The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-30

= TASHINGTON, March 29.-The
n ! Army Beef Court of Inquiry
AhI had former Commissary Gen
v Y eraI Eagan before IL to-day on
recall. and also heard the testi-
mony OF Rear Admiral Stewart
and Paymaster Colby of the navy and
Major Black and Captain Pomeroy, vol
unteer officers, who were engaged in the
comnissary service at Ponce during Cen
eral Miles Porto Rican campaign.
General Eagans testimony was not
startling. He stated that Messrs. Ar
mour & Co. had put in a bid TO supply
beef TO be preserved by q process of theil
own, but that he had not considered 1t.
There was an apparent effort on the
part of Major Lee. representing General
Niles, TO show that Senator Hanna had
sought TO influence the contracts, but
General Eagan asserted that he did not
know the Senator.
Captain POmeroy stated that Of 1900
pounds of beef receipted for at Ponce,
Porto Rico, 600 pounds had been con-
demned.
Major Black told of conversation with
General Eagan IN regard TO the refrig-
Grated beef, in which he quoted the latter
as saying with an oath that he would
have COMPELLED the men TO take the beef.
Rear Admiral Edwin Stewart was the first
witness. He stated that canned roast beef was
one Of the articles Of food used by the navy,
that was demanded by the department reguia-
lions. Occasionally the beef, when delivered.
would be found 70 be unsatisfactory, and II
would then be rejected He stated the aver
age purchases Of food OF this character for the
navy 10 be 800 900 pounds per year, the pur-
chases being made through the New York
representatives Of Armour & Co, Nelson Morris
& Co. and other firms. The canned beef was
portion Of the regular navy ration and very
little Of i was ever condemned.
Paymaster Henry G. COlburn, assistant chief
OF the Bureau Of Supplies OF the Navy Depart
nent. also testified concerning the use OF
canned roast beef in the navy. He stated that
where any Questions arose as TO the quality OF
beef Il was submitted TO chemical analysis.
The navy had found that the canned beef kept
well al sea and in some cases II was held from
Major John D. Black who was chief com
nlissary on General Miles staff during the
Porto Rican campaign was asked by MAJOR
Lee 10 detail q conversation ne had with Gen
eraI Eaean. al that time cOrnulssary general
after his Blacks return TO Washington last
fall. The statement he made proved 70 be a
somewhat sensational one.
7 called upon General Eagan," Major Black
began by saying, TO confer with him concern
ing the conduct Of our affairs al Ponce he
asked me why the refrigerator beef was not
issued at Ponce, and I replied that Il was be-
cause the issue conmlssar1es did not want IT,
as they were getting native beef fhereupon
General Eagan became very much excited and
70 refuse II. I consider Il the best beef in The
made them take IL %
Captain Fred Il. Pomeroy. also Of the vol
unteer subsistence department who was for q
tine Major Blacks assistant n Ponce. related
the particulars OF the return of the Manitoba
10 Ponce after visiting other departments. He
was al that time depot conmissary ana dur
ing the stay he had receipted for q go pounds.
OF which 1000 pounds was destroyed. Much OF
the beef was covered with a greenish film.
but some OF the men ate IL each meal. sui
they generally Complained Of the beef Much
OF IL was found 10 be tainted. decomposed and
spoiled The beef in this condition was con
denned or buried or thrown into the hsrbor