The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-11
THE COURT OF INQUIRY.
Hon. Il. R. Probasco Regards the Report as
Remarkable Document.
ALL EVIDENCE SUSTAINED GEN. MILES.
Verdict lis a qualification OF those
Rendering it--AIser and Corbin
blamed for Fighting Miles.

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morrow viii print the following inter-
View with Hon. II. X. Probasco, ex-dis-
| view with Hon. II. r. Probasco. ex- United
States district attorney here, d relative OF
ex-secretary Sherman aud recently co,in-
sci Tor General Miles:
When the court convened, having
previously served General Miles as coun-
SCI III otner matters. | was asked TO 20, Co
Warrington 10 confer wlth him regarding
the proceedings before tho court OF IN.
qury 1t was determined that inasmu b
~ General Mlies was not Ia the attitude
Oh one accused thai II would be iil-aivised
70 inttouuce lawyer. and MajJr j. IA.
Lee was selected by General AllIes TO aid
the court ana the RECORDER.
ms oiiy connection with the case wan
conierring WIN GeAerdl Niles ana Major
Lee regarding the summoning OF witnesses
anu mo examination OF tne most mn
portant ores
Nnal IS u ar opinion ns to the report
of the uuu.t o. ingdiryT
II have not read the ful report. but have
seen tDs ~ Lopsis u IL. / was amused mat
three lateniscnt army cheers sitting as .
court Ter weeks al.d examining several
hundred witnesses s1ould have rendered
sucl an ilioGleai and uncertain decision.
Inc decision amounts to the court huding
That beef packers were saints sent to our
soiuiers with mamma from heaven and that
General Miles was careless because he did
not report rne nrst vague rumof which
came TO his ears that this food was bad.
Every witness condemned in unstinted
terms the so-called canned roast beef as
an unfit ration. Tho chief clerk OF tne
commlssary generals office testified that
canned roast beef In 1873 was tried as an
eSDerlment ration ana was adversely re.
ported on after short trial. The court
was evidently SO well satisfied as to The
proof OF the truth OF General Miles allega-
tons as to canned roast beef that when
shortly before the testimony closed they
were asked to subpoena list Of 1874 addI-
tlonal witnesses they declined to subpoena
al except ten for the reason that the ia
would give cumulative testimony only
against the roast beef
What about the embplned beefgn
Before bids we're received by the COM
nlhsaly general he was advised by expert
cattle ana beef men that fresh beef would
not hold UP twenty four hours after de-
livery from the refrigerator in the climate
mat prevailed IN Florida and the West In
ales and that the best course to pursue
would be the purchase of beef on the block
or beef on the hoof, He told these GENTLE
men that the parties who desired to fur
nlsh the fresh beef Ind process which
tney said would enable them to deliver
meat winch would keep sound and fresh
lot seventy two hours after delivery from
the refrigerator. The day after the bids
were opened attorneys In Washington ad-
dressed communication to the serretarv
OF war making the argument that notwith-
standing their clients bid some higher
IMAM some others, they ought to be award
ca the contract because of their ability Ia
pe'lorm their contract by means Of the
owen process for the preservation Of
1f..l
been satisfactorily tested under The aus.
pices OF the government This letter was
feierl ed by the secretary OF war tn ms
commlssary general for his confederation.
VINO returned It to tho secretary with his
endorsement, in which ne said,
Ihese tests are not the only tests
which have been made, leaving the plain
inieronce mat the other bidders also had
processes fer the preservation Of meat
which had been tested. This letter was
returned by tho secretary OF war Dr
DAYS testimony that he had found nv
en- inicsl naalysls CT meat furnished the
soldiers that 1t contained chemicals was
Mao wise contradicted, Three Witnesses
reiseaht Mason, Lieutenant Campher and |
astie, destined that the agent at
! i4HReland, Fla, had told them that they I
mad found II Impossible to comply with /
lneir contract to deliver fresh meat which |
W uld remain sound and sweet for seye,-
.F-two hours after delivery from he re-
irlgerator without the means OF cham
ieal process which process was secret (
even TO him, II the court found In ,the
race OF this testimony that no meat dellv- /
ortd was chemically treated 1t amounts
almost 10 qualification"
ttas there been any change In the man
M oi supplying troops with fresh meat
since ms criticism was first ma1n9n
lhuceu there has Cattle on the hoof
lrs now being delivered in Cuba
slaugf tored on the island and deiiyerad ~
nc troops The following day. ana no COM
sIalnt has been made, Furthermore, So
5aied canned roast beef was Gropped n,
meat ration some time ago. think dur
rs last August or September, ali of which
hows that General Miles reference To the
method Of supplying the troops with meat
vas an experiment WIS correc, aud that
rs opinion that beef on TIM block or on
ne moor Is The only suitable fresh meat
ation for tro7ps was we'll founded"
Is there anything else in connection
With this nlatter?'
Yes, the great majority Of tho papers
nd Of the people including the president
know this from conversation with
Inn about three weeks sincel, believe
hat General Miles would not make
tatement concernlng any per5on or cir
which no did not honestly be-
loye to be well founded and true. Il
General Miles has no political ambition ,
'hatoyer and no more thinks OF being
andldate for president or any other office !
han ] do
Mr. prccasco blames the secretary OF
ar and the adtutant general with oppos-
1g the general commanding the army.
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