Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-28
COMPLAINED OF TIE BEEF
Gov. Roosevelt Submitted Reports
to War Department Which
Have Been Suppressed.
TES1lFlEs BEFORE COURT OF INQUIRY.
Says the Canned Roast Beef Caused
Observation-Disclosures 1t Utterly I'm
fit and UnwhOIesome for Troops
Heard Complaints from the Time
the Troops Left Tampa.

Observation-Disclosures II utterly Uu.
fit and UnwhoIesome for Troops
Heard Complaints from the Time
the Troops Left Tampa.
New York, March 81. = The army
court of inquiry investigating the
charges made by Gen. Miles that the
beef furnished the soldiers in the
Cuban and Porto Rican campaigns was
unfit for use convened in this city Sat
urday. Before the hearing began, Maj.
Lee said he believed Gov. Roosevelt
would be the only witness heard here.
The court is expected to adjourn to
Governors Island to hear the testi-
mony of officers of the Thirteenth in
fantry stationed there.
Any other witnesses will probably be
called to Washington. where the court
sits again on Monday.
Upon his arrival Gov. Roosevelt
shook hands with several members of
the court and then took the stand,
after Col. Davis had administered the
oath. The governor described the or
ganization of the rough riders at San
Antonio, Tex, and told of the issuance
of rations.
"When was the first complaint you
heard of the rations?" asked Col. Davis.
MAY 1 answer that my own way?"
asked the governor.
Certainly"
"Well, it was aboard ship at Tampa, I
saw mani think his name was Ash,
I know he came from Kentucy-throw-
ing away a can of the so-called roast
beef. l asked him what was the mat
told him not to be baby, and that he
did not volunteer for good time, and
ought to be able 10 take what came.
thought no more of the matter until
I heard that complaints were being
made on all sides. Then 1 made inquir-
les and was told that the roast beef
was part of the regular ration, and
that only the volunteers were COM
planning.
81 spoke to Col Wood about it. and
said it was the regular ration. ate a
mouthful or two myself, but did not
like it. 1 could not eat it."
Gov. Roosevelt spoke of the issue of
rations in Cuba and said that although
he did not like the beef and his men
would not eat it, he never heard any
one say it was an unfit ration" He
said when the can was opened there
was a covering of slime.
The Fresh Beef.
In speaking of the fresh beef he said
as a rule it was good. The outside was
sometimes bad. He had never thought
about its being treated with chemicals
until he returned home. The meat
seemed good, but it did undoubtedly
give the men diarrhoea. He learned
that some of the officers and men
thought there was something wrong
with the meat. When his men left Cuba
less than 20 per cent. were fit for active
service
The Embalmed Beef.
Maj. Lee was about to ask ques-
when the governor interrupted to say
he wished to speak of the talk of the
"embalmed beef"
''When we left Tampa" he said, ''two
or three-quarters of beef were put
aboard our ship. was told to put it in
the shade. understood it was spe.
cially treated for the tropics, 1t did
not last, and board of investigation de-
cided to throw it oven board"
"Can you remember the brands OF
labels On the canned roast beef com.
planned of, either that issued in Cuba OF
at Montauk?" asked Maj. Lee.
II do not think I can. Some were
Swift's and some were Armour's be
lieye."
Had Submitted Complaints.
Gov. Roosevelt said he had submitted
reports regarding the rations through
the regular army channels in July, ant
again on September 10. These reports
were omitted from the published rec
ords of the war department, but wert
to be printed, SO he said, in the mex
report.
Maj. Lee applied to the court to or
der copy of Gov. Rooseverf's report
to be made part of the minutes of tn,
| proceedings.
Gen. Wade ruled in compliance Will
the motion, and Gov. Roosevelt said tina
there were some supplementary re
ports to the report of September 10
which he considered very important.
"They include" he said, "the state
ments of two captains, four lieutenants
a surgeon and Capt. Brown, of the reg
ular service"
Utterly Unfit as a Ration.
"Will you tell us" said Maj. Lee
what, in your opinion, is the value o
the canned roast beef issued at Cub
and elsewhere, as an army ration?"
ST wish to say, unhesitatingly, tina
it was utterly unfit and unwholesom
for troops. My experience proves be
| you'd a shadow of doubt or question
that at its best the canned roast bee
was lnpalatable, and at its worst
was UNBEATABLE and unwholesome."
No one had any further questions
ask the governor, and the hearing wa
closed. The cour tadjourned to Gov
ernor's Island.
Cambridge Wins.
Putney, England, March 81. Tn
fifty-siNth annual boat race betwee
crews representing the Universities G
Oxford and Cambridge was rowed Sal
urday over the usual course, from Put
ney to Mortlake, distance of abou
! fonr and n ollarter miles and was wo