The record-union., 1899-03-20

| y" as &AAA AsA6AAS AAA SAAC Al SCA AOA
All the Meat Received at Lakes
land Was Coated That Way.
| LEAVENWORTH (Kas), March 10.
The army beef court of inquiry con-
cluded the taking of testimony at Fort
Leavenworth at noon to-day and at
4:1o departed for Chicago, where the
sessions will be resumed on Monday
morning. The sole witness examined
to-day was Sergeant Edward Mason,
Troop A, First United States Cavalry,
located at Fort Robinson, Neb, who
served as Regimental Commissary Ser
geant at Lakeland, Fla, and during tho
Cuban campaign.
| Sergeant Masons testimony was
| probably the most direct that has been
adduced since the court left Chicago.
witness declaring that meat received
at Lakeland for use in his regiment
was undoubtedly chemically treated"
An agent of Armour & Co, he further
| testified, told me at the time that
this meat had been treated with what
was called preservaline." Witness had
refused to accept the meat.
| Sergeant Mason was interrogated in
dividually by each member of the court.
and could not be shaken in his. testi-
mony.
Witness was then taken in hand by
Major Lee. He said he was detailed
Commissary Sergeant at Lakeland
about April 29th, and served as such
through to the close of the Cuban
campaign.
Did you as Commissary Sergeant
or acting Commissary Sergeant for the
regiment draw any refrigerated beef
at Tampa or Lakeland?" asked Major
! Lee.
Il did, sir"
What occurred?"
1.-THE meat we received was in APP
pearance fine, but it was undoubtedly
chemically treated. One morning l went
down to the refrigerator car to draw
meat, and l objected to the appearances
of it, An agent of Armour & Co. was
there 1 do not know what his name
was. He told me at the time that this
meat had been chemically treated with
what was called 'preservaline.' 1t was
as if it had been painted over with
something like paraffine wax. There
was light coating ON the outside of
the meat / objected to the color of
the meat. and refused to accept it. Our
commissary officer came down. and he
refused to accept it.
"About what time was that?"
ssThe 2Sth or Doth of May
"Who was the officer that came
DOWN."
Lieutenant c. ]. Hartman
"About how much was there of this
meat at that time?"
Probably 5000 pounds that was in
the car
did you notice it generality"
sT examined the meat very carefully
as Commfssary Sergeant. had handled
meat before. The meat was undoubted-
ly spoiled"
Were any reports made by Armours
agent at the time as to the harmful-
ness or lack of harmfulness of the
preparation; was it discussed?"
my recollection is that he stated that
the preparation used did not hurt the
meat. He advised us to cut off the
outside. and said the meat was all right
in the interior next to the bone"
s.Did he state where this had been
done?"
mo, sir
seWhere had the meat come from be-
fore coming to Lakeland?'
81 do not know 1t came in carloads:
probably from Chicago or Kansas
City,
..Might it have come from Tampa?''
Eyes, SIR
s'You know, as a matter of fact, thai
there was a refrigerator establishment
there. where meats were sent to the
various commands?"
II know that I think our meat came
from Chicago. 1t was not billed III
any way to the Commissary
1T was not billed in any way to the
Commissary: it came entirely to the
Commissary?'
ut came to the agent entirely"
BY General George w. Davis;
Ibid all the meat you got at Lake.
land appear to have this glossy sur
face like paraffine?'
Yes sir.
Did you say it looked as if paraftine
was over it?
.All the car meat we received had
that appearance"
How about the beef you received
late in Cuba?"
..The majority of the beef we re-
ceived in cuba spoiled on US; it was
the fault of the climate, as | thought
at the time"
"Who was present besides yourself
at this interview with the agent OF
Armour & Coz?
lieutenant Hartman, and probably
SERGEANT Ables, who is now COM
nissary Sergeant at Santiago.
aAre YOU sure the agent was an Ar
mour man?
..Yes, sir; I am positive of that, be-
ca,,sss T made out the vouchers.
..Was he a resident of Tampa, or did
he simply come from there?"
II think he was probably Chicago
man."
..What was his appearance?
"He was a short, heavy set man. N
fact. Armour had two agents there
one young man of %, the other de-
cidedly Jewish in appearance. The one
I refer to was the young man.
.sCould you scrape this material otl
the surface Of the meat-the preser-
valine?''
II could not say that we could scrape
it off, 1t would break. 1t was SO tight
/ could not scrape it of"