The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1899-02-24
THE BEEF CHARGES.
The Court Continues Its Investiga-
ton Into the Matter.
The Canned Roast BseF Condemned as
Being OF Poor o. sIlty - RsErIEor-
ated Beef s0oksn or rs Being
Satisfactory.

Washington, Feb. aa-The session
Of the Miles court Of inquiry began
yesterday with Col. William II. Powell.
Of the Seventh infantry, who was sta
toned at Madison barracks at the
outbreak Of the war. He said that be
started for Tampa on April % with a
months rations aud did not come in
contract with the food from the CON-
missary department at Tampa till
about ready to start for Cuba The
regiment went through the Santiago
campaign and after the city was cap
tured and the regiment stationed in
the city he received requests from his
men for money to buy stuff to eat. He
investigated the canned roast beef
and had some Of it served at his own
table. Il could not eat it" he con-
tinued. 1T was a sEringy, unwhole-
sOme-lOOking mass, more like wet sea-
weed than anything I can think of.
The men were sick and debilitated and
could not keep il on their stomachs.
We had at that time 152 sick Soon
after that the fresh beef began to ar
rive and the men ate readily and began
to pick up IN health. Afterwards we
were moved out of camp near the San
Juan battlefield. Here much Of our
meats spoiled before we could get IL"
Replying to another question he said
he had declared to fellOw-ofieers,
either at Santiago or MOntauk. that
the refrigerated beef tasted as though
it had come in contact with chloro-
form or kerosene. In reply to direct
question of Col. Davis the witness said
he. h11 ak
Santiago or MOntauk that the beef
had been treated chemically to pre-
serve 1t.
Col. Albert Smith. Of the Fifteenth
infantry, followed. He said he had
reason to believe very little canned
roast beef had been eaten except in
soup. Investigation made in SePtem-
Der showed that 1t had given prac-
tically no satisfaction in either soup
or when eaten from the can. He had
never heard of its being received prior
20 the Spanish war. Replying to Col.
Davis, ne said he had no suspicion
while using either the canned or re-
frigerated beef that 1t had been treat
ed with chemicals, but he had not
thought particularly about the ques-
ton at the time
Brig. Gen. Hawkins was next called
He said complaints against canned
cOrned beef were fled on the trans
port. He heard no complaints after
landing and knew little Of the beef
question. Following Gen. Hawkins,
Capt J. ". Duncan, Of the Twenty
first infantry, was introduced Canned
roast beef, according to his recoIlec-
ton, was issued as a travel ration at
Tampa for the ocean trip and at
SibOney as a component Of the fresh
meat ration. 1t was replaced about
July 20 BY refrigerated beef and was
issued as a travel ration on the home
voyage 1t did not, he said, give gen
eral satisfaction, the men generally
complaining. He saw much of it
op, n ii and it appeared coarse, unsea-
sOned tasted fat, was in long strips
and the grease, cor whatever It was, "
was ID globules Apparently it was
preserved we'll Complaints brought
TO him, he said, were that the beef
was repugnaut and unPalatable- Re-
ferring to refrigerated beef he said it
was very satisfactory. He ate it, saw
no difference between it and beef is
sued at stations in this country and
never suspected its treatment with
chemicals
Capt William Ennis, Fourth artil-
lery, was with the Shafter expedition
and remained at San tiago until August
IA He said the canned roast beef
was used on the transport and more or
less throughout the stay of his COM
mand in Cuba. None of the men COM
planned while there, but personally he
had taken It as a stew and was
often nauseated- Since his return
he had inquired Of the men as to its
effect and complaints were made Re-
frigerated beef was furnished after
the surrender and was satisfactory. "a
great many Of the men would eat the
canned roast beef and turn about
quickly and vOmit," Capt Ennis said,
land finally they refused 70 eat it at
all"