The times., 1899-02-22
Army Officers Before the Court
of Enquiry.
Various Opinions of Meat Furnish
ed Troops in Cuba.
How Ii Spelled in Transit go Inland
Camps and Had to he
Hurled.

investigate the army heel scandal.
The witnesses were Major General Sum
ner Col. W. II. Powell of the Ninth In
fantry; Col. Albert G. Smith, of the Thir-
teenth Infantry; Lieut. Col. Charles E
Viele. of the First Cavalry: Brig. Gen. H.
S. Hawkins. Capt J. NJ. Duncan, of the
Twenty first Infantry; Capt. William n.
Hughes. of the Thirteenth Infantry; Capt.
William Ennis, of the Fourth Artillery:
Major Baker, retired; Col. Evan Miles. of
the First Infantry; Major Jesse NJ. Lee. of
the Ninth Infantry. and Capt. James Jack
son of the Seventh Infantry.
Colonel Powell testified that he was not
al Santiago with his regiment during the
fighting around that city. As his regiment
was about TO leave Tampa he was ordered
before a retiring beard and rejoned his
command after Jhe surrender OF General
Tcrsl. He found his men crowded into bad
quarters without clofhing and with INSULT
cient food. Many o: the enlisted men asked
for money with which TO buy such food as
they wanted. There MAS a great deal Of
sickness among the men. The issue Of
canned roast bee. had been discontinued
when he reached Cuba and refrigerated
beef was being used instead. He stated
that he had one can OF the roast beef on
his table and could make no use Of it, II
was stringy. tasJe!esS. and about As nu-
tTitious as seawced- his regiment was
sent into the hills hack OF Santiago. Much
uc the refrigerated beef brought out from
Santiago reached his men in bad condition
and much OF il had 10 be buried.
The Hcef Was GOOD.
Col Albert e. smith testified that the
refrigerated beef was good He recalled
tha; one issue made 10 company in his
regiment was decomposed. hut he said that
this was due 70 The fact that the meat
had been by accident exposed too long in
the sun He had never heard Of the use
OF canned roast bsef in the army until the
campaign agains: Spain.
Lieutenant Colonel Niele testified that
the canned roast beet was unsatisfactory
even II made into stew and the refrigerated
beef was unpalatable- Il had close and
nEsty smell. lie had never heard the suS-
g.stiun that il had been injected with
chemicals until he read about ii in the
newspapers. He said he believed that the
canned rcast beef was made of scraps and
that the men absolutely refused 10 eat it.
General Hawkins testified that while in
Cuba he heard no complaints about the
beef. Captain Hughes testified that canned
uuast beef was Uupslafahle and was the
cause Of much complaint. II was utterly
unsatisfactory and the men complained that
il was repulsive.
Captain Ennis testified that the refrig-
Grated beef was satisfactory in all re-
spects. He had never heard II suggested
until after the close OF hos,ilities that the
meat had been treated with chemicals The
canned roast beef vas not good. The men
complained Of il and attributed a great
deal OF their sickness to it, At length the
men refvsed to eat II ar all.
issued Irre-uiarIy
Major Baker. retired testified that he
first saw canned roast beef used near Ell
Csney, and in the trenches before Santi-
ago. Il was Issued as part of the regular
ration until the surrender OF the city.
There was no regularity in the issue of ra-
tons. the men being glad 10 get anything
TO eat He heard some OF the men and
some captains complain that the canned
roast beef was not as good as il should be-
soon after the surrender the issue of re-
lFlserated beef began. and me use of the
timed roast beef was discontinued The
quality Of the refrigerated beef in general
was considered good, although now and
then certain lot Of meat would be found
tainted and condemned BIZ a board of sur
Fey. The complaints We're not numerous
The meat compared fayorably in appear
ance with specimens Of refrigerated beef
which he had seen in this country H ha I
never heard il suggested that chemicals
were used on this meat for the purpose OF
preserving ii. The first he had heard Of
this was through Inc newspapers some
time after his return TO this country The
witness was banded a copy of the report
which he had made to the Adjutsnt Cen
era!. He said that he had made This report
because he had been ordered TO. He would
have made no report unless he had besn
ordered to do so by the proper authority.
There was nothing IN the situation. so far
as he could see, which would have impelled
him 10 make a report. He testified that
before the surrender Of Santiago rat.ons
were not issued with ,he greatest regu-
larity. but everybody did the best he could.
and all seemed 10 accept the situation.
The corned beef was used before the sur
render and refrigerated bsef after There
was little sickness among the troops until
after the surrender
Colonel Miles
Col Evan Miles. Of the First Infantry
was the next witness. He testified that 1t
the outbreak Of the war he was stationed at
the Preside, San Francisco. and went
thence to New Orleans, thence to Tamna
and thence TO Baiqulri. He had as travel
rations canned corned beef but 10 mis-
knowledge no timed roast beef was issued
He arrived in Cuba about the day that
Santiago surrendered, and from the lime
OF landing, no fresh meat was issued To The
men under his command. They subsisted
on salt meat and crackers. He had heard
no complaint from any regiment in his
brigade against the rations. He had never
seen a can OF roast beef
Major General Sumner next took the
stand. He told the story of his promotion
from colonel of the Sixth Cavalry. TO whics
he was attached al the outbreak of tho
At
that canned roast beef was issued TO the
troops under his command from the time
his cavalry brigade left Tampa until some
time after the surrender of Santiago. He
had heard some complaints against canned
roast beef but took no action because II
was the only meat they had except salt
pork and bacon, and jhe canned roast beef
was preferable TO these Some of the no
frigerated beef, when IL reached his troous
was not IN good condition but this was
because his command was far hack In the
country and some Of the meat spoiled in
transit He said that the quarters of beef
prepared by the inventor of the embalming
process were exhibited on his shin at
Tampa. This beef got 10 smelling bad
and he threw it overheard. Nobody ate
any OF it, NiBety-eight per cent OF the
men in his command were sick. He caid
that he did not attribute any OF the sick
ness TO insufficient food.
No Food for InyaIids
Major Jesse NJ. Lee. OF The Ninth Infan-
try. was next called. He was in Cuba with
his regiment. He testified that two com
panies of the Ninth Infantry were on duty
al the wharf at Santiago, and the remain
ing Six companies were quartered In a
theatre The troops were satisfied with
the refrigerated beef. When his regiment
was removed TO a camp in the hills, there
was some dissatisfaction at times with