The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-08
BEEF INVESTIGATION.
Report of the Wade Court Of In
,quiry Given to the Public.
MILES AND EAGAN OENsURED.

Washington, May S.--By direction Of
the president, who approves the find
ings, acting Secretary of the War
Meikeljohn yesterday made public the
report and findings of the military
court appointed to investigate the
charges made by Major General Miles,
commanding the army, that the beef
supplied to the army during the war
with Spain was unfit for the use of
the troops.
The most important features Of the
report are:
The finding that the generals al
legations that the refrigerated beef
was treated with chemicals were not
established; that his allegations con-
corning the canned fresh or canned
roast beef were sustained as to its un-
suitability for food as used On the
transports and as long continued
field ration; censure of General Miles
for error In failing to promptly no.
tffy the secretary of war when he first
formed the opinion that the food was
unfit; censure of the commissary gen.
eral (then General Eagan) for the too
extensive purchases of the canned beef
as an untried ration; censure of Col
onel Maus, of General Miles staff; the
finding that the packers were not at
fault, and that the meats supplied to
the army were of the same quality az
those supplied to the trade generally,
and the accommodation that no furth-
er proceedings be taken in the prem
Uses.
The conclusion Of the court ad-
verse to further proceedings based
upon the charges is as follows:
1T has been developed in the course
of the inquiry that in some instances
certain individuals failed to perform
the full measure Of duty or to observe
the proprieties which dignity high
military command, but the court is of
the opinion that the mere statement In
the official report Of the facts de-
veloped meets the ends of discipline,
and that the interests of the service
will be best subRerved if further pro-
ceedings be not taken"
There is more or less criticism of
General Miles in various parts Of the
iOpOiC. lNc IuOSl ulItCt III
stance Is the following:
"The court finds that against none
of the officers commanding corps, di.
visions, brigades and regiments and
their staff officers should charge of
guilt be brought.
The court also finds that the major
general commanding the army had not
sufficient justification for alleging that
the refrigerated beef was embalmed or
was unfit for issue to troops. It also
finds that he committed an error in
that, having belief or knowledge as
claimed that the food was unfit, that it
caused sickness or distress, that some
Of 1t was supplied under the pretense
of experiment. that other beef was en-
balmed, he did not Immediately report
such knowledge or belief to the secre-
tary of war, to the end that proper
remedy might be promptly applied"
The censure Of Colonel Maus, in
spector general on General Miles staff,
is based upon his failure to call at
tention to charges concerning the beef
at Chickamauga.
"The silence of Colonel Maus," says
the court, "on an important matter as
the chemicalized beef reported by Ma
jor DAILY and personally known to him
self, Is most remarkable" The remark
is also made that General Miles failure
to draw special attention to this report
is Unexplained"
Commenting upon General Miles
testimony that he had first formed the
opinion last August that the refrig-
Grated beef had been processed, the
court remarks:
Whatever the date upon which he
formed belief, or reasonable sus-
picion, that the health of the troops
was being impaired by the use of dele
FERROUS food, it was his bound duty,
in the opinion of the court, instantly
to take the most effective measures
within his control to ascertain the
actual fact and to correct the wrong, if
any should be found.
THE court finds that the allegations
of the major general commanding to
the effect that the refrigerated beef
supplied to the troops was treated with
chemical personalities have not been
established. The court also finds that
SO much of the allegations of the major
general commanding in respect to the
canned roast beef, as relates to its I'M
suitability for food as ctually used On
the transports, and as to its extensive
or long continued use as field ration
are sustained. In the opinion of the
court none of the other allegations in
relation to the canned fresh beef are
sustained
Tho Y,1acnc ho ~
canned roast beef purchased for the
war by the commissary department at
6,847174 pounds, including 100000
pounds which was brought from Liver
pool and other English ports. This
amount is characterized as excessive,
and the commissary general General
Eagan) is severely criticized in several
parts of the document on this score.
One of the severest rebukes Is as fol-
lows:
considering the little use that had
heen made of this beef in the regular
army. the probability that the volun-
teers were entirely ignorant of 1t, that
It's use as a part of the field ration had
never been sanctioned by the president
or secretary Of war. the court can but
characterize tho action of the commits
sary general of subsistence as unwar.
ranted and reckless-in that he ordered
the purchase Of such enormous uuanti-
ties Of food that was practically I'M
tried and unknown, and the court so
finds, The court also finds that there
is no gronnt for any imputation, what
ever, of any other aCtuating motive on
the part of the commissary general
than the earnest desire to procure the
hest possible food for the troops. The
court pronounces this act of the com
missary general of subsistence CO.
lossal error for which there is no pal
liation.'
The court finds that there was neg
lect in Cuba and to less degree in
Porto Rico in delivering the refrig-
Grated beef.
THE court" says the report, does
not wish to state the case more strong
ly than to say that the finding appears
was consumed in distributing this per-
ishable article. The fault If any there
was rested with the brigade and higher
commanding officers and their COM
missaries and quartermasters, but the
testimony is not so definite or specific
as to warrant the naming by the court
Of any particular officers
The opinion is expressed that it
would have been impracticabe to land
beef cattle on the hoof in Cuba the
remark of the court on this point be-