Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-02-24
BADBEEF "ROASTED'
Army Officers Condemn Canned Va
riety Before Inquiry Board.
A SUMMARY OF THEIR TESTIMONY.
They Concede That the Refrigerated
Reef Was Generally Good-Little
Evidence Is Given to Prove
Use of Chemicals.

Washington, Feb. 22.-The court of
inquiry engaged in investigating the
beef charges preferred by Gen. Miles
continued Tuesday the hearing of testi-
mony bearing upon the controversy.
number of army officers who partici-
pated in the Santiago campaign were
heard. Practically, without exception,
the officers condemned the canned roast
beeffurnished as travel ra ton, and re-
viewed complaints about it which the
men very generally made, declaring it
unpalatable and wanting in nutriment.
On the other hand, the refrigerated beef
suffered but little at the hands of the
witnesses. it being generally conceded
that it was good when delivered from
the transports, and when it escaped the
decomposing effect of the tropical sun
en- route to the several commands it
was found to be satisfactory. General
commissary methods in Cuba were in
quired into. Difficulty in preventing
faint before cooking was experienced
generally. There was very little in the
evidence pointing to any use of chem
icals upon this beef.
The contention of Gen. Miles that the
army in Cuba and Porto Rico should
have been supplied with herds of cattle,
or beef on the hoof instead of refrig-
Grated beef, was supported by every
witness who, Tuesday, gave his opinion
upon this question. A feature of the
examinations was the general assertion
of witnesses that they would not have
left their duty to the men or the army
reorganization to have made any special
report upon the beef had it not been
for special orders calling for such re-
ports, but rather would have permit
ted the unsatisfactory ration to pass
without further notice as an incident to
warfare and to the peculiarly trying
conditions with which the army was
confronted at the outbreak of the war.
A number of officers testified to the be-
lief that very small proportion of sick
ness in Cuba was due to the beef or I'M
wholesome rations, but rather to the
climate. The examination of witnesses
will continue to-day and perhaps all
of this week in Washington, and the tes-
timony henceforth is expected to be
generally cumulative.
Col. Smith Says Beef Was Good.
Col. Albert T.. Smith, Fifteenth in
fantry, who followed Col. Powell, testi-
fed that his regiment left New York
April 10 and went to Tampa, but he was
relieved on June and did not join
his regiment until late in July, when
he reached Santiago. Gen. Ames was
brigade commander. Refrigerated beef
was being used and continued to be
supplied until August 8, when the regi-
ment embarked for the north. 1.-The
beef was good" he said, in response 70
query, except on one day, when it
was spoiled. I understand that the
beef had been lying in the sun on the
dock"
The canned roast beef, he said, was
issued on the return trip He did not
know how much was used, but it was
employed with tomatoes in making
soup. Col. Smith said he had reason
to believe very little canned roast beef
had been eaten except in soup. Investi-
cation made in September showed that
it had given practically no satisfaction
in either soup or when eaten from the
can.
Many officers are to appear, among
them being Gen. Joe Wheeler and Gov.
Roosevelt. Late this week or early
next week the court will leave for Chi
cago and other western meat centers.
where they will inspect the packing
houses of the firms which furnished
beef to the army. A thorough study of
the methods employed in preparing re-
frigerated and canned roast beef will
be made, and witnesses will be exam
ined in the different cities.