Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-14
TESTIFY CONCERNING BEEF
Two Witnesses Take the Stand Be-
fore the Court of Inquiry
in Chicago.
MAJOR SMITH DOESN'T BLAME PACKERS
Chief Commissary of Department of
the Great LaI>es Says No Written
Complaints Came to Him Col.
Sharpe Says Meat Spoiled in Wag-
ons at Chickamauga.

Sharpe Says Meat Spoiled in Wag'
ons at Chickamauga.
Chicago, March 13.-After two
days investigation of the various pack
Ing houses located in this city the
court of inquiry began its session Sat,
urday by the examination of witnesses
The testimony offered was given by
the different commissaries who had
charge of the beef furnished the army
during the summer, All the members
of the court were present when the
session opened at ten o'clock. Maj.
Jesse Lee, who is looking after the in
terests of Gen. Miles, occupied chair
with the board of inquisitors-
Mai. Smith Examined.
The first witness called before the
court was Maj Fred A. Smith, chief
commissary of the department of the
great lakes AS chief commissary it
was the duty of Maj, Smith to purchase
all the supplies used by the soldiers
both while in camp in the various parts
of this country and also the supplies
used in Cuba and Porto Rico.
AT the outbreak of the war Maj. Smith
was stationed at Fort Niobrara, Nebraska:
left there April 10 and went to Chicka-
manga park, where he was made adjutant
general of the infantry division under Col
Van Horn; was then transferred to the
stam of Maj. Gen. Guy V. Henry, with
whom he went to Tampa on the 22d of May.
He was called to the staff of Gen. Shafter
as adjutant general, and remained on duty
with him during the entire campaign until
the return north July 81
Col. Davis began the examination of Maj.
Smith Witness stated that he did not
recollect the orders issued. if any, with
reference to travel rations for the San
tiago campaign. He remembered that
canned roast beef was one of the com
ponents of that ration. He thought Col.
J. F. Weston. chief commissary, deter
mined the composition of the ration.
Col. Davis-Were any orders issued from
the headquarters of the Fifth corps with
respect to the kind and amount of rations
to be taken?
Maj. Smith-The troops were to be sup
piled with certain number of things;
I think it was 60 days rations. don't
recollect how much bacon was to be taken.
We sailed to Cuba on the Seguranca. and
after landing / was on duty as member
of Gen. Skaters staff until appointed ma
jor of commissary on July %. never heard
OF any complaints being received at head
quarters on the subject of rations No or
ders were issued as to the componentS fra
lions other than those issued when we start
ed from Tampa, Everybody was to carry
three days rations to the front. l had in
charge the unloading of the beef that was
brought to Cuba on the transport Missis-
sippi and Port Victor. / tried to impress
upon the officers the necessity of issuing
the meat as early in the morning as pos
sible. in the cool of the day. used to issue
about 10000 to q, 900 pounds per day.
Col. Davis-Did you examine the stock of
beef on the Mississippi when it arrived in
the harbor?
Maj. Smith, did.
Col. Davis-What was it's condition?
Maj. Smith, saw it every day and 1t
made very favorable impression upon
me; thought the beef of excellent quail
1ty and had no reason to change my mind
during all the time continued to issue it.
In point of preservation its condition was
good. The refrigerating apparatus on the
Mississippi was in irst-class shape; not
quite so good on che Port Victor. How
ever, repairs were soon made on the Port
Victor. and I do not believe the condition
of the refrigerating machinery ever at
fected the quality of the beef. So far as
I know the quality of the meat on both
these transports was the same. 1t was as
good beef as ever saw.
were received by you with reference to
the quality of the refrigerated beef?
Maj. Smith-There were no complaints
received while 1 was there.
Col Davis-Was any of it tainted, or had
decomposition set in?
Mai. Smith-No, sir There were no re-
quests made to exchange meat. This ap-
plies to the meat on both the transports
Col Davis-Had you any occasion to be-
lieve at any time or did you suspect that
the beef on any of these steamers had been
treated with preservatives.
Maj. Smith, had no suspicion that such
was the case, nor did l ever hear any re-
mark tending in that direction until some
months afterwards when / read it in the
newspapers. l had seen refrigerated beef
frequently. and thought that on the Port
Victor and the Mississippi was of excellent
quality; 1t was received with pleasure by
those to whom issued it, and 1 heard no
unfavorable comments whatever. There
were never any complaints received with re-
spect to the canned roast beef. so far as
my knowledge goes. l saw it used fire.
quently. and l ate it myself on shipboard
and on shore. Not even any unofficial COM
plants reached me. 1 arrived in New
York August IA, and was orderd to Chicago
as chief commissary of the department of
the lakes.
Questioned by Miles Representative.
The witness was here given over to Mai
Jesse Lee, the representative of Gen. Miles,
for cross-examination. He stated that he
did not see much corned beef among the
rations; could not tell what proportion of
bacon was issued. He said Col. Weston,
Maj. D. B. Wilson and several assistants
were charged with the immediate duty of
the rations to the front, where
they were used.
Maj. Lee-Do you wish the court to un-
derstand that no complaints We're made and
no preferences expressed with regard to
the meat ration?
Maj. Smith, did not hear of any They
might have been made without my knowl-
edge. Written reports were pretty much
dispensed with those days; l think if there
had been any written reports they would
have come into my hands. There were no
facilities for making formal, written com
plants. so these complaints, if any were
made, would have come to the officer in
charge of the issuing did not
hear of any desire to have bacon sent for
ward instead of canned roast beef
Maj. Lee-So far as you know, then. the
canned roast beef or boiled beef was en-
.irely satisfactory to the troops?
Maj. Smith, had not stated that In NV
testimony; l said that SO far as knew no
,mcial complaints or written Complaints
we're made.
MAI. Lee-Was it practicable to have fur
lished refrigerated beef. fresh. of the kind
W SPebf> oA' " eHe lioopS IN thelr opera
ions before the surrender?
Maj Smith-Yes, sir.
Maj. Lee-Was any effort made to fur
ish it?
Maj. Smith-Not to my knowledge. Some !
ne told me that this beef was guaranteed !
Keep " hours. l had had no previous ex- |
erience in the issuing of refrigerated beef /
troops during an active campaign
IN answer to questions from Mai Lee
le wffnesa than data;Iad tha x,a.h,a 20 /
efghing and marking the packages of \
leat and of ma wing the combinations LIZ L