The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-28
EAGAN WAS MISTAKEN
so DECLARES THE BEEF PACK
ER ON THE STAND.
HIS EVIDENCE is CORROBORATED
Swift, However, Assured Eagan that if Beef
Was in the Shade it Would be Good
Twenty -Four Hours Rfter
Leaving Refrigerator.

~NNN''''S1 WV . 0'"N"''
Washington, March 27.-1'he mill
tary court of inquiry appointed by the
President to make an investigation of
the beef furnished the army during the
Spanish war has returned to Washing
ton, and at o'clock to-day resuped
its sittings in the Lemon building.
The members of the commission are
hopeful that they will be able to con-
clude their work within the next ten
days and expect to have some import
ant witnesses before them in that tine.
including General Eagan, who will be
recalled. 1t is also expected that Gen
eraI Miles will be given an opportunity
to testify.
Mr.. e. c. Swift. Vice President of
the Swift Packing Company, was the
first witness who appeared to-day, He
assisted in preparing the contract for
supplying beef for Cuba during the war,
coming to Washington for that purpose,
first on the 23rd of June
Mr.. Swift made his second visit to
Washington on the 29th of June when
the contract was submitted TO him. He
had then made some objections to the
terms of the agreement as presented to
him. One of these objections was to
the terms which he thought might re-
quire the beef company to deliver beef
by lighter he complaining that the COM
pany could reasonably be expected to de-
liver at only such points as had railroad
tracks alongside the wharf. 1t was also
understood that beef was to be supplied
only to the port towns. the inland points
to be furnished with beef killed in the
country. They were to keep ON hand Il
sufficient supply for - hours consump-
tion. this time to be extended q hours
under special exactions. Shore refriger-
alton was contemplated in all the con
versation. and with this understanding
that this was to be had, the company
had agreed that the quality of the beef
should be maintained for three days and
nights.
In response to question from Major
Lee, Mr.. Swift stated that General
Eagan had, during an interview with
him mentioned that he had received
some suggestion of process for pre-
serving meat, but General Eagan did
not go into details. giving no name of
the inventor or of the process.
Major Lee then stated that General
Eagan had SAID in his testimony before
the board that the company had guaran-
teed that the beef should be kept good
for twelve hours after leaving the re-
frigeratOr either ON shipboard or on
shore.
Il can only say responded Mr.
Swift, that General Eagan at the time
of the interview seemed to have the
same understanding of the contract that
/ had In view of his Testimony then
can only say that he was mistaken
Major Lee Then the insertion of
the clause limiting to twenty-f0ur hours
the time meat should be fresh after
taken out of the refrigerator was moi
a clerical error as suggested by tn,
GeneralY
MIR Swift: THAT cannot be so. He
said his agents would take good care
to protect the meat from the sun, and
assured him that if this were done
the meat would ba good twentyf0ur
hours after being taken from the re-
frigerator"
Charles Il. Barry, travelling salesman
for Swift * Company followed Mr..
Swift. He testified to his participation
in the negotiations with General Eagan
to secure the army contract. He also
understood that the seventy-two hour
clause applied only to%he time that the
beef was to be kept III the refrigerator
on shore There was an especial un-
derstanding with General Eagan as to
the twenty four hour clause limiting the
time during which the beef could he
kept out of refrigerator, he agresing that
ii should be kept constantly under cover.
Mr. Barry related that on one day
when he was in General Ea san's office
prior to the lftting of the contract ihe
latter complained of the number Of pco-
Pile who were writing letters 10 him
concerning the possessing" of beef. The
General then handed hIm a letter from
a Mr. Powell of New York, who claimed
to have a process for preserving meat.
saying he had shipped beef prepared I'm.
der it TO points in the Southern States.
lit struck me-" said Mr.. Barry, from
General Eagan's behavior that be was
Clisgusted at the Thought He said he
was depending on the refrigerator beef
and would only deal with hose who
could furnish it.
After hearing Mr. Bariy the court |
at 800 j. m, held a brief execltiye |
session and then adjourned rntil to-mor-
row.
IL uoo1 ~ ,,.;,1o,,, -, l