Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-02-21

ment in the war with Spain and In the
matters purporting to have been furnished,
to the public press by the officer. all OF
which As transmitted herewith, marked en-
closures A, 3 and C. respectively.
ssThe president also directs special tnves-
tigation be madeEto determine If the beer
furnished the army was wholesome and
of good quality and sufficient quantity, ana
to inquire with care into the allegation that
is was treated with acids or chemicals
by the contractors or others, or in any way
made deleterious to the health of the con-
.sumers If there was bad meat issued TO
the troops, the responsibility for 1t must
be fixed, with view to further action.
Every respectfully.
III C. CORBIN,
"Adjutant General
The court was then sworn and Major
General Nelson A. Miles was presented as
the first witness. He was sworn and. after
stating nis rank and office. was asked ABOUT
his statement before the war committee.
He said he made one. and upon Colonel
Davis submitting a printed report of that
statement. General Miles examined and ap-
proved it.
Then he was asked about an alleged in
terview, which appeared in the New York
Journal of December q. whether it repre-
scented completely or in part. what he said.
General Miles read ii and said:
II do not recall anything in that interview
that had not been given in my testimony,
or transmitted in my reports. You Will OBJ
serve it contains none of my declinations
to name officers or my authorities and re-
fusals to answer. 1t must, therefore, be in
correct in its representation"
He then commented upon the general
slight inaccuracy of newspaper interviews,
owing to the dependency of writer's upon
their memories. Hardly a day in six
months had passed that an interviewer
had not applied and, because of the kind
ness of the press to the army. and espe-
cially the enlisted men. he had endeavored
TO give them such Information as he
thought wise and safe. but never, he said.
with a view to prejudicing anyone against
any person or department. Finally, Cen
eral Miles said he did not think the Jour-
nal interview represented correctly what
was said. because its contents should be
taken in connection with all that was said,
his silence upon some points and speech
upon others.
Then, being asked about an interview
from the New York Herald of February I.
he said: Il have letter from the gentle-
which he says he is willing to swear that
1 declined to be interviewed. and that,
thinking something had been given out, he
had proceeded to write what he knew were
the facts" -
He then pointed out that the interview
was erroneous, in that where it represented
him to have said that he had overwhelrn-
Ing evidence that the refrigerator beef was
treated with chemicals the fact was that
his only evidence was what was contained
In the reports OF officers and statements OF
men who claimed that the beef had the
odor Of an embalmed body, that they had
seen huid injected into beef and other in
dtcations OF chemical treatment. He de-
elared the interview an erroneous presenta-
ton OF what he could possibly have said
Colonel Davis. recurring to the statement
OF General Miles before the war commits
sion, asked him what his idea as to the
beef supply for the army was when wa,
broke out Replying, General Miles said
while his attention was occupied witt
weightier matters Of mobilization and equip
ment of troops, he felt confident that the
usage of a hundred years would be fol-
lowed and cattle herds would be shipped Il
the army in the tropics and killed there
just as they were during the civil war ii
the South, in Arizona, Texas and Mexico
where 1t was so hot that a soldier could
not sit upon the rocks. He understood
Cuba and Porto Rico were excellent gras
countries. where cattle could be shipped
and kept in prime condition. He reviewed
his action in cabling the department t.
send no more refrigerated beef to Port,
Rico, while he was there, finding it possibl,
to use beef on the hoof.
q General Miles said that he understood
that our troops In Porto Rico were still be
ing supplied with a form of refrigerated
beef. although the country was as good ;
grass country as, any In the world, and tn
cattle there were plenty and the Spanisl
troops drew all their meat supply from thi
source.
Colonel Davis asked IL General Mile
knew whether Porto Rico exported an.
cattle. Witness said 1t did, to the numbe
OF several thousand, and that they wer
fine Srattle. Still he understood that ou
troops were rot only receiving refrfgerate'
beef at the coast but 1t was being sent int,
the intarior. The situation now. he said
was difflrent from that during the war
Now, there were Ice machines on shore
Then there was not ice enough for tn
hospitals. ~ ~
Recurring to the .expediency OF feeding
the troops hoof beef in Porto Rico. Genera
Miles, said he was much, tp ,fayor of ii
he Sd}Q u6llSS occl AAuSl utShI Coua'
be very well fed the men next day.
"Dosyou think,s' continued Colonel Davis
shat the native beef would. keep as wei
IS the Refrigerated beef in the absence o
COOLING apparatus on shore?
'.I am quite sure 1t would, unless the re
frigerated beef was chemically treated wit
preservatives. II 1t was treated so. as t
Keen for seyenty-two hours. after comin
out of the coolers, OF course it had tn
advantage of the native beef-so far a
keeping goes"
Asked how long he was In Porto Ric
before he advised the department agains
sending more refrigerator beef. Genera
Miles said he had learned of the larg
supply of native cattle soon after landing
and advised the war department the mex
day after getting ashore.
Referring to the canned roast beef as di:
tinguished from the refrigerator beef. Co
onei Davis read "a portion of General Mile:
war commission. testimony condemning
IN severe terms. General Miles said tn
canned roast beef was issued to volunteer
and regular troops alike on the transport
and in Cuba till the arrival of the refrif
orator beef. 1t was fully tested by bot
the regulars and volunteers. The drst CON
plants of 1t. General Miles said. he ha
heard at Tampa from some of the roug
riders from San Antonio. but he paid littl
attention to it at the time. not realizin
fully that there had been any change
the standard ration. He again heard Of
aboard the Yale. when the men declare
they could not eat it, and he ordered tn
inspector to inquire into it. Again
heard Of II in the trenches Of Santiago. br
he was still largely occupied with the can
paign and he thought nothing more of til
complaints than he would of hearing thu