The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-05-13
ARMY BEEF INQUIRY.
Commissioners Censure Gen. Miles
for Alleged Dereliction Of Duty.
They Say the Army Commander Should
Have Reported Charges to Secretary of
war-statemeut That Beef Was
Not Chemically Prepared.

Washington, May 9.-By direction of
the president, who approves the find
ings, Acting Secretary of War Meikle-
john made public the report and find
ings Of the military court appointed to
investigate the charges made by Maj.
Gen. Miles, commanding the army,
that the beef supplied to the army dur
ing the war with Spain was unfit for
the use of the troops. The most inn
portant features of the report are:
The finding that the generals finding
that the refrigerated beef was treated
with chemicals was not established;
that his allegations concerning the
canned fresh or canned roast
beef were sustained as to its
unsuitability for food as used
on the transports and as a long
continued field ration; censure of Gen.
Miles for ''error" in failing to promptly
notify the secretary of war when he
first formed the opinion that the food
was unfit; censure of the commissary
general then Gen. Eagan) for the too
extensive purchase Of the canned beef
as an untried ration; censure of Col.
Maus, of Gen. Miles staff; the finding
that the packers were not at fault and
that the meats supplied to the army
were of the same quality as those sup
piled to the trade generally, and the
recommendation that no further pro
ceedings be taken in the premises.
The conclusion of the court adverse
to further proceeding based upon the
| charges is as follows:
| It has been developed in the course Of the In
quiry, as recited in this report, that in some in
stances some individuals failed to perform tn,
full measure Of duty or to observe the proprie
ties which dignity high military command. bu
the court is Of the opinion that the mere state
ment In the ofiicial report Of the facts developed
meets the ends Of the discipline and that tn
interests OF the service will be best subserve'
II further proceedings be not taken.
There is more or less criticism o
Gen. Miles In various parts of the re
port. Probably the most direct in
stance is the one which states that
beyond the criticism of officers foun,
elsewhere in the report,
The court finds that against none Of tn
ofiicers commanding corps, divisions, brigade
and regiments and their stan officers should
charge OF guilty be brought, The court ais
finds that the major general commanding III
army had no sufficient Justification for allegin
that the refrigerated beef was embalmed or wa
unfit for Issue TO troops. 1t also finds that
committed an error In that, having belief {
knowledge, as claimed that the food was unfi
that IL caused sickness and distress, that sou
OF 1t was supplied under the pretense OF exper
ment, that other beef was embalmed he did NJ
Immediately report such knowledge or belle
TO the secretary Of war TO the end that prop,
remedy might be promptly applied.
Speaking of the ration as q whol'
B the court says:
As TO the eject OF the food supply having r
4 gard 70 both sufisiency and quality, 1t seems
be clearly established that the army ration
supplied, without modification, to the troo
serving In the West Indies was by no mea
4 adapted for use in q tropical climate.
this be true, the unhtness OF the ration shou
= have manifested itself by Its failure TO keep {
troops which subsisted upon 1t In the best po
sible condition for service in hot climates. Tn
in the opinion OF the court, is fully establish
in evidence. The Insuiiciency Of the food su
= ply In Cuba and the lrregularity attending up
., its distribution, due primarily TO a marked
~ ficiency In transportation facilities and TO
conditions Of the weather and the roads, a
pear to some extent as causes OF sickness amo
the troops who were thus insufciently and
regularly subsisted.
Gen Miles, when asked last mig
i. whether he had any comment to ma
upon the beef report, replied that
had read 1t, "but | have nothing
1T say" he added, "either about the l
port, the method of testimony or Il
- conclusions reached"