Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-02-23
The BEEF INQUIRY.
Court Makes Ceremonious Calls and
Then Gets Down to Business.
Cen. NILES The FIRST WITNESS.
The Commanding General Questioned Con-
cernlng Two Intervisws-Gen. Miles
Qualified Deniai-Dr. DAILY May
Be Examined DAY.

Washington, Feb. 2l.-The Miles
court Of inquiry yesterday made good
start in its work. Calls of ceremony
on the president and the general com.
manding the army occupied a large
part of the forenoon, and Immediately
thereafter Gen. Nelson A. Miles ap.
peared as the first witness. He aud
three other army officers summoned as
witnesses we're examined and disposed
Of before the court closed its session
at three o'clock
Gen. Miles testimony, OF course was
the feature Of the days proceedings.
Col. Frank Michler, his chief OF staff,
and a gentleman in citizens clothes
who took seat by the fireplace and
gravely watched the course OF pro-
ceedings, retiring with the general as
silently as he had come, accompanied
the general to the courtroom.
Gen. Miles appeared in fatigue uni
form, rather strikino in its contrast
to the display Of scarfs bullion and
buttons on the full dress uniforms Of
the court. He submit tied to the ques.
tioning Of Col. Davis, recorder OF the
court, with equanlmity, except for a
fash Of mingled Indignation and
irony when he informed the recorder
that he was not compelled to report"
to the commissary general of the
army. This was In reply to question
as to whether or not he had reported
to the commissary department the
fact that complaints had been made to
him as to the quality OF meat being
issued to the troops An instant later
Gen. Miles resumed his cool and care
fully considered replies to the inquiries
OF the court
As indicated by a letter of the adju-
tant general, read by the recorder for
the information of the court the scope
Of the inquiry was limited to the al
legations OF Gen, Miles before the war
commission as TO the quality of the
army beef land the matter purport-
ing to have been furnished to the pub
lie press by the same official" Only
two interviews were called up by the
court the first an interview with
New York journal representative
early in the beef controversy, in which
Gen. Miles was quoted as charging
that certain chemicals were used in
the preservation of the army meat
and another in the New York Herald,
under date of February |, covering
about the same ground.
Gen. Miles was very slow and care.
full in his replies to the recorders
questions on this point, He called AT
tcntion to the fact that in both in.
stances he was credited in the inter
views with refusing to answer certain
questions, and insisted that these re-
fusals should be given due weight in
considering the questions to which he
did reply. lie said in the case of the
interview Of February that he had
letter from the man who wrote the
story offering to swear that Gen.
Miles had refused to be interviewed,
and that the whole story was made up
in the Office from the writer's general
knowledge OF the facts Notwith.
standing this when his final answer
was asked as to the authenticity of
the interview, Gen. Miles did not
specifically deny it, but merely said
that II did not quito fairly represent
his own opinion in the case. The
same qualified denial as to the journal
interview OF December 90 was made,
leaving the witness on record as not
assuming any responsibility for the
newspaper statements, but tacitly ad-
hitting that there was good deal in
them with which he agreed.
The trend Of questions put to the
other witnesses of the day-Lieut. Col,
Horne, of the Thirteenth cavalry;
Lieut. Col. Minor, of tho Sixth infan.
try, and Maj jackson, Of the Third
cavalry-indicated that SO long as they
agreed with Gen. Miles as to the quail
ity of meat furnished the troops IN the
field, the only criticism OF their posi-
ton the court had to make was why
they had not taken some official steps
to have the matter remeded at the
time. In every instance the reply was
that the circumstances in which the
army was placed in sickly foreign
country, with large amount of fight.
ing and a great scarcity of transporta-
ton on hand, prccluded the possibility
OF any such letion, In each case the
question was pushed no further on
this line.
1t was said after the court adjourned
that DR.. Daily whose original "em-
balmed beef report was the genesis
OF the meat controversy, probably
would appear at to'days session.
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otis WIN BE Rewarded.
Washington, Feb, 81. President Me-