The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-23

lay ana ne I0ua0 IneFem certain dAtc-
cations against certain persons who had
made contracts for supplying food material
to the government. To continue the exam
nation of the witness on this subject in
the absence of those persons against whom
his charges were directed would be to de-
prive them of rights accorded by law. He
therefore suggested that the other parties
interested (the meat contradictory should
be given reasonable notice of the proceed
ings and that the witness be excused, sub
ject to recall when the examination could
be continued with the other Interested
parties present
DIR. DAILY said Colonel ]. F. Weston called
his attention to quarter of beef which
was hanging on a transport and which
Colonel Weston said had been for sixty
hours in the sun, and he was waiting to
see what would eventuate. DR.. Daily did
not recall anything of Colonel Weston's
statement indicating that the beef was
any other than a part of the general sup
ply or that it had been treated with a
chemical as an experiment. He noticed
that flies would not remain on the beef
and that no larvae were deposited. He
thought that strange and that beef would
not purify in the Tampa air after sixty
hours exposure. Witness finally cut a
piece from the beef and later cooked and
ate 1t. After riding horseback he became
nauseated.
Did Not Inspect Preservatives
He did not suspect preservatives on the
beef, although his taste suggested an ex-
perience he mad with preservatlves on an
telope some years before while hunting.
Nevertheless, DR.. DAILY said he remarked
to one about the matter. Witness wanted
1t made plain that Colonel Weston had
said nothing about the quarter OF beef be-
ing experimental and he had no reason to
suspect that the government was conduct
ing an experiment as to the efficacy of any
chemical preservative.
Replying to Colonel Davis, witness said
he supposed the beef was a part of con-
signment from the contractors supposed to
keep seventy-two hours in the sun, and
perhaps Colonel Weston was recurring to
tho taste of the beef as suggesting an ex-
perience with preserved antelope meat,
witness said some years ago while en- route
to hunting grounds in the west he secured
in Chicago what was recommended as
preservatiye-a white powder. 1t was used
in camp, preserved the meat, but the lat
ter, when eaten, nauseated him. An analy-
sis divulged the presence of boric and
salycilic acids In regard to the Tampa ex-
perience, DIR. Daily said 1t did not arouse
any suspicion, he did not look upon the in
cident as a government experiment and did
not feel called upon to report or take tiny
official action about 1t. He gave 1t little
thought then. and, replying to Colonel Gil
lespie, said he first considered his Tampa
experience sufficiently serious to present to
the department, when he had experience
with contract beef on the Panama. DR..
DAILY was then excused
Captain r. H. Beckham, of the subsis-
tence department of volunteers, reported as
brigade commssary of the First cavalry at
Tampa, June 6, $685. He had not knowledge
of any experiments upon beef at Tampa.
He accompanied the expedition to Cuba and
issued canned roast beef on the voyage and
after the landing. On the transport Rio
L. IANf
placed, he understood, for the purpose OF
experiment, though he had no knowledge
of any treatment and knew nothing of it's
origin. He was instructed to see how long
1t would keep
General Sumner gave him instructions to
care for and watch 1t. Some of 1t was
thrown over the second day out, and the
zHneinder on the third day. 1t had been
deck several hours before placed on
ND when thrown over it was very
None of It was eaten by any one.
cut. Cole Testifies
,ole, Sixth cavalry, who was
Rio Grande, which carried
1cl4Ssumner's headquarters and the
four experimental quarters of beef to Cuba.
was much clearer In his recollection of the
beef quarters than Captain Beckham. 1t
was. he said. from "some firm of meat
packers" and was sent expressly for expert
mental use by the soldiers with the knowl-
edge that 1t was chemically prepared The
beef lasted only three days, after which 1t
decayed and was thrown overheard. Some
of 1t was cooked before 1t spoiled. Witness
saw the piece cooked. but did not eat 1t. 1t
looked well and the man who tasted 1t said
sit Is all right"
The officers discussed It freely. but none
of them knew how the beef had been treat
ed, the process being secret. The beef that
spoiled became very offensive and exuded
dark coagulated blood.
Lieutenant Cole said ne ate some Of the
roast beef aboard the transport before It
reached the tropics and 1t was fairly good.
After It had been heated In the southern
climate 1t became Shiny and rather re-
pulsive looking.
Lieutenant Colonel H. n. Humphreys,
Twenty-second infantry. said the canned
roast beef was issued to his command in
small quantities prior to the surrender of
Santiago but he had heard then no COM
plants about 1t. When refrigerated beef
was furnished 1t was at first satisfactory.
but It spoiled in large quantities, and the
men finally ceased to care for It. The
canned roast beef was then used in a stew
but the men would not eat It. Witness did
not know why. He attempted to eat the
beef from the can. 1t did not taste right.
It gagged him. He gave 1t up.
Brigadier General ]. F. Kent, who COM
manded a division In the Santiago CAM
paign, said complaints of canned roast
beef came from the men-it seemingly nau-
seated them-but he took no action con-
sidertng these complaints unavoidable Incl
dents of the war. He understood much
of the refrigerated beef spoiled en- route
from the docks to the troops because Of the
delay incident to transporting 1t.
Transportation Insufficient
Transportation was insufficient; It had
too much to do" he SAID The canned beef
was tasteless. he declared and often repul-
sive in appearance. and apparently had
all nutriment extracted. Under the cir
cumstances, General Kent said, he did not
consider the beef defects demanded any
special report. He did not attribute any
of the sickness to want of or character of
food. General Kent, replying to General
Davis, said beef on the hoof would have
been preferable to refrigerated beef, but
he doubted very much the practfcability of
live cattle supply about Santiago.
Colonel Chas. M. Woodruff, assistant