Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-21

commanding general which referred to II as
/ "embalmed beef" and said 1t had been sent
as "a pretense of experiment"
/ General Miles was asked II he knew when
/ the war began that canned roast beef was
| a part OF the army ration. This question
brought out a partial explanation OF his
/ using the phrase "a pretense of experiment"
He said he did not know that canned roast
beef was a part of the army ration though
in 1888 an order had been issued including
canned corned or fresh beef. He did not I'M
| derstand that the canned beef now in ques-
tion was meant. When his attention was
| finally attracted to the canned roast beef
recently issued, he assumed. he declared,
that 1t was being issued as an experiment
since 1t was not understood by him that
canned roast beef was a part of the regular
ration.
Continuing this explanation in answer to
a question of Colonel Davis. General Miles
said he thought his use of 'pretense of ex-
pertinent" was unfortunate and he dis
claimed any intention to impute fraud to
anyone.
No Charge of Fraud Intended.
"As far as Indicating fraud" he said, IL
wish to state that no such inference was in
tended. 1t was perhaps an unfortunate ex-
preston, and had my attention been called
to it, / might have amended 1t to say
we'll, 'on the theory of an experiment. As
matter of fact 1t was an experiment and
a very costly one"
with that disclaimer" remarked Colonel
Davis, "of course, we will pass to the re-
frigerator beef"
Then, replying to a question, General
Miles said he first heard complaints against
the beef at Ponce. The first direct state
ment that it had been treated chemically
came, he believed, from DR.. DAILY, who pre-
sented 1t late in September, and appeared
subsequently before the War Investigating
commission.
He said he did not recollect whether DR..
Dalys report was volunteered or whether he
had been ordered to investigate and report
on the meat. 1t was the general talk among
the officers at Ponce, General Miles con-
tinued, that the refrigerator beef must have
been subjected to some chemical treatment
to make 1t keep for seventy-two hours.
DR.. Daly's report, however, was the first
official report.
Meat Hnd Many Names.
General Miles then read a long summary
of 100 letters received by him at army
headquarters giving the various terms in
which the army meat was characterized
These included "embalmed," "decomposed,"
lHJeCleu, pOlSOneu, SpOlleQ, ana
the like. In addition he showed
summary of reports on re-
frigerator beef condemned and thrown
overheard from transports. G. C. Yeamans
Of the Yosemite reported the condemnation
of 5000 pounds, Colonel ONeal of the Ches-
ter, 1000 pounds and Colonel James Ham
ilton Lewis, 10000 pounds. He said that
he should fix September 81 as the date of
Dr. Daly's report as about the earliest at
which the question of chemically treated
meat had been brought to his notice so as
to command his full attention.
Colonel Gillespie took a hand in the in
quiry when General Miles finished, de-
scribing the nauseatng quality of the
canned and refrigerated beef
did you, General, ever eat any of the
beef?" Colonel Gillespie asked.
81 presume / did about the time we were
at Ponce" said General Miles, with some
hesitation. yes, I presume 1 did,"
Then said Colonel Gillespie, at has not
such characteristic qualities as would per-
NIT you to detect it offhand?"
mo, SIR"
Lieutenant Van Horne Called.
General Miles then left the witness chair
and Lieutenant Colonel Van Horne of the
Thirteenth infantry was sworn. He said he
the Twenty second infantry and was through
the entire Cuban campaign. Witness said
he had used all kinds, canned, corned, re-
frigerated and canned roast beef. He said
the criticisms of the canned roast beef be-
gan early and were made often. 1t was
objected to on the score of it's lack of nutri-
ment, its taste and its appearance. After
the men got cooking utensils they stewed
their canned beef. Before that they ate it
from the can. Either way of serving it was
bad enough and though none of it, that
witness remembered, was actually spoiled
It was unpalatable and was the ground of
constant complaint.
Witness did not recollect that the large
sickness of this regiment in Cuba had been
laid at the time to the canned meat. The
men were very debilitated, but he could not
say whether the meat had ought to be
blamed or not. When the refrigerator beef
arrived a large part of it was spoiled and
the men continued to use the canned meat.
The spoiled refrigerator beef was laid out
on the hills for the buzzards. Several issues
were lost in this way. Witness had eaten
some OF the refrigerator beef, which arrived
in camp untainted, and found that 1t was
good. The men ate it without complaint
and ho had no reason to believe it was any
different from the beef he had gotten at
army posts in the states.
Canned Roast Beef n Failure.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Minor of the |
Sixth infantry was the next witness His |
regiment was among the first to leave Camp |
Thomas and went to camp at Tampa. They |
reached Cuba and disembarked on June %. |
Canned roast beef was issued as O travel |
ration when they left Tampa and until the |
end of the siege. 1t was replaced with re-
frigerator beef after the surrender.
Meantime, he said, absolutely no other |
fresh meat could have been furnished dur |
ing the siege. Complaints against the |
canned beef became general and marked |
about July 2 He said he was using 1t and
when opened it was apparently fresh, but
stringy and absolutely without nourishment
and when cut it fell to pieces. The men
could not and did not eat 1t.
II believed then and believe now," he
said, that that beef had been used for
making beef extract and the nutriment taken
'ut. 1t appeared to have been boiled to
pieces"
Colonel Minor said he knew nothing of the
methods of canned beefs prepared. He said
he beef was in good condition until after
July 3, after which 1t deteriorated suddenly
When they became weak and sick the men
lid not want meat Asked If during the
iiege he had made an effort to get other
meat he said he had not; that there was
~ 1