The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-19
BEEF WAS ALL RIGHT.
The Court Turns a Trick for Alger
and Eagan.
IT'S ANOTHER WHITEWASH
The Astounding Verdict Reached That
the Meat Was Wholesome and Nu-
tritious-Asserts Niles Charges
Were Not Sustained

Washington, April 1S.-The army
court of inquiry has begun the framing
of its report. While a few minor mat
ters remain for examination. they are
not such as to effect the main facts. 1t
is regarded as certain that the court
will find that General Miles charges
that embalmed or chemically prepared
beef was sent to the army have not
been sustained. The position of the
court is believed to he that the testi-
mony is conclusive that both the re-
frigerated beef and canned beef were
in good condition when delivered to the
government and continued so until is
sued to the troops, except that portion
damaged in transportation or affected
by tropical conditions, and to these
causes of injury and these conditions
the chief causes of trouble will be at
tributed. 1t will be shown that the re-
frigerated beef after being taken from
the ice in the tropical climate spols
quickly unless well cared for, and that
the canned beef, after being opened be-
cause of the great heat becomes repul-
siVe in appearance and also unpalata-
ble
The court will hold, as the result of
chemical investigation by experts, that
the canned beef is wholesome and nu-
trtious. Attention will be called to the
fact that it was used throughout the
war by our navy and is still used by
the fleet. 1t is believed the court will
criticise those officers who have testi-
fed that they had become aware that
bad meat was issued to the troops and
failed to report their information until
the war was concluded.
The court of inquiry held three SeS-
sions to-day. devoting the forenoon TO
an executive meeting and the afternoon
to hearing and listening to- the reading
ofreports of army officers. GeneralWes-
ton related the arrangements for vic
tualing the soldiers during the war and
condemned the beef on the hoof
could not have been sTded at Siboney.
When the court ree0nvened at 9 p in.
Captain Irvine took the stand. Under
DR.. Daily, he was in command of the
transport Panama when the refrigera-
tor beef was thrown overheard on the
trip from Ponce to New York last fall.
He said he asked for the board of sur
vey, which condemned the beef, and
that he made this request because of
the putrid odor from the refrigerator
which was near one of the wards occu-
pied by convalescents This board de-
stroyed all the fresh beef on the vessel
900 pounds. This occurred on the third
day out. Previous to that time the
troops and men had eaten the beef and
found it good.
General Weston was then called. He
said General Shafter had not designat-
ed the ratiOnS to be carried to San
tiago, but that he, General Weston,
had informed him daily of what he was
doing. At Santiago there was no eX-
act system for giving out food supplies
they were given to all who came, and
in the, confusion it was more than like
| ly that some of the commands receiv-
| ed all beef and others all bacon.
Il believe" he said, our meat ra-
ton is entirely too big, and l am now
arranging to cut it down materially,
| ficiency. The people in the tropics
do not eat much meat and our soldiers
| should not require so much"
"Would the wealth or standing of
any firm. in your estimation justify
any officer in making his inspection of
it's meats less rigid?' asked Major
| Lee.
mo, sir" General Weston replied,
emphatcally.
He then said he had a good deal to
do with some of the Kansas City pack
ing firms and he had found that they
| always delivered food of as good quail
ity as they had bargained to supply.
| Speaking of the canned roast beef,
| General Weston said that when it was
| spoiled it emitted a horrible odor. He
| told of one instance when five car
| loads were rejected by one officer.
| which, upon inspection, furnished only
| 20 spoiled cans. AS matter of fact
| the beef canned for the army last year
| was the best beef ever put in cans,
but it mad been put up hurriedly. Cen
| eral Weston said he did not agree with
| those who believed that it would have
been practical to land live cattle at
| Siboney.
George L. Taylor, a sanitary engi
| neer and chemist of Philadelphia, who
went to Porto Rico last July as a lieu
tenant of the 1st volunteer cavalry.
| said he had discovered the presence of
formaldehyde in the refrigerator beef
| on the transport Chester. He and
many members of the command had
! been attacked by gastritis after eating
! the meat This gas was, he said, the
base of nearly all embalming fluids.
| When used as preSerVatiVe on organic
| substances. its presence could not be
detected by chemical analysis. With
| 10 cents worth of this whole car
load of beef could be preserved. If used
in moderation, he did not consider it
| injurious to meat.
Between 60 and 20 reports from army
| officers bearing upon the ration served
| to the army in Cuba We're read during
| the night session of the court, which
lasted until nearly half past 10 o'clock.
| The reports read by Major Lee were
along the same lines as those hereto
| fore submitted to the court.