Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-05-11
DENoUNcEs THE FINDINGS
SAYS REPORT AMOUNTS "ALMOsT TO
sTULTIFICATIoN..
Declares That General Miles Has No
Political Ambition Whatever and
No Thought of Becoming
Candidate for the
Presidency.


view with H. R. Probasco. ex-United States
attorney here, a relative of ex-Secretary
Sherman and recently counsel for General
Miles: - -........
when the court convened, having pre-
yiously served General Miles as counsel in
other matters, was asked to go to Wash
ington and confer with him regarding the
proceedings before the court of inquiry. 1t
was determined that inasmuch as General
Miles was not in the attitude of one ac-
cused, it would be i'll advised to introduce
a lawyer, and Major ]. NJ. Lee was select
ed by General Miles to aid the court and
the recorder"
Ibid you take any active part before the
court?'
My only connection with the case was
comforting with General Miles and Major
Lee regarding the summoning of witnesses
and the examination of the most important
ones"
/. What is your opinion as to the report
of the court of inquiry?" .',. "'7s-- r.
II have not read the full report, but
have seen the synopsis of it. I was amused
that three intelligent army officers, sit
ting as a court for weeks, and examining.
several hundred witnesses, should have
rendered such an illogical and uncertain
decision. The decision amounts to the court
finding that the beef packers were saints
sent to our soldiers with mamma from
heaven, and that General Miles was care
less because he did not report the first
vague rumor that came to his ears that
this food was bad. Every witness con-
demned, in unstinted terms, the so-called
canned roast beef as an unfit ration. The
chief clerk of the commissary generals
office testified that canned roast beef, in
1878. was issued as an experimental ration
and was adversely reported on after
short trial. The court was evidently SO
well satisfied as to the proof of the truth
of General Miles allegations as to canned
roast beef that when, shortly before the
testimony closed it was asked to SUBJ
poena list of 1874 additional witnesses,
it declined to subpoena all except ten,
for the reason that the 124 would give
cumulative testimony only against the
canned roast beef" sa,
What about the embalmed beef?"
Before bids were received by the COM
missary general he was advised by ex.
pert cattle and beef men that fresh beef
would not hold up twenty-four hours af-
ter delivery from the refrigerator in the
climate that prevailed in Florida and the
West Indies, and that the best course to
pursue would be the purchase of beef on
the block or beef on the hoof. He told
these gentlemen that the parties who de,
sired to furnish the fresh beef had pro-
cess which they said would enable them
to deliver meat which would keep sound
and fresh for seventy-two hours after de,
livery from the refrigerator. The day af-
ter the bids were opened attorneys in
Washington addressed communication
to the secretary of war making the argu.
ment that. notwithstanding their clients
were somewhat higher than the Others
they ought to be awarded the contract be-
cause of their ability to perform their
contract by means of the Powell process
for the preservation of meat, and which
had been satisfactorily tested under the
auspices of the government. This letter
was referred by the secretary of war to
the commissary general for his considera.
tion. who returned 1t to the secretary with
his Endorsement, in which he said: These
tests are not the only tests which have
been made leaving the plain inference
that the other bidders also had processes
for the preservation of meat which had
been tested This letter was returned bv
the secretary of war.
DIR. Days testimony that he had
found. by chemical analysis of meat fur
nished the soldiers. that 1t contained chem
tcals was in nowise contradicted. Three
witnesses-Sergeant Mason. Lieutenant
Gampher and DR.. Castle-testified that the
them
that it had been found impossible to COM
ply with the contract to deliver. fresh
meat which would remain sound and sweet
for seventy-two hours after delivery from
the refrigerator without the means of q
chemical process, which process was
secret even to him.
IF the court found. in the face of this
testimony. that no meat delivered was
chemically treated. it amounted almost to
qualification" -r---'--r--
Has there been any change in the man.
her Oh supplying troops with fresh meat
since this criticism was first made?"
are now being delivered in Cuba, slaughter
ed on the island, and delivered to the
troops the following day, and no complaint
has been made. Furthermore, so-called
some time, think, during last August or
September: all of which shows that Gem
eral Miles reference to the method of
supplying the troops with meat as an ex-
pertinent was correct, and that his opinion
that beef on the block or on the hoof is
the only suitable fresh meat ration for
troops was well founded"
is there anything else in connection with
this matter?
Yes, the great majority of the papers
and of the people, including the president
u know this from a conversation with him
about three weeks since), believe that Cen
eral Miles would not make a statement
concerning any person or circumstances
which he did not honestly believe to be
well founded and true.
General Miles has no political ambition
whatever, and no more thinks of being
candidate for president, or any other Of
fice. than / do
and the adjutant general with opposing
the general commanding the army.
Kansa. knights, Templar omcers.