The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-23
BEEF INQUIRY.

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Dr. Days Tcstimony-Canncd Roast
Beef Condemned. But Refrigerated
Meat Commended.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 22-To-day's
proceedings OF the court OF inquiry In
vestigating the beef controversy devel-
oped little that was new. The testl-
mony, with the exception OF that Of DR..
DAILY, surgeon on the staff of General
Miles during the war. and OF Colonel
Woodruff. assistant commlssary gem
eral, was generally In line with that Of
yesterday. The canned roast beef was
generally condemned as unsatisfactory.
while the refrigerated beef was COM
mended, the chief complaint being that
1t often decomposed en- route to camp.
The testimony of representatives OF the
subsistence department was begunth
of Colonel Woodruff. assistant commits
sary general, being the most notable.
He purchased more than 100000 pounds
OF canned beef and told OF the method
or purchase and the reasons that
prompted II. He took issue with Gem
eral Miles contention thnt beef on the
hoof was the usual source OF fresh meat
supply TO the army. Another feature of
the day was the Introduction OF DR..
DAILY, who. charged before the war COM
mission that refrigerated beef AT Chick
amauga, Jacksonville, Tampa and In
Porto Rico had been treated chemically.
He was not examined. however. In re-
gard TO this charge, Colonel Davis an
nouncing that the contractors who were
attacked were entitled TO be notified of
the examination upon this point that
they might have ample time In which
to appear should they desire TO do so.
The law required this. he said. Accord
inSly, DR.. Daily was excused after par
tial examination and will be recalled
later, The investigation will proceed
tomorrow when General Eagan for
mcr commissary general. is expected to
appear and tell the story of the beef
supply as viewed by this department.
Prior 10 leaving the stand, however.
DR.. DAILY, was examined in regard to the
Powell experiment with beef preserva-
tives at Tampa, Colonel Davis pointing
out that IL was merely experimental
and no contractor was involved DR..
Daily said Colonel ]. T.. Weston called
his attention to a quarter of beef, which
was hanging on Il transport and which
Colonel Weston said had been for sixty
hours In the open and he was waiting to
see what would eventuate. DIR. DAILY
did not recall anything Of Colonel Wes-
toms statement indicating the beef was
other than n part of the general supply
or that 1t had been treated with chem
ical as an experiment. He noticed that
flies would not remain on the beef and
tb1t larvae 1nnncitnI He
thought that strange. and that beef
would not purify in the Tampa air af-
ter sixty hours exposure. Witness
finally cut a piece from the beef and
later cooked and ate il. After riding
horseback he became nauSeated. He
did not suspect prcserVatives on the
beef. although his taste suggested an
experience he had with preservatives on
antelope some years before while hunt
ing. Nevertheless DR.. Daily said he re-
marked TO no one about the matter.
Witness wanted it made plain that Col
onel Weston had said nothing about the
quarter Of beef being experimental and
he had no reason TO suspect the govern
ment was conducting an experiment as
10 efficacy of any chemical preserva-
tiye, .-----...,-.
Replying 20 Colonel Davis. Witness
said he supposed the beef was part of
consignment from the contractors.
supposed 10 keep seventy-two hours in
the sun. and perhaps Col. Weston was
merely curious 10 see II the beef would
stand the test. Recurring 10 the taste
Of the beef as suggesting an experience
with preserved antelope meat, witness
said some years ago while en- route 10
hunting grounds in the west he secured
In Chicago what was recommended rs Il
preservative-a white powder 1t was
used in camp. preserved the meat, but
the latter when eaten. nauseated him.
An analysis divtigcd the presence Of
boric and salycilic acids.
In regard To the Tampa experience,
DR.. DAILY said IL did not arouse any SuS-
picion. he did not look upon the Incl
dent as n government experiment and
did not feel called upon to report or
take any official action about II. He
gave II little thought then. and. reply
ing to Colonel Gillespie, said he first
considered his Tampa experience suill
ciently serious to present 10 the depart
ment when he had experience with con-
tract beef on the Panama.