New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-12
THE COMMISSARlES BLAMED.
,rrF AT CAMP THOMAS GARFIELD IN
PM FILTHY WAGONS.
-,,,ovy GIVEN BY L1EUTENANT-CoLo-
xE1. SHARPE AND OTHERS BEFORE
THE COURT IN CHICAGO.

THE COURT IN CHICAGO.
March u-Iieutenant- Colonel II. b.
- testified at the beef inquiry to-day mat
,,s which had not been cleaned after behs
..sod for the transportation OF manure ana wagons
us 49,, carriage had been carried. the bottoms
N -, w.. covered with slime In which maggots
o. -.,rlirr were used 20 carry fresh meat 10
W. ,,,ors ~ Camp Thomas at ChiCkamauga last
Nv Lieutenant Coonel sharpe was stationed
- rt,,kar,auga from April % 10 July 20 OF last
O. ons later was chief commissary under Gen
-, brooke I'm Porto Rico. The blame for this
era" ,or - .hir-s said Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe.
-. che shoulders Of the regimcntal commits
,os u.ho sent the wagons for the meat without
sar,,r them properly cleaned. according 10 orders
4, soon as he learned Of the matter he ordered
= wagons cleaned Immediately The meat issued
- -. troops the witness said was Of good quality
- in good condition. but after Il had been carried
a. wagons in the condition described II was. OF
.o,rse impossible for the troops TO use IT,
g. witnesses were examined AT the first sitting
- tho court to-day. the evidence given by Lieu
, ,erart-Colonel Sharpe being the most important
- .he dav The court will reconvene Monday
uo,,,ne There are number Of witnesses yet to
he examined in Chicago but it is expected that the
La, will have been heard by Monday night or
Tuesday al the latest
MAJOR SMITH PRAISES THE BEEF.
The e-st witness called was Major Fred a. Smith
,b,sf cornissary Of the Department Of the Lakes
:, v.as ,be duty OF Major Smith to purchase all
tho supplies used by the soldiers while in camp in
hts country and also the supplies used in cuba
ard Porto Rico he was General Skaters san
,br9ughou, me Cuban campaign He said.
.- never heard OF any complaints being received
., headquarters on the subject Of ratons / had
d. charge the unloading Of the beef that was
brought 70 Cuba on the transports Mississippi and
po-, Victor I saw IL every day and II made
or, 10
beef o. excellent quality and had no reason TO
change my mind during all the time continued to
issue IL III poiu. Of preservation It's condition was
GOOD ], was as good beef as ] ever There
were no complaints received while I was there"
~ororef Davi. asked. Was any OF the meat
tainted or had decomposition set n@
no s!~" was the reply There were no re-
oras,s made 10 exchange meat. Il was received
with Measure by those 10 whom issued It. and
hoard no unfavorahle comments on IL whatever.
There were never any complaints received with
respe-- % the canned roast beef so far as my
knowleice goes J saw IL used frequently and
e,e - myself on shipboard and on shore Not even
sry unofficial complaints reached me J arrived In
Nev-Yo-k August a. and ordered TO Chicago
as chief -omuissary OF the Department Of the
Lake."
Major Lee asked so far as you know. the
canned r.cs beef or boiled beef was entirely salts
factory CD 'nc ,roops2
2 i
so FAY as J knew no Official complaints or written
complaints Were made
WAS % practicable 20 nave furnished refrigerated
beef fresh 20 the troops in their operations before
the surrender
Yes sig"
Was any effort made 50 70 furnish f. 49,
Not O. my knowledge.
IT. answer 70 questions from Major Lee. the wit
ness said be had heard that some OF the meat was
In s-s. w hon no he
camps but always thought that due TO the
negligence o. the division commissaries themselves.
He had frequently seen wagons standing about for
an hour or Two after issue without being unloaded.
DO YOU wish the court 10 infer that the unsatis-
factory condition Of the meat due 10 the
neglect Of these officers or 70 the conditions under
which they hal 70 get the beef out there"
r presume IL was due 70 the conditions and the
difficulty of transportation"
II under the terms OF the contract that beef was
70 last seventy-two hours were there any facilities
n these camps around Santiago 10 enable The
troops to carry ont that provision Of the contract?'
40 sir.
"Do YOU believe It was a possible thing FOR that
beef 20 last forty-elght or seventy-two hours
NO sir. do not"
General Davis asked. Did you pass through The
camps while the troops were engaged at San
iiago2'
81 did"
"Dd you see any bacon in camp"
Yes sly"
"Did you hear any complaints about the qaulity
o. this canned roast beef?'
y did not"
Major Lee cross-examined the witness as 10 the
method ~ handling the refrigerated beef in Cuba
from me time it left the transports until It reached
the troops in the field The witness was then
dismissed
LIEITENANT-COLON sHARPE's STORY.
L.eutenant-Colonel II p Sharpe was next called
II was 81 camp Thomas from April o until Cen
era Brooke was ordered 20 Porto Rico. abou, July
q when be- was ordered 20 accompany him as
chief commissary Of the First Corps. He was
questioned 10 the terms Of the agreement with
contractors VINO furnished the beef 10 me guam
;ty 20 he delivered or ready ~ stock. and also
as % the manner Of handling The supplies by the
brigade commissaries
The orders required" he said. "that the wagons
IN which the refrigerated beef wa carried should
be very clean. and win fresh hay or straw spread
on me bottom. When wagon arrived that was
not ~ suitable condition 20 carry the beef ~ was
either sent back or cleaned and pat IN proper
shape
There was complaint about the beef on some
occasions but fl was because the regimental COM
mlssar.es sent Tor it in wagons which were unai
for Use on one occasion there was complaint
that ,sc beef was mouldy. disrolored and fun OF
maggo,s We investigated and found that The
condition had been caused by the fearful state ~
the wagon The men could uot car the beef, q
course fhev had 10 DO without. remember an
Other Instance where the wagon in which the meat
vas carried was filthy from nure thai had been
previously loaded in IT, Both tne*e wagons were
inamedlafel, ordered 20 be thoroughly ci"ansed Ia
neither ~ these cases thar have 'i'rd Was ''r
faul, due 20 the condition OF the meat oH' sole!