Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-05

| court submitted the names OF IL ohlcers
| and enlisted men whom he desired TO
| have the court summon as witnesses,
giving at the same time a synopsis OF
| their testimony. and he asked TO have
the two requests passed upon. Neither
Of General Miles's requests was acted
upon.
LETTER FROM ARMOUR.
Major Lee also presented, but did not
read. letter from Armour & Co.. apro-
pos the process for the preservation Of
beef by artificial means. 10 is understood
that it will be held until Mr.. Powell ap-
pears TO give his testimony. which will
probably be within n few days.
SUGGESTIVE OF DIssECTING-ROOM"
Or. Edwin l. Nlcodemus, Of Philadel-
phla, who served I'm the character Of
surgeon In the Porto Rico campaign, testi-
fled that both the canned roast beef and
the refrigerated beef were very unsatis-
factory. He had returned 10 the United
States on the transport Mississippi. and
found the refrigerated beef very unsaus-
factory. II was he said, suggestive OF
dissecting-room the odor being character
istic Of an embalmed body. The beef had
q sweetsh, acid taste, and some Of the
men. after eating ii, had manifested
symptoms Of ptomaine poisoning. He in
ferred that the beef had undergone chemi-
cal treatment because the taste and
smell were different from the normal
taste and smell of meat.
DEVICES "a INSPECTION.
DR.. W. s. Devoe. Of Chicago. was re-
called. He Is am inspector in the Agri-
cultural Department. and In 1894 made an
inspection OF packing-house I'm Chicago,
on complaints. and had made a report 10
.rrf
cannot be found. and DR.. Devoe was asked
10 give the best Information he could.
lie proved Il very unwilling witness. say
ing he saw no reason why statements
of facts four or five years ago should
be brought out here 10 the detriment of
the firm, which had since, so far as ne
knew. obeycd the law. The court insisted,
howeygr, and he said that the firm OF
Nelson, Morris a co. was the one which
had been especially investigated. The
testimony had been given mostly by dis
charged and disgrunted employees, and
was TO the effect that the carcases OF
cattle had been taken from the tanks and
placed on the local market. The findings
had not been conclusive.
Or. Dcv0e said that he had al the time
been reasonably well satisfied that the
law had not been compiled with. and that
he had reported to the department that
there was foundation FOR complaint.
REPLY OF MILES
During the day the board sent a reply
TO General Miles. saying il would take the
matter OF his proposition 20 supply more
Witnesses under consideration. but init
mating that the board did not require
further testimony relating TO the canned
roast beef
General Miles had sent another letter,
I'm which he calls attention TO the letter
he wrote early I'm the proceedings OF the
board. saying that the inquiry was not
only of great importance. involving the
health and life Of the army. but that the
honor OF the service was an stake. lie
adds that 1900 men, and no doubt many
more. could give evidence substantiating
the assertion that the meat was unfit TO
eat and he expressed the hope that out
OF this number ~ whose names he had
submitted would be allowed 20 testify.
General Miles suggested than the men
who had evidence might answer set II
interrogatories prepared by the board. Il
it was found impractIcable to hear them
orally.