Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-24

witness declared It was his opinion
frigerated beef was spoiled we're false. The
beef he said often appeared offensive when
viewed. When a knife was used to cut off
the outside the best beef you could find
anywhere was found"
Snap judgment was taken on that beef"
the witness said.
Speaking of the men and complaints he
said: Their livers were out of whack.
estimated that 90 per cent OF them had en-
larged livers. They wanted to be fed all
the time on delicacies."
Captain G.. l.. Scott, Sixth cavalry, who
served at Porto Rico, declared the native
beef was unsatisfactory while the refriger-
ator beef was pleasing. He had ZEN
canned beef and had no complaints to make.
Captain Charles II. Grierson, until Febru-
cry 0 colonel and c)mmissary of the Fourth
corps, was with his regiment in Cuba. He
said no notable complaints were made
against canned beef, but the men did not
eat It. Returning from Cuba, he was sta
toned at Tampa, where he had experience
with the refrigerated beef. He believed It
was satisfactory.
General Engnn Appears.
1t was 4 o'clock when Commissary General
Eagan was presented to the court.
He said he considered carefully the ques-
ton of fresh beef for the army when beef
on the hoof or refrigerated beef could not be
supplied. He was not very favorably i'm
pressed with the canned roast beef. He
tested it and united with the other officers
in adopting 1t. He understood the navy had
used it for years with satisfaction. Whom
adopting canned roast beef II was decided to
use 1t as an experiment and the men could
take 1t, or not, as liked. The best use for
1t was in a stew with tomatoes or vegetables.
The first complaint from this beef came
from Captain p. Reed of the commissary
department. He ordered all captains to ex-
anime the meat and report.
There were many consultations with the
packers representative about the keeping Of
the beef after being taken from the re-
frigerators. Refrigerated beef and frozen
beef were sent to Tampa for a test and wit
ness recollection was that the frozen
spoiled first.
Mind you, however," said General Eagan,
this was not process beef, that is, beef
treated with chemicals
Colonel Davis then read the contract with
Swift and Company for the Porto Rican sup
ply of refrigerated beef. Beef was to be
from steers weighing not less than 600
pounds, dressed, and should be preserved by
the refrigerated process and be good sew
enty-two hours after leaving the refrigerator
on board the ship and twenty-four hours
after delivery from any refrigerator the
concern might establish on shore.
General Eagan said that when the val
came there were three plans for a fresh
beef supply-refrigerated beef, canned beef
and the government to own it's herd. All
this experience taught the undesirability of
the government owning It's herd. The re-
frigerated beef he considered of first choice
and when the refrigerator concerns offered
it and guaranteed it he accepted it.
In explaining why he signed the contract
with the concern he said the usual way in
making a contract was for the commlssary
Of any department of the army to sign the
| contract, but when the war broke out
the forces in Cuba were attached to no
branch and, therefore, he, as commissary
| general, signed the contracts for it's supply.
This concluding General Eagan's testi-
mony, the court adjourned until tomorrow
morning, when it is thought he will be be
fore it all morning, explaining the
| circumstances of furnishing the commits
sary supplies.