Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-02-24
Army BEEF INVESTIGATION
sral Miles the First Witness before
49, Nnurt ~ TnnulPv. H1Ws ~ x

VA ~ the Court OF Inquiry
S WASHINGTON, Feb. 2L-The Miles
court OF inquiry yesterday made good
start in its work. The first witness to
appear was General Miles. While de-
nying the authenticity of two inter-
views, alleged to liave been had with
him. lie admitted that there was much
in them with which he agreed. When
asked il he had reported to the COM
missary department the fact that com
plants had been made against beef
he said he was not compelled to
report to the commissary general
The general said he had no intention
to imputc fraud to anyone in connec-
ton with the canned roast beef, but
as a matter of fact it was an exper-
iment, and a very costly one. He said
the next day after getting ashore he
advised the war department not to
send refrigerated beef to Porto Rico
He then told of the complaints against
the beef at Ponce. He read long
summary of 100 letters received by
him at army headquarters. giving the
various terms in which the meat was
characterized. All considered it bad
In addition he showed summary OF
reports on refrigerated beef condemned
and thrown overheard. Lieut.. Col.
Van Horne, Lieut.. Col. Minor and
Major Jackson followed Gen. Miles.
Their testimony corroborated that OF
the general, each testifying that the
beef was bad. ,--
WAsHINGToN, Feb. ga number OF
army officers who participated in the
Santiago campaign were heard by the
court of inquiry yesterday. Prac-
tically without exception the officers
condemned the canned roast beef fur
nished as a travel ration and reviewed
complaints about it which the men
very generally made, declaring it UNI
palatable and wanting in nutriment.
On the other hand, the refrigerated
beef suffered but little at the hands of
the witnesses, it being generally con-
coded that it was good when delivered
from the transports and when it es-
capped the decomposing effects of the
tropical sun en- route to the several
commands it was found to be satisfac-
tory. General commissary methods in
Cuba were inquired into Difficulty
in preventing ta,nt before cooking
was experienced generally. There
was very little in the evidence point
ing to any use of chemicals upon this
beef. The contention of General
Miles that the army in Cuba and Porto
Rico should have been supplied with
herds of cattle or beef on the hoof in.
stead of refrigerated beef was support
ed by every witness who gave his opin.
ion upon this question.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-Yesterday's
proceedings of the court of inquiry in
vestigating the beef controversy de-
veloped little that was new. The tes-
timony, with the exception Of that of
DR.. DAILY, surgeon on the staff of Gen.
Miles during the war, and of Colonel
Woodruff, assistant commissary gen.
eral, was generally in the line of that
of Tuesday. The canned roast beef
was condemned, the chief complaint
being that it often decomposed en-
route to camp. The testimony of rep.
resentatives of the subsistence departs
ment was begun. that of Colonel Wood
ruff. assistant commissary general. be-
ing the most notable. He purchased
more than 100000 pounds of canned
beef and told of the method Of pur-
chase and the reasons that prompted
it. He took issue with General NJ lies
that beef on the hoof was
t he usual source of fresh meat supply
to the army.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-The test,-
mony of Colonel J. r. Weston, who
was at the outbreak of the war assist
ant commissary general and who now
is the successor of Commissary General
Eagan. together with the appearance
Of Gen. Eagan. was the feature of yes
terday's proceedings of the court, Of
inquiry investigating the charges Of
Miles as to the beef supply to
the army while in Cuba and Porto
Rico. Each contended that the canned
roast beef was wholesome and nn-
tritious component of the army ration
which was furnished the antiago and
Porto Rlcan expeditions and took Issue
with the regular army officers who
have criticised it. Regarding the re-
frigerated beef the testimony tended
to show that it was satisfactory.