The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-21

1hen, Delng asked about an inter.
view from the New York Herald OF
me list, he said: I have a letter from
the gentleman, who, l understood
wrote this. in which he says he is will
ing to swear that / declined to be in
terviewed, and that, thinking some
thing had been given out, he had pro.
ceeded TO write what he knew were
the facts"
He then pointed out that the inter
view was erroneous, in that where il
represented him to have said that he
had overwhelming evidence that the re-
frigerated beef was treated with chem
icals, the fact was that his only evid-
ence was what was contained in the re-
ports of officers and statements OF
men, who claimed that the beef had
the odor of an embalmed body and
that they had seen fluid injected into
the beef. He declared the interview
an erroneous presentation of what he
could possibly have said.
Col. Davis, recurring to the state
ment of Gen. Miles before the war
commission, asked him what his idea
as to the beef supply for the army was
when war broke out.
Replying, Gen Miles said that while
his attention was occupied with weigh
tier matters of mobilization and equip
ment of troops, he felt confident that
the usage of hundred years would be
followed and cattle herds would be
shipped to the army in the tropics and
killed there Just as they had been
through the south during the civil war,
in Arizona, Texas and in Mexico, where
il was so hot that Il soldier could not
sit upon the rocks. He understood Gu
ba and Porto Rico were excellent grass
countries and cattle could be shipped
and kept in prime condition. He re-
viewed his action in cabling the depart
ment to send no more refrigerated beef
10 Porto Rico while he was there, find
ing it possible to use beef on the hoof
Asked how long he was in Porto Rico
before he advised the department
against sending more refrigerated beef,
Gen. Miles said he had learned Of the
large supply of native cattle soon after
landing, and advised the war depart
ment the next day after getting
ashore.
Referring to the canned roast beef as
distinguished from the refrigerated
beef. Col. Davis read portion of Gen.
Miles war commission testimony con-
demning it in severe terms. Gen. Miles
said the canned roast beef was issued
10 volunteers and regular troops alike
on the transports and in Cuba, till the
arrival of the refrigerator beef.
The first complaints of il. Gen. Miles
said, he heard at Tampa from some of
the rough riders from San Antonio but
he paid little attention to il at the time,
not realizing fully that there had been
any change from the standard ration.
He again heard of it aboard the Yale
when the men declared they could not
eat it,
Again he heard of it in the trenches
at Santiago, but he was still largely oc-
cupied with the campaign and thought
nothing more of the complaints than
he would if he heard some man was
Kicking at the part his officer partook
His attention was drawn seriously to
the fact when the officers reported that
the whole Fifth corps was weak and
Frustrated. This was in August, when
question of a parade through New
York was preached. Gen. Bates at
that time reported that only about one
half the men at Montauk were in con-
dition to march through New York.
Gen. Miles said this seemed to him re-
markable, as there was no yellow fever
a the point, and he thought men GER
FANNY ought to be over their malaria
he then therefore ordered an inquiry
into the beef about which there had
been so much complaint.
Dld you report this matter at the
tlme TO the commissary generals Of
fice?" asked Col. Davis.
Gen. Miles leaned forward drawing
ms orows to a furrOw, and replied
report TO the commissary general +"
Well, did you report it to the secre-
tary of war;" asked Col. Davis.
Gen. Miles, in reply, went at some
length into an explanation of the rou-
tine of the army headquarters, showing
Why he preferred to conclude his in
curry SO that he might have something
tangible to present to the secretary.
Col. Davis put a number of questions
as to why the commanding general had
delayed definite action in the beef mat
ter and Gen. Miles responded that he
had delayed because he did not want
to act until he had secured the very
best authority, which was information
from the most reliable sources. Finally
he issued his order 70 officers to report
upon the quality of beef furnished. He
did not report directly to the score
tary of war because under a rule of the
department that the order shall go from
the adjutant to the secretary. His at
tacks upon the canned and refrigera-
ted beef before the war commission
We're then taken up specifically, Col.
Davis reading the testimony Of the
commanding general, in which he re-
ferred to it as "Embalmed beef and
said 1t had been on pretense of ex-
pertinent
Cen Miles was asked # he knew
when the war began that canned roast
beef was part Of the army ration.
This question brought out a partial
explanation of his using the phrase pre-
tence of experiment He said he did
not know that canned roast beef was
part Of the army ration, though in
1888 an order had been issued includ-
ing canned corned beef or fresh beef,
He did not understand the canned beef
now in question was meant. When his
attention was finally attracted to the
canned roast beef recently issued, he
assumed, he declared, that ''it was be
ing issued as an experiment" since it
was not understood that canned roast
beef was part Of The regular ration
Continuing this explanation in an
swer to a question of Col. Davis, Gen.
Miles said he thought his use Of pre-
tenCe of experiment was unfortunate,
and he disclaimed any intention to inn
pute fraud TO any one. las far as
indicating fraud he said L wish ia
state that no such inference was in
tended. 1t was perhaps an unfortu-
nate expression, and had my attention
been called to it, ! might have amended
it to say--well, on the theory Of an
experiment, as a matter Of fact it
was an experiment and very costly
one"
with that disclaimer" remarked Col
Davis, "of course We viii pass to the
refrigerated beef"
Then, replying to question, Gen.
( Miles said he first heard complaints
against the beef at Ponce The first
direct statement that it had been treat.
ed chemically came, he believed from
DIR. DAILY, who presented it late in Sep.
TENDER, and appeared subsequently be.
fore the war commission. Gen. Miles
said he did not .recollect whether Dr
Days report was volunteered Oh