report to the Commissary General
Well, did you report it to the Sec
rotary of War;" asked Colonel Davis
General Miles, in reply, went at some
length into an explanation into the rou-
tine Of army headquarters, showing
why he preferred to conclude his in
curry SO that he might have something
tangible to report
Colonel Davis put a number of ques-
lions as to why the Commanding Cen
eral had delayed definite action in the
beef matter, and General Miles re-
sponded that he had delayed because
ne did not want to act until he had Sc
cured the very best authority, which
was information from the most reliable
sources Finally he issued his order to
ofhcers to report on the quality of beef
furnished. He did not report directly
to the Secretary of War, because under
q rule of 1890 the orders should go
through the Adjutant General to the
Secretary.
His attacks upon the canned and re-
frlgerated beef before the War Com
mission were then taken up specifically.
Colonel Davis read the testimony of the
Commanding General, which referred
to "embalmed beef and said it had
been sent as "pretense of experiment.,
General Miles was asked if he knew
when the war began that canned roast
beef was a part of the army ration.
This question brought out a partial ex-
PLANTATION of his using the phrase "a
pretense of experiment He said he
dld Tot know that canned roast beef
was part of the army ration, though
in 1888 an order had been issued incIuI
ing canned corn or fresh beef He did
not understand the canned beef in
question was meant. When his a+ten-
ton was finally attracted to the canned
roast beef, recently issued he assumed. |
he declared, that it was being issued as |
an experiment, since it was not under |
stood by him that canned roast beef
was a part of the regular ration.
Continuing this explanation in an |
swer to the question of Colonel Davis. |
General Miles said he thought his use
OF 'pretense of experiment. was .,nfor-
tuEate, and he disclaimed any intention |
to impute fraud to any one LAS far |
as indicating fraud" he said, Il wish |
to State that no such inference was in
tended. 1t was, perhaps, an unfortu-
nate expression, and had my attention |
6een called to it 1 might have amend |
ed it to say-well ON the theory Of an |
experiment AS a matter of fact. it |
was an experiment and a very costly |
one
With that disclaimer" asked Colonel |
Davis, s'of course, we will pass to the
refrigerated beef
Then replying to a question, General
Miles said he first heard complaints
against the beef at Ponce. The first |
direct statement that it had been treat
ed chemically came, he believed, from
DR.. DAILY, who presented it late in Sep I
TENDER, and appeared subsequently be-
fore the War Commission 1t was gen.
eral talk among the officers at Ponce, |
General Miles continued, that the re-
frigrator beef must have been subject
ed to some chemical treatment to make
it keep for seventy-two hours DR..
Days, however, was the first official
report.
General Miles then read a long sum-
mary of 100 letters received by him at |
army headquarters, giving the various
terms in which the army meat was |
characterized. These included 'sem- |
balmed," "decomposed." injected"
poisoned" spoiled and the like. In
addition, he showed a summary of re-
ports on refrigerated beef condemned i
and thrown overheard from transports.
c. c. Yeamans from the Yosemite re-
ported the condemnation of 5000
pounds; Lieutenant Colonel O'Neil of
the steamship Chester, 1000 pounds;
Colonel James Hamilton Lewis. 10000
pounds.
General Miles then left the witness
stand and Lieutenant Colonel Ever
horne of the Thirteenth Infantry was
sworn. He said he was, at the out
break of the war; Major of the Twenty |
second Infantry, and through the en-
tire Cuban campaign. Witness said he
had used adj kinds-canned, corned, re-
frigerated and canned roast beef. He
said the criticisms of the canned roast |
beefs began early in the campaign The
beef was objected to on the score Of |
its lack of nutriment, it's taste and its
appearance. When the refrigerator
beef arrived a large part of it was
spoiled and the men continued to use
the canned meat. The spoiled refriger-
ator beef was laid out on the hill for
the buzzards.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Miner Of
the Sixth Infantry was the next wit
ness. His regiment was among the first
to leavel Camp Thomas, and to camp al
Tampa 81 believed then, and I be-
lieve now he said, "that that beef had
been used for making beef extrac. and
the nutriment taken out. 1t appeared
to have been boiled to pieces
Colonel Miner said he knew nothing
of the method of canned beef prepara-
ton. His regiment was in good condi-
deteriorated suddenly and generally
When they became weak and sick the
men did not want meat
Examined as to refrigerated beef, he
declared it was excellent and satisfac-
tory. and no complaints about it were
heard. Only one quarter was spoiled.
He was unable, he said to determine
onv difference between the refrigerated
b..ef iss,,ed in Cuba and that which
had been issued at the posts in this