New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1899-05-10
MILES CE,lISllRED.
Much Criticism Of the General
in the Report of the Beef
Board Of Inquiry.
Erred in Failing to Notify the
. Secretary of War That the
Food Was Unfit.
NO CHEMICALS WERE USED
NO CHEMICALS WERE USED
Allegations to That Effect Held
Not Established by the
Testimony Given.
General Eagan Reproved for
Too Extensive Buying of
Untried RationS.

WASHINGTON, May BY direction
of the president, who approves the find
ings, Acting Secretary Of War Meikle-
john has made public the report and
findings of the military court appointed
to investigate the charges made by
Major General Miles; commanding the
army, that the beef supplied to the
army during the war with Spain was
unfit for the use Of the troops. The
most important features of the report
are:
The findings that the generals alle-
cations that the refrigerated beef was
treated with chemicals were not estab-
lished; that his allegations concerning
the canned fresh or canned roast beef
were sustained as to it's unsuitability
for food as used on the transports and
as long continued field ration; censure
of General Miles for ''error" in failure
to promptly notify the secretary of war
whep he first formed the opinion that
the food was unfit; censure 6f the con-
missary general (then General Eagan)
for the too extensive purchases Of the
canned beef as an untried ration.
Adverse to Further Proceedings.
That the allegations of General Miles
that the refrigerated beef was
piled to the army was of the same quail
ity as that supplied to the trade gener-
ally, and the recommendation is that
no further proceedings be taken in the
premises.
The conclusion of the court, adverse
to further proceedings based upon the
ci. ::.scs, i; IS as follows; -.
@It has been developed in the course
Of tho in1s Ss;iry, IS recited in this report,
that in some instances some individuals
failed to perform their full duty Or to
observe the proprieties which dignity
high military command, but the court
is of the opinion that the mere state
ment in the official report of the facts
developed meets the ends OF discipline
and that the interests of the service will
be best subserved if further proceedings
be not taken"
There is more or less criticism Of
General Miles in various parts of the
report. Probably the most direct in
stance is the following:
General Miles Action Upjustifiable.
"The court finds that against none of
the officers commanding corps, divi-
sions, brigades and regiments and their
staff officers should a charge Of guilt be
> brought.
1.-THE court also finds that the major
general commanding the army had nc
sufficient just for alleging that
the refrigerated beef was embalmed OF
was unfit for issue to troops. It also
finds that he committed an error in that
) having belief or knowledge as claimed
that the food was unfit, that it caused
sickness and distress, that some of il
was supplied under the pretense of ex
pertinent, that other beef was en-
balmed, he did not Immediately repor
such knowledge or belief to the secre
tary of war to the end that a proper
remedy might be promptly applied"
The censure Of Colonel Maus, in
, spector general on General Miles staff
is based upon his failure to call atten
ton to charges concerning the beef a
Chickamauga.
Beef on the Hoof Impracticable.
The report declares that it woul,
have been impracticable to land bee
cattle on the hoof in Cuba, the remark
of the court on this point being as fol
lows:
"The commanding general of the e1
petition characterized as absurd sue
a proposition, and many Of his CON
manding officers, whose opinions ar
given in the testimony, conceded wit
him in the impracticability or ine1
pediency of such project. The cou,
concurs in the opinion"
Summing up the reports Of the inve
LEGATIONS Of the chemists employed b
the court, the court says: ~
:sThe contents Of all the cases, whic
consisted of boiled rather than roa!
beef, were found to be perfectly swet
with an odor of cooked meat. The BET
in nearly all the cans appeared to hay
been softened by exposure to heat, b1
apparently without injurious effect ;
to its quality; apart from this the mes
- contents were found to be in GOO
+ state of preservation in every case. n
, trace of preservative acids were foun
in any of the cans.