The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-24
Soldiers Who Made Complaints Had
DisOrdered LiverS.
MAJOR OSGOOD'S STORY
CoMMISSARY OFFICERS DEFEND
THEIR CANNED REFUSE.
General Eagan Says the Roast Beef
Was an Incidental" and All Of
ficers Pronounced 1t Good-Why
He Used Refrigerated Beef
Colonel Weston Testifies.


Colonel Weston Testifies.
Washington, Feb. 23.-The testimony
of Colonel ]. F. Weston, who was, at
the breaking out of war, assistant COM
missary general and now is the success
sor of General Eagan, together with
the appearance of General Easan, was
the feature of today's proceedings of
the court of inquiry investigating the
charges of General Miles as 10 the beef
supplied to the army While in CUBA ana
in Porto Rico.
Each contended that the roast beef
was a wholesome and nutritious compo-
nent of the army ration and took issue
with those who have criticised II. Re-
garding the refrigerated beef, the testi-
mony of today tended to show that 1t
was satisfactory.
General Eagan took issue with Cen
eral Miles in regard to the beef on the
hoof being the best supply OF fresh Deet
TO the army, insisting that such source
was impracticable in Cuba, and espec-
tally undesirable in any country where
the animal heat in the beef could not
disappear before cooking.
Colonel J. +. Weston, who was Cen
eral Skaters head of comm1sSary IN
the Santiago campaign and succeeded
General Eagan as commissary general
of the army. testified that the whole
subject of fresh beef was considered
thoroughly in Washington prior to the
army going to Cuba and the conclusion
reached that canned roast beef was the
best thing obtainable. He was then
and is still of the opinion that next to
refrigerated beef, and beef on the hOof,
canned roast beet is the best meat sup
ply.
Conditions in the Santiago campaign
made refrigerated beef and live cattle
impossible. Under Cuban trying heat
canned beef became uninviting in ap-
pearance, but remained very palatable
in stews. The complaints he attributed
to the fact that the men were run down
by the time they reached Santiago,
and were kept up by excitement. When
the campaign ended the excitement re-
laxed and they went to pieces
ARMoUR's EXPERIMENT.
Speaking of the Ponce preservative
process experiment Colonel Weston
said the commissary department had
nothing whatever officially to do with
it.
Mr.. Edwards, he said. representing
Armour q Co., came to him and said
treated and he asked witness if he
would not put it on ship and see how
long it would keep. The beef arrived
and witness asked Mr.. Powell what had
been done TO the beef and the latter
replied that nothing injurious was in
the treatment; he had furnished beef
for years to Florida hotels and he be-
lieved the beef in question would keep
seVenty-two hours and if so, and the
government would contract, the full
process would be explained Six or
seven quarters were taken and put on
the ships. Some was in canvas and
some not. The former held out seventy
odd hours, while the uncanvassed beef
went up pretty quickly"
Colonel Weston declares emphatically
that the government had no connection
with the experiment.
Canned roast beef in Cuba was not
spoiled, but the heat made it uninvit-
ing in appearance. However, it was
wholesome and excellent for stew pur-
poses.
Replying to Colonel Gillespie, wit
ness said he did not know whether any
beef furnished the army had been treat
ed chemically.
TRIED HOOP BEEF.
Major Henry Osgood. acting as assist
ant commissary general prior to the out
break of the war, and subsequently as
signed to uuty with General Miles and
who went TO Santiago early in August,
where ne looked after the issue of beef,
said he had to use some beef on the hoOf.
but it never became firm and did not
compare favorably at all with the refrig-
Grated beef nor did II give such satisfac-
ton. Major Osgood said he formerly
favored beef on the hoof supply for the
army in Cuba, but he was forced TO take
water on that after seeing the use of re-
frigerated beef.
Responding to General Davis. witness
declared his opinion that many of the
claims of officers that refrigerated beef
was spoiled were false. The beef, he said
often appeared offensive when merely
viewed. whereas II knife was used TO
cut off the outside, the best beef you
could find anywhere" would be found.
Snap judgment was taken often on that
beef" the witness declared.
Speaking of the men and their COM
plants he said: IAN their livers were
out of whack. l estimate that 80 per
cent of them had enlarged livers and they
were ready to complain at everything
cies.'
Captain G. L. Scott. Sixth infantry.
served in Porto Rico, and declared the
native beef was unsatisfactory, while the
refrigerated beef was highly pleasing.
EAGAN TEsTIFIES.
1t was nearly O'clock when Former
Commissary General Eagan, who had ar
rived from New York. was presented 10
the court
Proceeding. in response to questions. he
said that in introducing canned roast
beef. 1t was the intention to use il as an
incidental, so that the men could take it
or not, as they liked. The first complaint
about this beef came from Captain Philip
Reed of the commissary department Wit
ness was surprised. and at once ordered
all officers who had this beef to examine
and. report. The responses endorsed the
beef.
General Eagan said that when the war
came there were three plans for fresh
beef supply-refrigerated beef, beef on the
hoof. to be furnished by contractors. and
for the government to own its own herds;
all his experience taught him the unde-
STABILITY Of the government owning its
own herd. Refr g rai ed beef, he CONSIDERED
first choice. and when the beef concerns
offered 1t and guaranteed it's preservation
he accepted II.
Without concluding the hearing of Gen
eral Eagan's testimony the court ad-
journed until tomorrow morning.
Suicide at Mountain Home.
Especial to The Herald.)
Roise Ida Feb 23-Henrv Dorsey