The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-21
GENERAL NILES
TALKS OF BEEF
Continued from First Page.


represent his opinion in the case. me
same denial as 10 the Journal interview
OF December ed was made. leaving mo
witness on record as not assuming any
responsibility for the newspaper state
ments. but taciiy admitting that there
was a good deal in them wlah which he
dii agree.
WHY DID THEY NOT ACT2
The trend Of questions put 10 other
witnesses Of the day indicated thlt so
long as they agreed with General Miles
"a 10 the quality Of the meat furnished
the troops In the field the only criticism
OF their position the court had
10 make was why they had
not taken some official steps 20 have
the matter romedied at the time. IN
every instance the reply was that the
officers of the army were IN "A sickly por-
ton of the island ana q large amount of
work on hand precluded such action.
Being further pushed on this line, Gem
eral Miles during his testimony as 10
the Herald interview pointed out that the
interview was erroneous. as o. repre-
scented him as saying that he had over
wheming proof that refrigerated Deef
was treated with chemicals. The fact
WIS that his only evidence was WHAT
was contained i'm the reports a. officers
and statements Of mon who claimed mat
the beef had the odor OF an cmbalmed
body That they had seen fluid injected
into beef and other indications of chemi-
cal treatment.
Colonel Davis. recurring 10 the state
ment OF General Miles before the War
Commission asked him what his idea as
90 the beef supply for the army was
when war broke out.
Replying. General Miles said while his
attention was occupied with weightier
matters of mobilization and equipment
of troops, be felt confident that the usage
of an hundred years would be followed
and cattle herds would be shipped %
the army In the tropics and killed there,
just as they had been through the South
during the civil war I'm Arizona, Texas
and Boo Mexico. were it was so hot that
o. soldier could not sit upon the rocks.
He understood Cuba and Porto Rico were
excellent grass countries and cattle
could be shipped and kept I'm prime con-
dition. lie reviewed his action In cabling
the Department 10 send no more refrig-
Grated beef 10 Porto Rico while he was
there. finding it possible to use beef on
the hOof
General Miles said that he understood
that our troops On Porto Rico were still
being supplied with a form of refrigerat-
ed beef although the country was as
good a grass country as any in the world,
and the cattle there were plenty
do you think" continued Colonel
Davis. "that the native beef would keep
as we'll as the refrigerated beef I'm the
absence of cooling apparatus on shore?"
WOULD HAVE KEPT
or am quite sure Il would unless the
refrigerated beef was chemically treated
with preservatives II # was treated so
as 10 keep for seventy-tWO hours after
coming ont OF the coolers. OF course II
had the advantage Of the native beef so
far as keeping goes"
General Miles said the first complaints
ou the canned roast beef he heard at
Tampa from some OF the Rough Riders
and then again aboard the Yale when
The men declared they could not eat IL.
Again Dee heard complaints Of 81 in the
trenches zoo Santiago. What finally dr-w
Dis attention seriously % the matter was
the reports OF officers that the whole
Fitch corps was weak and Frustrated.
This WAS in August when the qeus ION
OF parade through New York ws
broachcd General Bates az that ropul
eel that only about one-hfth OF the men
at MOntluk Point were I'm condition to
march through New York. General
Miles said this seemed 10 him remarka-
bic. as there was no yellow fever at the
point and be thought the men certainly |
ought 90 be over their malaria.
He therefore ordered an inquiry into |
the beef about which there had been so |
much complaint.
did you report this matter al the
time % the Commissary-G office, |
asked Colonel Davis
General Miles leaned forward. drawing |
his brows % a fIrrow. and replied force !
fully: If am not required. sir, % report |
TO the COmmissary-G General"
"Wen. did you report 10 the Secretary
OF War;" asked Colonel Davis pleasant |
Is.
General Miles in reply went az some |
length into an explanation Of the routine |
of Army Headquarters. showing why be |
preferred 20 conclude his inquiry so that |
he might have something tangible to pre- |
sent 90 the Secretary. Finally be issued |
his orders 90 officers 10 report upon the |
quality of the beef furnished. He did |
not report directly 10 the Secretary OF |
War because under a rule of $500. the or |
der should go from the AdIu3nt-Genefal |
TO the Secretary. His attacks upon the |
canned and refrigerated beef before the /
War Commission We're then taken mp spe-
dlcally
Colonel Davis reading testimony or the
Commanding General in which be re-
ferred 90 70 as "embaimed ioeef' and said |
b. has been sent as "a pretense OF eX-
pertinent"
AN EXPERIMENT.
General Miles was asked if he knew
" hen war began that canned roast beef
was a part OF the army ration. This
question brought out 4 partial eXplana-
ton OF his using the phrase "pretenso OF
experiment" He said he did rot know
that canned roast been was a part OF
tine army ration, though IN ISIS an order
had been issued including canned c0rned /
Or fresh beef lie did not understand
the canned roast beef now In question was
meant When his attention was finally
attracted 10 the canned roast beef recent
u.s. issued. DE assumed. he declared that
10 was being issued as an experiment.
since it was not understood by him that
canned roast beef was a part of the reg
Ilar army ration. Continuing this eX-
PLANTATION. in answer 10 a question o.
Colonel Miles. said he thought his use Of
.ho phrase 'prctcnse OF experiment was
unfortunate and he disciaimed any IN
tent0n TO impute fraud TO any one. so
far AS indicating fraud. he said. Il wish
.O state that no such inference was in
tended II was an unfortunate express
sion and had my attention been called 20
II [ would have amended IL TO expert
nent As 4 matter Of fact II was an
experiment and 20 very costly one"
Repiy.ng 10 a question. General Miles |
said be FIRST heard complaints against
-efrigerated beef az Ponce. The frst di-
rect statement that II had been treated