The age-herald., 1899-03-16
THE BEEF WAS
 UNFIT ID FAT Cans Opened Found to Contain
 MaggOts' SOLDIERS WERE POISONED Dr. Shaw Testified Troops Were
 Made Deathly Sick. PUTRIFACTION WOULD SET IN Immediately After the Cans Were Opened in the Tropical Sun. PToMAINEs WERE DEVELOPED IfTroops Had Been Compelled to Sub- sist on Army Rations They Would
 Have Starved to Death Sem
 sational Testimony.
Immediately After the Cans Were
 Opened in the Tropical Sun.
PToMA1NEs WERE DEVELOPED

Chicago, March 15-The last witness called before the army beef court of in- quiry today proved to be sensational. He was an officer of the regular army, First Lieutenant M. Davis, of the First cavalry, called at the request of Major Lee, the representative of General Miles, Lieuten- ant Davis testified that in Cuba one-half the canned roast beef issued to the sol diers was thrown away because it was un- fit to eat. He testified that he had opened one can himself and found maggots in it. Major Lee asked:
 How did the maggots get in there?'
 "They were canned in there," the wit ness replied.
 Col Davis-"Are you aware that in the process of canning this meat undergoes such an intense heat that no animal life could survive it?"
 "I don't mean to say they were alive; they were dead"
 The board left for Omaha tonight. In- spection of the stock yards will be made at Omaha and Kansas City, and at the latter city some evidence will be taken. The in- tention of the court is to return to Chicago by next Tuesday and proceed with the eX- animation of witnesses here.
 Evidence Cumulative
 The evidence brought forth today was largely cumulative in its nature, mainly with reference to the condition of canned and refrigerated beef when issued to the troops on shipboard and in Cuba, and its effect upon the soldiers.
 Dr. John B. Shaw, of Joliet, H., surgeon of the Third Illinois volunteers, testified that on the voyage from Newport News to Porto Rico canned roast beef was issued, and there was great deal of complaint about 1t. It was stringy, bully and nause- ating, and did not seem to nourish the men. much diarrhoea followed the use of 1t.
 The witness attributed the sickness to ptomaine poisoning. He believed ptomaines would develop in the hot sun in five or six minutes after can was opened. If the meat was properly sterilized ptomaines would not develop. While in Porto Rico twenty-five miles from Ponce the matter of rations was taken out of the regiments hands to a great extent. General Grant seemed to know more about 1t than any body else. The witness took no particular interest then because of the action of Gen. eral Grant.
 "He cannot violate the law?'
 "He did"
 Did he issue orders?" l'
 Issued What He Saw Fit
 "Ie Issued whatever he saw fit,"
 1.-The law required the surgeon to super W Did you interest yourself to ascertain what was being issued to the enlisted men?"
 'We saw what was issued and took 1t be- cause we could not get anything else. We had canned roast beef nearly all the while, and the men refused to eat 1t. It was or dered condemned, and we buried lot of 1t. One of the men said if we did not bury it, 1t would bury us A board of survey was ordered, but I never heard anything more about 1t. As to the refrigerator beef, very little of it was used as at least three-quar- ters of 1t would have had to be cut off. do not think any chemicals had been used on the meat. It was simply spoiled. The meat had undoubtedly been acted upon by the heat. which had softened it. The fat and grease and gelatine had all intermin- gled with the fibre"
 Under cross exa imitation Dr. Shaw told about being called out one night to look af- ter the men of his company who were re- ported to have been poisoned by eating canned roast beef. He said they vomited fearfully, and hypodermic injections of morphine would hardly relieve the pain. They were sick for some days afterwards, with great deal of diarrhoea and intes- tinal troubles.
 "When the men ceased eating the canned roast beef was there any Improvement" asked Major Lee.
 Gave Them Castro Entritis
 "Yes; the canned roast beef generally gave them gastro entritis."
 Did you in an official way recommend it's discontinuance?"
 ''Yes, sir, to my immediate commander"
 ''Did the commissary come around and find out how these things were?"
 "EIe came several times and told us it was all right and We would have to eat 1t. Sometimes we substituted what they called bacon, but great deal of that had mag gots in 1t and had to be condemned. If we had depended upon the army fations the troops would have starved to death. They spent all the money they got to buy things in the city"
 "what was the brand on this canned roast beefU
 .'f think 1t was Libby. McNeill & Libby; am not sure: tried to eat some of it, but could not; 1t was absolutely revolting"
 "When the beef was eaten from cans did