Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-27

Washington, April 25.-The Wade |
court Of inquiry held its last open ses-
sion yesterday and is now engaged up
on the preparation of it's report. The |
court has been in session almost ten
weeks. Several hundred witnesses
were examined and over 4,5O0
pages of testimony submitted. Monday
morning the court decided not to &C
cept the report made by Lieut.. Col.
Darlington of the inspector generals
office. This report was transmitted to
Gen. Miles through Inspector General
Breckenridge. The report of Col
Darlington covers about so typewriter
pages and goes exhaustively into the
reports made by officers and men
without drawing final conclusions At
the afternoon session Recorder Davis
read brief reports from Gen. Brock
enbridge, inspector general, and also
from two of his subordinates, Maj.
Reade and Lieut.. Col. Darlington, as
to the result of individual work and
observations Breckenridge con-
demned the canned beef ration and
said that while the army ration full
filled all scientific requirements as to
food values, it's component parts
should be changed for men in service.
The court decided that if any deposl-
tions for which Miles has called be re-
ceived prior to the completion of the
report, they will be admitted as evil
| dence, subject to the boards limita-
| TONS
| Major Lee summed up the case, diS-
claiming that he was acting as counsel
for Miles in technical sense, adding
that he had been there simply
to present and elicit evidence
eve neither allege nor charge" Lee
said ''any intent or design on the part
Of any officer of the army to furnish
bad or unfit ration, but the evidence of
regiment and company commanders
shows that an irreparable mistake has
| been made, that some one Numbered
and soldier became the sufferer" He
| cOntended that canned roast beef was
| adopted as a ration without adequate
or proper test. Lee declared that some
inspections were SO perfunctory that
|
| reputation Of the packing firms. -
Since when,' he asked, have corpo-
rations and trusts become exempt from
| the close scrutiny that would be ap-
| piled to the dealer of moderate
means?' Taking up the question of re-
frigerated beef, Lee quoted testimony
to the effect that Eagn said Armour &
|
Co. ana Swift & Co. had knowledge OF
preserving process and continued:
All this transpired before the opening
Of bids June Is and shows clearly that
preservative process was then under
favorable consideration. Lee con-
| tended that it was established beyond
all doubt by competent and reliable
testimony that the beef furnished the
| troops in Florida had been subjected
| TO some process to insure it keeping
| the specified contract time. He then
| Saln: 1T must be clear that if a secret
chemical process was used with meat
delivered to the troops at that point,
similar use no doubt of the same pro-
cess would be used on meat
sent to other points. Lee
in summing up said in part: I'VE
believe that a great fraud has been
perpetrated upon the government ana
great crime has been perpetrated on
the soldiers, and as to the party Of
parties who committed this offense.
and whether the evidence should be
referred to the judicial officers of the
government, we leave to the considera-
ton of the court"
At the conclusion of Lees argument
Recorder Davis arose and said simply,
L submit the case to the board with
out argument"