Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-20
DEEF INQUIRY BOARD MEETS AT
FORT LEAvENWORTH.
sERG. MASON ONLY WITNESS
TESTIFIED An ARMOUR MAN SAID
MEAT WAS TREATED.
Member of Court Says Evidence at
Fort LenvenwOrth Ia Not Com
elusive, as q Few Oficers
or Men DO Not Repre-
sent q Command.

FORT LEAVENWoRTE. Kas., March 10.
-lSpecial) The board Of inquiry heard
| the testimony of one witness to-day ard
left at Ais p. m. for Chicago. There were
| but two sessions of the board here and all
the witnesses We're army officers who had
seen service in Cuba. The testimony was
| taken here at the request of Major Lee. the
representative OF General Miles, and was in
| troduced for the purpose of sustaining the
charges made by the commanding general.
1t does not appear that the testimony taken
here will have much weight with the board
II the following statement made by a men,
| ber of the court is any indication:
Il do not consider the evidence taken at
Fort Leavenworth to he of much import
| ance." said the officer. for the reason
that the statements of few officers should
not be regarded as the opinion of an entire
| regiment or command. Suppose that five
| officers Of a regiment testified that the beef
! was bad. This would be the sentiments of
few individuals. do not think that the
evidence heard here will have much intlu-
ence with the board. OF course We are
glad that We came here. but We do not
| think that anything sensational or new has
| been developed.
"Of course it was not absolutely neces-
| sary for US to visit the Kansas City pack
| ing houses, for the situation there was
| practically the same as at Chicago. Per
init me to state that 1 think the packers
| made much better showing than was ex-
| pected. 1t is extremely difficult to recall
| minor details of occurrence of a year ago.
The packers in Kansas City introduced
| documentary evidence to show that the in
| spection OF canned beef was most rigid and
| this evidence cannot be con;radicted. They
showed now every employe was cautioned to
| examine each can carefully. 1t was stated
that the wages of employees were docked if
can was found to be defective
| L am glad that the Kansas City packers
presented their side of the case in such a
| satisfactory manner"
The board met this morning at the fort
anu heard the testimony Of one witness,
Sergeant Mason. Of the First cavalry. The
| session began at II o'clock and continued
Tor about one hour. At Ais the members of
the board. accompanied by their aides and
| stenographers. left for Chicago. where they
| Will take testimony for two days. The ses-
| s1ons will then be continued in New York
where the testimony of Governor Roosevelt
| will be taken. The final hearings will be in
| Washington. and it is thought that one
week will be required to examine the wit
nesses that have been called to appear
there.
I
Sergeant Edward Mason. of the First
| cavalry. was examined this morning:
| Were you on duty at Tampa. Flag"
asked Major Lee.
mo, sir: I was at Lakeland with the
regiment. was regimental commissary ser
geant.''
did you as commissary sergeant or act
| ing commissary sergeant for the regiment
draw any refrigerated beef at Tampa or
| Lakeland?"
Il did. SIR"
| What occurred?"
THE meat We received was in appear
ance fine but it was undoubtedly chem
| ically treated. One morning went down to
the refrigeratng car to draw meat. and l
| objected to the appearance of 1t. An agent
of Armour & Co. was there. 1 do not
know what his name was. He told me at
the time that this meat had been treated
| with what was called preservaline. 1t was
| as II 1t had been painted over with some
| thing like paraffine wax. There was a light
coating on the outside of the meat. OBJ
jected to the color Of the meat and re-
| fused to accept it,
| who was the officer that came down."
Lieutenant c. J. Hartman
About how much was there OF this meat
at that timer
| Probably 5000 pounds was in the car"
Did you notice il generally"
| Il examined the meat very carefully as
commssary sergeant; had handled meat
before. The meat was undoubtedly spoiled
| Were any reports made by Armour $
| agent at the time as to the harmfulness
or lack OF harmfuiness of lhis preparation:
| was it discussed?
! My recollection IL that the preparation
| used did not hurt the meat; that 1t was
safe. He advised Us to cut OF the out
k.<a, n
| in the interior next to the bone"
did he state where this had been done?''
| mo, SIR
| Where had the meat come from before
| coming TO Lakeland:
! II cont know. II came in carloads
probably from Chicago or Kansas City"
Might IL not have come .rom Tampa:
| Yes. sir.
You know as a matter of fact that there
| was L refrigerator establishment there
where meats were sent to the various COM
| mands?
'I know that. think our meat came
from chisago l It was :. not billed in any
TO whom would he report in regard to
the meat; would he report to the COM
missary?"
HE would probably notify the commits
sary officer. We would go down In wagons
and get the meat every MORNING.
General Wade asked:
was opened?'
81 do not think l opened the car. but
l was there when it was opened
WAS il q regular refrigerator carr"
YES. sir
1T had only three thousand pounds on
mo. sir: the car was full when it came
IN
WAS the meat you got out of the car
before that treated"
Yes. sir; suppose the same as the rest
OF IT,"
WAS all the meat you got there treated
with preservaline?"
THAT i could not say. The only thing !
kne was what Armours agent told me-"
General Gillespie said:
How did the agent happen to tel you
| about the appearance Of the meat"
THE meat was supplied in the morning
and II smeiled bad. and had a bad ap-
pearance. The agent. just simply speak
ing of it. said: That is preservaline. That
is the chemical We use TO protect the mea,