The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-11
According to the "I1lOgica1 and Un-
certain Decision" of .sThree In
telligent Army Officers"
SECRETARY ALGER BLAMED
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY SAID To HAVE
FULL FAITH IN MILES.
Testimony Before the Senate Pure
Eat Oleomargarine for Butter.

CINCINNATI. O.. May 1o-The Enquirer.
tomorrow. will print the following inter-
view with Hon. H. r. Probasco, ex-United
States district attorney here. a relative Of
ex-Secretary Sherman, and recently coun-
sci for General Miles:
when the court convened. having previ-
ously 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 accused.
that it would be ill-advised to introduce
lawyer, and Major ]. NJ. Lee was selected
by General Miles to aid the court and the
recorder"
did 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 important ones"
What Is your opinion as to the report OF
the court of inquiry?"
"I have not read the full report. but have
seen the synopsis of it. / was amused that
three intelligent army officers, sitting as
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 mama from heaven, and
that General Miles was careless because he
did not report the first vague rumor which
came to his ears, that this food was bad.
Every witness condemned the so-called
canned roast beef as an unfit ration. The
chief clerk of the commissary generals Of
flee testified that canned roast beef. in 1878.
was used as an experimental ration, and
was adversely reported on after short
trial. The court was evidently so well satis-
fed as to the proof of the truth of General
Miles's allegation as to canned roast beef,
that when, shortly before the testimony
closed, they were asked to subpoena a list
of l34 additional witnesses, they declined to
subpoena ALL except ten, for the reason that
the 14 would give cumulative testimony
only against the canned roast beef"
What about the embalmed beef?"
Before bids were received by the COM
missary general he was advised by expert
cattle and beef men that fresh beef would
not hold up twenty-four hours after deliv-
cred 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 men that
the parties who desired to furnish the fresh
| beef had a process which they said would
enable them to deliver meat which would
keep sound and fresh for seventy-two hours
after delivery from the refrigerator.
1.-The day after the bids were opened at
torneys in Washington addressed a COM
munication to the secretary of war, making
the argument that notwithstanding their
clients bid sc mewhat higher than the others
they ought to - awarded the contract be-
cause of their ability to perform their con-
tract by means of the Powell process for
the preservation of meat, which they con-
trolled and which had been satisfactorily
tested under the auspices OF the govern
ment. This letter was referred by the secre-
tary of war to the commissary general for
his consideration, who returned it 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 re-
turned by the secretary of war.
"Dr. Days testimony that he had found
by chemical analysis of meat furnished the
|
no wise contradicted. Three witnesses, Ser
geant Mason, Lieutenant CAMPER and DR..
Castle testified that the agent at Lakeland.
Fla. had told them that they had found
it impossible to comply with their contract
to deliver fresh meat which would remain
sound and sweet for seventy-two hours aft
er delivery from the refrigerator without
the means Of a chemical process; which
court found. In the face of this testimony.
that no meat delivered was chemically
treated it amounts almost to qualification"
Has there been any change in the man.
ner Of supplying troops with meat since this
criticism was first made?"
Indeed there has. Cattle on the hoof are
now being delivered in Cuba. killed on the
island and delivered to the troops the fol-
lowing day and no complaint has been
made. Furthermore. so-called canned roast
beef was dropped as a meat ration some
time ago, / think during last August or
September; all of which shows that General
Miles's reference to the method OF supplying
the troops with meat as an experiment
was correct, and that his opinion that beef
on the block or on the hoof is the only suit
able fresh meat ration for troops was well
founded"
'Is there anything else in connection with
this matter?"
Yes. the great majority OF the papers
ard Of the people, including the President
Il know this from a conversation with him
about three weeks since) believes that Gen.
Miles would not make statement concern
ing any person or circumstance which he
did not honestly believe to be well founded
and true General Niles has no political
ambition whatever and no more thinks Of