The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-03-18
OFF FOR OMAHA.
Court Of Inquiry Concludes Its Work
I'm Chicago--The Last Days De-
veIopments.

Shaw, surgeon of the Third Illinois
volunteers. told the beef investigating
commission Wednesday that the meat
issued 10 his regiment during Its serv-
ice in the Porto Rican campaign was n
nauseafing, foul-smelling mess that
sickened and weakened every man who
touched 1t. live had depended upon the
army rations for sustenance the troops
would have starved TO death" he said.
"The men spent all their money In buy
ing food either at the commisSary
stores or In the city. III they had not
had money they would have died.
Most OF the meat we received we
buried. 1t was either bury the meat
or bury the soldiers"
He said IL was stringy, pulpy and
nauseating and did not seem to nourish
the men. Much sickness followed the
use of IT, The witness attributed the
sickness 10 ptomaine poisoning. He
believed ptomaine would develop in the
hot sun in few minutes after the can
was opened. which would be impossible
IL the meat were properly sterilized.
Complaints were many, the doctor
said and the men finally refused 10
eat the meat. II had been condemned
and reported, and refused and buried
but no satisfaction could be obtained
from the commanding officers to whose
attention the facts were called. They
would declare IL was all right and
would say nothing could be done about
IT, The meat was like a dead body, DIR.
Shaw said. the putrefaction developing
the ptomaines Immediately after the
cans were opened.
The next witness was Col. Fred Ben
nit, colonel Of the Third Illinois yolun-
teers. lie spoke. of the voyage from
Newport News 10 Porto Rico. Accord
ing 20 his recollection the travel rations
for that voyage included more canned
corned beef than canned roast beef
He could not recall the brand on the
cans.
There were great many com
| plants about the canned roast beef,
he Std. "Just before debarking sue
ceeded in having some of il made into
a hash, and that was more satisfactory.
! At Porto Rico, OF ten days rations.
three days would be fresh meat and
seven days salt meat. The complaint
about the canned roast beef was that il
was nanseating. Specimens were
brought 10 me for examination and |
found them very repulsive. The meat
had a disagreeable smell. II you put
your face down 20 il you wanted TO get
away al once. The company command
ers experimental in cooking il and the
most satisfactory way seemed TO make
il up in balls and fry it. II was not APP
parently dangerous 10 eat IL in that
way. But company 4 had some OF these
fried balls and the men got sick.
First Lieut.. NJ. f. Davis, Of the First
cavalry, was called upon request of
Mai. Lee. He said that in Cuba the
men opened all the cans OF roast beef
issued 10 them, but only consumed one
half of the contents on an average;
the rest was thrown away because IL
was unfit TO eat. The contents OF the
can, he said, would be about three
quarters Suet. not what you would call
meat. Perhaps one-quarter or one
fifth OF the can would be good fiber
meat; the rest appeared TO be tailings
or clippings Sometimes a can would
be entirely spoiled. Witness said he
once opened can which smelled bad;
he examined il and found maggots in 1t.
Maj. Lee--How did the maggots get
in there?
"They were canned in there"
Col. Davis-Are you aware that in
the process OF canning this meat un-
dergocs such an intense heat that no
animal life could survive in t.?
II don't mean TO say they were alive.
They were dead"
Maj. Bee-Are you positive about the
identity of the animal?
Yes. sir. Quite positive"
I'm consequence OF the canned roast
beef not being sufficiently sustaining
and not having nutriment in IL, did
your men lack for food"
"They did"
Col. Gillespie-Whatw was the name OF
this brand that you found with mag
gots in IT.?
1T was Swift & Co.'S brand"
Are you certain OF that?"
II am certain"
The court adjourned TO meet in
Omaha to-day.