The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-28
IT MADE THE MEN SICK
ENLISTED MEN TESTIFY or THE CANINE D
ROAST BEEF.
Raions We're Short Much of the Bee Spoiled
in Transit. The Flies Stunned he
Refrigerated Beef.

Washington, Feb. 27.--When the ar
met today after its two days recess it
expected 10 begin The examination of
some Of the enlisted men of the army
who had not only seen the beef furnish
ed the army in the fields. but had eaten
il in quantities wherein they differed
from the most of the officers who had
previously testified. The enlisted men
were slow in arriving. however. and
the first witness was Lieutenant Charles
+. Dwyer, Ninth infantry. now ut Mad
Olson Barracks. There were numerous
complaints. he said, as TO the canned
roast beef.
\ party OF six enlisted men of the
Ninth infantry next appeared. First
Sergeant Howard Alexander testified
that his regiment used both corncd and
roast beef on the voyage from Tampa
to Santiago. There were many com
plants from the men as to the canned
roast beef. 1t nauseated the men, had
little taste and apparently contained lit
lie nutriment. The men finally got to
throwing the cans away or not drawing
them, as the meat frequently made
them sick as soon as they ate il. Wit
ness was not willing to say definitely
whether it was the canned meat or the
malaria that caused most Of the sick
ness in the regiment.
After getting into the city whore the
refrigerated beef was used the men CON
tnucd to be very sick. nauScatcd and
suffering from bowel trouble. The ser
Ceant thought this also came from The
refrigerated meat; the gravy especially
that came from the refrigerated meat
seemed to nauseate the men even more
LAIN the meat itself. Returning 10 the
canned beef witness said can would
not keep more than four hours after
opening. In quantity the ration was
frequently short.
Sergeant Buckaye. also of the Ninth.
was called. He testified that the men
did not like the canned roast beef. II
made them sick and they did not eat il
when they could get anything else On
shore. before the surrender. about half
the meat ration was canned roast beef
and the same complaint continued. Each
man did his own cooking in his mess
tin or in empty cans. though many ate
their canned beef from the can. Nothing
they did to the beef in the way Of prep
aration seemed to have much effect on
it.
Coming To the refrigerated bsef.
Buckeye said there was little or no com
plaint while in Santiago. After the reg
iment got outside of town about quar-
ter Of the beef spoiled in transit. to the
camp What was left after trimming
off the spoiled part was considered quite
good.
Replying to Colonel Gillespie, Buckeye
said from the 22nd Of June to July the
ration averaged onc-half short. Asked
if he thought the command actually SUI
fcred in health from this lack of food.
he replied very simply: Il think it did
SIR
Sergeant Rudstorm Hatcher also 81
the Ninth, was then called. His teSti-
mony agreed substantially with the two
preceding witnesses.
His summing up Of the canned besf
in reply to Colonel Davis question as 70
what was the matter with it was laconic.
''Well sir. il didn't look good when you
opened it and it didn't taste good when
you was eating ii. and it didn't seem 10
do YOU no good after you had eaten
it,
While tha ration was short on shore
and bad in part, witness said he made
no report of il 10 his company officers.
You see, sir. they were living on just
the same things as the men, he ex-
planned.
Sergeant White. Ninth infantry, was
Very dogmatic in his statement that all
the canned roast beef in the campaign
was had. Ii developed that he had
opened only one can himself That was
bad and he threw it away. He had seen
other men do the same, nut h did not
recollect ever seeing a good can.
OF the refrigerated beef ne had seen
some good and some had, but he thought
most of it was tainted.
Sergeant Casey. Ninth infantry. had
the same general story to tell of the beef
on ship and on shore. When he said
that the canned roast beef was i'll
SIMS Hing, Colonel Davis had the orderly
open can Of roast beef that had been
sent TO Porto Rico and back. Witness
smelled and handled it and said il did
not look like the 1}eef served 10 him in
Cuba. The campaign article was LIQUID.
oily and repulsive iii odor
The rC frigerator beef he had in San
tiagO was good, but outside Of town
meat was buried four days ont of ten
as soon as it reached camp.
Sergeant Francis Kidd, also Ninth in.
fantry. told a very straightforward
story as TO tie canned and refrigerated
meat. Ii agreed substantially with the |
statements of the other sergeantS. lie
said much Of the refrigerator beef was
tainted. and nearly all the canned roast
beef was thrown away, but there We're
SO many of the men SICK and unable
to eat that the reduced ration went
round very well.
Further than this Kidd said that the
flies would not light on the refrigerator
meat. and although there were myriads