The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-26
ROOSEVELT ON ROAST BEEF.
SAYS THE CANNED STUFF WAS IN
PALITABLE AT BEST.

The Governor Considered a Sorry
RRtiOn-shid He Saw Both svvift's
and ArmOur's Labels on the Cans.
One Witness Said the Meat Made
Him Seriously Sick-Testihed That
IL Contained Only n Small PrOpOr-
tiOn of Good Meat.
New York, March 25-The army court
of inquiry investigating the charges made
by Gen. Miles that the beef furnished the
soldiers in the Cuban and Porto Rican
campaigns. was urfit for use. convened In
this city to-day.
Gov. Roosevelt was the only witness in
this city. He tod Of complaints of the
canned roast beef while on the transport
and also In Cuba. II did not agree with
the men.
Maj. Lee was about TO ask question.
when the Governor interrupted to say he
wished to speak of the talk of the "em-
balmed beef"
when we left Tampa" he said, two
or three quarters OF beef were put aboard
our ship. was told to put It In the shade.
1 understood 1t was specially treated for
of investigation decided to throw 1t over
board"
Can you remember the brands or labels
on the canned roast beef complained of,
either that issued in Cuba or at Nom
tauk?" asked Maj. lee.
Il do not think i can. Some were swlft's
and some Armour's, l believe.
Wholly Unnt for Use.
WIN you tell us" asked NAL Lee.
what in your opinion is the value of the
canned roast beef issued in Cuba and else
where as an army ratlon?"
Il wish to say unhesItatingly that 1t was
utterly unit and unwholesome for troops.
My experience proves beyond a shadow
Of doubt or question that at It's best the
canned roast beef was unpaiatable, and at
Its worst, 1t was uneatable and unwhole-
some"
No one had any further questions TO ask
the Governor and the hearing was closed.
The court adjourned to Governors Is
land.
masters department, who was on Gen.
Kents staff in Cuba. was the first witness
at the Governors Island session.
lie said the cans of roast beef when OPEN
ed presented a gelatinous, whitish mass
with some flbrous looking meat beneath,
which looked as II IL had been boiled
Not Good Bnt Had to Go.
WAS the meat good to eat?' asked Col.
Davis.
"The majority of the contents of the
cans l saw could not be eaten. The men
refused to eat It," replied the witness.
McAlexander said the greater part OF the
refrigerated meat appeared very fair.
The men complained they could eat only
a very small portion of each can of roast
beef, IL any at ALL continued the witness.
Under the conditions that surrounded us,
II was no use to complain. II could not
be bettered. Perhaps six or eight ounces
of the contents of each two-pound can
was meat It looked as II 1t was boiled.
1t did not look as II It had ever seen a
roaster.
sergt. James d. Guthrie, OF Company d,
Fifteenth Regiment. testified that the
canned roast beef was not of good odor
and had no nutrimont. It became tainted
after the cans had been opened five or ten
minutes None OF II was very good Only
about eight ounces in each two-pound tin
was edtdbFe at all OnIy ate the meat
once and then It made him sick to vomit-
ing.
Tasted Like TaIIOvv.
Capt. NJ. B. Saffold said he had only
tried the roast beef once. He was told 1t
made the men sick and he made an In
spection.
1T looked" said Capt saffold, '9ike boil
ed meat with all the strength boiled out
of It, and 1t tasted like tallow and wa
ter"
Corpl. Kelly of Company B. Thirteenth
Infantry, was the first witness to say any
good word for the much abused canned
roast beef He said:
II found no bad roast beef. thought ID
stringy and no salt had been used in the
cooking. / did not eat much OF 1t. 1 ate
1t perhaps fifteen times. 1t did not look
like roast beef"
The court then adjourned until Monday
at 2 o'clock p M, to meet at Washington.
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