Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-04
RECOGNIZE NILES COUNSEL
Major Jesse Lee Antagonizss Himself in
Beef Court of Inquiry.
DEMANDS ADMISSION or SOME LETTERS
Colonel Davis, the Recorder, Refuses
10 Allow Such Letters in Ev-
idence-Opinions on the
Meat supply.

army Major Lee was so introduced to the
court by the recorder, Colonel Davis, at
the beginning Of the afternoon session. He
began to cross-examine witnesses at once,
and with the first one antagonized tne court
TO the extent Of demanding the admission CT
certain letters as evidence, but was re-
fused. The proceedings were not marked,
however by any evidence of unpleasant fric-
ton between the court and the new counsel.
Captain Groom of the Philadelphia city
troop was the first witness this morning
About two weeks out of four while in Porto
Rico his command lived on canned roast
beef. ut was our food and we ate it," said
the witness. That was about all there
was to it. We never ate 1t cold. but had 1t
made into stews with such vegetables as we
could get"
or the refrigerated beef Captain Groom
said it was occasionally tainted on the edges
and had to be trimmed. otherwise 1t was
excellent meat.
Colonel j. A. Case of the Fourth Penn
sylvania, who served with General Brooke
In the Porto Rico campaign, said he had
had about six days experience With canned
roast beef. At first the men tried to keep
the meat after the cans were opened, but 1t
spoiled between meals He ordered the
company cooks to make stews of whole can
at time and it proved very satisfactory.
There was some complaint over the lean,
tough beef furnished from the native cattle
more complaint, in fact, than from any one
cause.
Captain A. M. Gray OF the Sixth Massa-
chusetts, which went to Porto Rico on the
Yale when 1t carried General Miles south
said the principal cause Of complaint among
his men was not as to the quality of the
rations. but because they were short in
quantity. He said the troops were aboard
longer than had been expected, so he un-
derstood the men were put short
tions for fear there would not be enough to
last
did not the Yale carry provisions in the
cargp aside from the mems travel ratons?"
asked Colonel Davis.
-. 81 understood that it did,"
did you report this state of things to
any higher authority?"
81 reported to my colonel"
WAS there any higher officer on board?"
"Yes, there was the general commanding
the army"
While on detached duty on shore he said
his men got hold of one lot of very poor
canned beef, two-thirds of which was
spoiled and the remainder of worse quality
than he had seen elsewhere.
New Name for It-"BIeached."
Alfred F. Foote of Holyoke, Mass, a ser
geant OF the Second Massachusetts, who
served at Santiago, had new adjective for
the much discussed canned roast beef. He
said it tasted ''bleached." Some of it
seemed simply boiled to death and the other
was absolutely putrid Probably one-third
was spoiled in this way. The men talked
the meat over. abused 1t privately and some
declined to eat 1t, but they did not com
plain to their officers. His command got
comparatively little refrigerated beef, most
of II spelling before 1t could be cooked and
failing after it was cooked to keep from
di: "HT to supper.
c ptain NJ. B. Critchfied of the Eighth
o described the voyage south on the st.
Pa as feast of plenty, corned and roast
bee being piled up by the ton on the deck
whore the men could get it for the taking.
Witness said that from the landing on July
10 t. the surrender on the 18th there was
little or no complaint as to the rations.
After the surrender the regiment was
camped at Sevilla. about six miles east of
Santiago Here they got an issue Of beef.
He inspected the meat, cut the quarter in
half and found that 1t was apparently good
on the inside although green and Shiny
on the surface. He cut some from the in
side, cooked it and was made very sick by
eating So were other men who tried to
eat It, The surgeon major ordered the beef
buried and no more was drawn for month.
Decide to Admit Lee.
The court then went into executive ses-
sion to consider the reply of General Miles
to the inquiry of the court as to whether he
wished to be regularly represented by coun-
sell and 1t was stated after the session
that Major Lee will hereafter appear as the
regularly accredited counsel for General
Miles.
The appearance OF Major Lee in the case
IS the elimination CT considerable corre-
spcndence between General Miles and the
court as to the accuracy of some statements
made by witnesses on the stand and which
General Miles considered he had official data
to prove incorrect.
II began with the testimony of Colonel
Wo druff several days ago. to the effect that
beef herds were seldom II ever driven with
the troops in the Indian campaigns. Gen
eral Miles called the attention of the court
to this case and was informed by the court
by letter that II he chose 1t was his right to
be represented by counsel. General Miles
replied that 1t was sometimes the custom in
courts of inquiry to have present an officer
''to assist the recorder in keeping the rec
ords in shape"
The court replied to this that il did not
need any assistance" for its recorder, but
suggested again that General Miles could be
present to aid in the examination OF wit
nesses and could be represented by counsel
II he desired To this General Miles replied
that In accordance with custom in such cases
he would be represented hereafter by Major
Jesse Lee, "for the purpose of participating
in the examination with n view of eliciting
the full truth pertaining to the subject un-
der discussion"
Doesn't Make Him Defendant.
This does not place General Miles in the
position of defendant before the court, but
gives his counsel the right of cross -examina-
tion as far as he desires
II. S. Van Shack of the Rough Riders tes-
titled that the canned beef was bad and ra-
tlons generally unsatisfactory He said he
had been more or less i'll since his return
@%eeNN%S~%NN~%e%N~