The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-04
GEN. MILES WINS A POINT
REPR ESENTED BY COUNSEL At
. ARMT-BEET INQUIRY.
Major Lee Fully Recognized in This
Capacity by the Board This Does Not
Place Miles In the Position of Defend
ant-His Counsel Commences W0rk mt
Once-Asks for II reduction ofLetters.

ant-His Counsel Commences WORK nt
Once-Asks for II reduction o Letters.
Washington March 3.--The latest de-
velopment of the war department court
charge was the appearance to-day OF
Major Jesse Lee as counsel for the gen.
eral commanding the army. Major Lee
was so introduced to the court by the
recorder, Colonel Davis, at the Begin
ming of the afternoon session The ap-
pearance of Major Lee in the case is
the elimination of considerable CORE
spondence between General Miles and
the court as to the accuracy of some
statements made by witnesses and
which General Miles considered he had
official data to prove incorrect. 1t be-
gan with the testimony Of Colonel
| Woodruff several days ago to the effect
that beef herds were seldom, if ever
driven with troops in the Indian CAM
paigns of the west. General Miles call
ed the attention of the court to this
case and was informed by letter that
if he chose it was within his rights to
be present or to be represented by coun-
sci to keep track of the examination.
General Miles replied that it was some
times the custom in courts Of inquiry
| to have present an attorney to assist
the recorder in keeping the records in
such examination"
The court replied that 1t did not need
,i.,t, fn,, n,Io h,,t
gested that General Miles could be
present to aid in the examination of
witnesses or could be represented by
counsel, If he wished. To this General
Miles replied to-day that in accordance
with custom in such cases he would
be represented hereafter by Major Jesse
Lee for the purpose of participating
in the examination with view to
eliciting the full truth pertaining to the
subject under discussion" This does
not place General Miles in the position
of defendant before the court, but gives
his counsel the right of conducting a
direct or cross examination as fully az
he desires.
Fl. Sunshack of the Rough Riders tes-
titled that the canned beef was bad and
rations generally unsatisfactory. He
said that he had been more or less Ill
since his return and had been informed
by his brother, a physician, that he was
suffering from stomach trouble due to
bad and insufficient food. Witness said
he had certain letters written home
from Cuba describing the conditions
there from day to day He offered to
read them, but Colonel Davis declined.
Major Lee, counsel for General Miles,
stated that he thought the letters should
be admitted as evidence, tending to
bring out vividy the very conditions
which were being inquired into. The
court declined to entertain this sugges-
ton. Lieutenant Thayer, who was
aboard the Yale on her trip to Porto
Rico, supported the preceding witnesses
in all uncompimentary things they
said of the canned roast beef. Major
Lee continued the examination and elic-
tied the fact that the refrigerator beef
served aboard the Yale was so offensive
that it was repulslve even in soups and
steWs. Major Lee also got from the
witness a detailed description of the
canned beef to the effect that it was
in long strips in the can the meat be-
ing held together by long strips of fibre
or gristle which had to be cut away, be- |
ing wholly uneatable. When his COM
mand went ashore 15 per cent. of the
men We're sick. After a short march |
in the hot sun their weakness due as
he considered to bad food on board ship, |
increased till most of the men were sick, |
even if not on sick report
Captain A. G. Mitten. 9th Mas sachu-
setts, testified as to conditions in Cuba,
his evidence being condemnatory of the
canned roast beef. Lieutenant Henry
M. Slime Fourth Pennsylvania, had no
experience with the canned roast beef,
except in hash and liked it about as
well as he did the native beef. Lieu
tenant Beary regimental commissary
of the Fourth Pennsylvania, testified
to issuing and experimenting the prep
aration of canned and refrigerated beef
He had found it good and satisfactory
in almost every case.