Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-21


Col w H. Powell.
ever entertained the idea that the beef had
been chemically treated in order to pre-
serve it. He said that had a herd of cattle
been sent To cuba all killing would have
had TO be done after sunset, and the issue
Of the meat made before clock in the
morning During the civil war that prac-
tice had been followed with good results.
He was OF the opinion that cattle on the
hoOf in Cuba would have been preferable to
refrigerated beef.
Meat Left Exposed to the sun.
Col. Albert G. Smith of the 18th Infantry
next took the witness chair. He said his
regiment left New York on the 10Th of
April and reached Tampa on the I'D. He
was personally relieved June 6. and did not
rejoin until late in July. At that time the
regiment was at Santiago. and General
Ames was in command of the brigade.
Refrigerated beef was being issued, and it
continued until the regiment embarked for
the north, August 5
The beef was good except one day, when
it was spoiled, he stated. He had been
told the meat had been left on the dock
exposed 10 the sun.
Continuing the witness said the canned
roast beef was issued on the return "trip. 1t
was used with tomatoes i'll making soup.
He did not know how great a quantity was
used The rations had been supplied at the
cOmmissdry's discretion. as the orders to
embark had been verbal. He said he had
reason to believe that very little had been
used. except in the form of soup. In Sep
TENDER ne made an investigation. which
showed that ii had given no satisfaction
used either soup or in the can. He had
never heard of canned roast beef being is
sued prior to the war with Spain.
Referring 70 the report he made about the
beef. h. said he would not have felt it his
duty to make it had it not been called for
by the department, as he not directly
in contact with his regiment during the
ina .,fr h e.,
alleged TO exist.
Col Smith declared that at no time while
using canned beef or refrigerated beef did
he have the suspicion that either had been
chemically treated. He inclined to the opin-
ion that beef on the hoof was preferable in
campaigns.
Canned Reef Gave No Satisfaction.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Viele of
the LIST Cavalry followed as a witness He
gave the facts as to his service with his
regiment at Santiago He was questioned
first as 10 canned roast beef
What did you have as a meat ration
going down on the transports?" asked
Colonel Davis.
Canned roast beef" said the witness
except for few days before leaving for
nome. Then We We're given refrigerated
What did you have on the transpert
coming home?' asked the judge advocate
canned roast beef. was the reply.
W hat satisfaction did il give?'
Didnt give any satisfaction was the
response Of witness
What comp, ANTS were made to YOU
about the beef Colonel Davis asked
There were no complaints. There was
no chance TO get anything else. The men
took II and said nothing
They did use it, them
did not say they used it. They took
IL when II was issued. but great deal of IT
was thrown overheard
What did you do about something in
place Of it, "a
We did nothing" said witness. There
to be had"
Have you made any reports on the sub
ject?'
Yes. 1 have made three reports"
w ny was il you made no official report
on the subject while you were in the tield?'
For one reason. that for a long time
there was not one sheet of paper to be
found in any command
The witness said he did not take I'm the
subject officially until after he reached
MontaUk- Then he sent a circular letter to
MS troop commanders asking them to de-
tan their experiences. This was prior to
receipt of instructions for Il report on the
subject from the adjutant general.
Refrigerated Reef Was Good.
What refrigerated beef had been issued
at Santiago was, he thought. good. one
lot ne saw was tainted. but he had re-
ceived no complaint from the men about it,
Had you any reason to believe while at
Santiago that the refrigerated beef had
been treated with cnenicaIs?"
I never heard of such a thing, and such
witness.
Did you eat any of the refrigerated
beef2''
Once. and that was enough for me re-
piled the witness. He said that the meat
had a clos. musty smell. as though it
ha9 been shut up in a close room" and it
had turned ham against the meat so that
ne used bacon in preference. He said he
had no reason to believe that the other
officers in his mess did not use the meat
The refrigerated beef issued at Santiago
was yellow in appearance on the outside:
that he mad never noticed on the same kind
Of meat issued TO him at Fort Rilev Kan
where he had been stationed prior to the
war II nauseated him at Santiago
Seemed To BE Made of scraps.
Col. Viele declared his belief that the can
ned roast beef seemed to be made of scraps
and the men would not eat it,
To Col Davis the witness stated that he
thought cattle on The hoof more desirable
than refrigerated beef. II would have been
preferable because the cattle could have
been driven to the camps. slaughtered is
sued and cooked. He said he had not sug-
gested This because no cattle were near nj
hand. and the troops in Cuba We're a long
way from place where cattle could be OBJ
tanned Cattle on the hoof could have been
used from the time of landing till the sur
render Of Santiago while the men were en-
ployed in the siege by being driven close to
the front and delivered on packs.
Gen Hawkins Tells of Complaints.
Brigad1er General H. s. Hawkins. one OF
the heroes of Cuba, handsome. erect, gray
haired and imDerialed, in civilian clothes
followed IN the chair. At the outbreak OF
the war he was colonel of the Goth In
fantry, but while his r. giment was sta
toned at Mobile in May he was made a
-brisadier general Then he was assigned &c
the command of the LIST Division in the
9th Army Corps and sailed for Cuba June
- He told Of the journey. the debarka-
ton and fight, in which he was wounded
and left his command He said complaints