The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-05-05
EVERYTHING
WAS LOVELY.
Report of the Beef Court of
Inquiry.
THE MEAT WAS NOT "DOCTORED," !"
But Was Perfectly Wholesome and Nu-
triOus Where Used In Moderation
Gen. Miles Criticised for Not Promptly
Notifying the War Department.

WASHINGTON, April 80. The
Wade Court of Inquiry to-day con-
cluded its work in connection with
the allegations of Gen. Miles con-
cerning the beef supplied to the
army during the war with Spain.
The report was signed at 2:30 p. m.
by every member of the board, and
soon afterwards the members of the
court left the Lemon building, where
all the meetings in this city have
been held.
Col. Davis, the Recorder of the
Court, carried the official copy of the
findings to the War Department,
and in the absence of Secretary AL
ger, delivered it to Acting Secretary
Meiklejohn, who Immediately depOs-
tied the document in an envelope
and forwarded it to the President in
New York. The report is of about
5000 words, and goes fully into the
questions which have been raised
in connection with the army beef.
The text has not been made public
and will not be until after the Presi
dent shall have read it. 1t will then
rest with him to say whether the re-
ports shall be given to the public.
The verdict, however, is known to
be that the charges which General
Miles made before the War Inves-
tigating Commission are not sus.
'ained in reference to the refrig-
Grated beef, although his contention
that the canned roast beef was not
suitable continuous rations Is ad-
mitted. There is direct criticism of
Gen. Miles for failing to promptly
bring to the attention of the War
Department there ports made to him
concerning bad beef, and "several
individual" are censured for fail
ing to observe the proprieties of their
position of commanding officers in
this and other respects.
The forecast of the report as made
by the Associated Press on the 18th
inst, was an accurate one. AS was
then stated, the court takes the po-
sitiOn that the testimony is conclu-
sive that both the refrigerated beef
and the canned beef were in good
condition when delivered to the
Government and continued SO until
issued to the troops, except in spe-
cial instances where the deteriora-
tion was due to accidental condi-
tions in transportation or to the in.
fiuence of the tropical climate. The
report admits the liability of re-
frigerated beef to taint quickly af.
ter removal from the ice chests. The
court finds the charge of "en.balm.
ing" the fresh beef to have been un'
sustained by the testimony and tha'
no chemicals were used to preserve
it. 1t also finds that it would have
been impracticable to secure bee
on the hoof for the Cuban cam
paign. The finding is likewise ii
opposition to the assertion on the
part of Gen. Miles that the use O
the beef was an experiment.
: Much attention is given to tn,
charges concerning the canned
roast beef, and it is stated that th,
! testimony proves it to have beer
, wholesome and nutritious wher,
used in moderation and under ia
vorable circumstances. The posi-
tion is taken that too much of thi
article of food was supplied to tn,
men and that under the circum
stances it was unpalatable and foun(
undesirable as continuous ration
The court finds that the meat wa
not "doctored;" that it was the bee
of commerce; that there was n,
more neglect than was incident t,
the hurried preparation for the war
that the inspection, while general,
according to regulations, was no
always up to the requirements ant
that the sickness of the troops wa
not to any great degree occasiOned b,
the use of either the canned or tn,
refrigerated beef. On the othe
hand, it is found that Gen. Mile
himself did not report during th,
war that the beef, either refrigera
ted or canned, was unfit as a ration
Other officers who gave their testi
mOny before the court were fount
also to have neglected what tn
court conceives to have been thei
, duty in this respect, and all ar
blamed for this failure. But th
court does not think further pro
ceedings necessary.
GarWOOd'S SarSapariIla-fOr the bloo