The record-union., 1899-03-17
Taking Testimony as to the Quality Of Meat
Used for Canning.
Army Officers WHO Served in the
Santiago Campaign Also Called
to the Witness Stand Testifying
That the Men Complained of
the Canned Meat and That 1t
Spoiled as Soon as Opened.

OMAHA, March 16-The Board of
Inquiry appointed by the President 10
look into the charges of General Miles
that the beef issued during the late war
was of an inferior quality, unhealthy
and at times "embalmed," arrived this
morning from Chicago, spent the Gay
IN the city and left for Kansas City this
evening. The morning was spent in
South Omaha, where the plants of Gu
daily and Swift We're inspected and tes-
timony taken after which the investi-
CATION was continued in the court
tial rooms at headquarters of the De-
partment of Missouri
At both Swifts and Cudahy's the Wis
1tors Were given every opportunity to
antake thorough inspection of the
plants.
Returning to the office at the Cudahy
pfant, the board took testimony for an
hour. The first witness called was AL
bert Christian Assistant Superintend-
ent in Cudahy's beef department. He
testified as to the quality of refrigerated
beef sent to the army last summer, and
said that no chemicals of any sort were
used to preserve the beef.
DIR. D. c. Aver, superintendent of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry at South
Omaha, testified to the inspection of the
animals. He stated that there Were
two inspections. the ante-mortem and
the post mortem. After the post NOR
tenn examination, the inspector had
nothing more to do with the meat He
did not think it would be possible for
any condemned meat to pass into the
house.
The manner in which the condemned
animals are gotten rid of by the in
spector was gone into at length. He
stated that the meat could hardly be
taken from the vat in which condemned
meat was placed, and if it was taken
out of this vat it would be too filthy
to be used as food. He had no knowl-
edge of the use of chemicals for the
preservation of beef.
Superintendent Cameron was next
called. He stated that the meat used
particularly for canning were the
chucks and plates and that the beef
was not OF an inferior grade. The
company furnished this same quality cf
roast beef to the English army last
year, and had no complaints, nor was
there ever any of the cases returned.
Boiled beef in 6-pound cans had been
furnished the English army and navy
in India. This boiled beef, he said,
was the same thing as the roast beef.
The only difference is in the label.
After leaving Cudahys the party took
the ambulances and drove to the
Swift plant, where the department. in
which the hams are cured was thor
oughly inspected. DR.. Christine of
Philadelphia had testified that while
he had been shown through the Swift
plant he saw some sort of liquid be-
ing injected into the meat.
Thomas Adams, foreman of the de-
partment was called and testified that
&, the operation was one having reference
to the curing of hams, and was net
used in beef at any time. The LIQUID
injected was saltpetre and water, and
its only purpose was to cure the ham
more quickly.
The man who shows the visitors
through the house was next called, and
stated that hes had shown DIR. Christine
through the house on his visit here,
and that the operation as witnessed by
the board was the same as that wit
messed by the doctor.
After hearing this testimony the
board adjourned and came to Omaha.
After lunch it reconvened at the army
headquarters, and heard the testimony
of soldiers who had been through the
campaign at Santiago.
Captain S. w. Dunning Of the Six
teenth Infantry. said that after their
arrival at Santiago the men complained
that they could not eat the meat, and
did not like it. They said the meat
spoiled as soon as opened. He was not
prepared to say whether any sickness
occurred by reason of the use of the
canned beef. Complaints of refr-igera-
tor beef We're that it was spoiled, and