The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-05-18
NILES CASE IN A NUTSHELL.
Recent Counsel for the General
Presents His Views.

Had With President Mckinley Regarding
Charges Submitted by Miles.
Cincinnati. O., May 10-The En-
quirer tomorrow will print the fol
lowing interview with Hon. II. r
Probasco, ex United States attorney
here, a relative of ex-Secretary
Sherman and recently counsel fol
General Miles:
"When the court convened, having
previously served General Miles as
counsel in other matters,I was asked
to go to Washington and confer
with him as regarding the proceed.
ings before the court of inquiry. 1t
was determined that inasmuch as
Gen. Miles was not in the attitude
of one accused, that it would be i'll
advised to introduce a lawyer, and
Major j. III. Lee was selected by
General Miles TO aid the court and
the recorder
did you take any active part be.
fore 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 of the
court of inquiry?'
II 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 hun
dred witnesses. should have endered
such an illogical and uncertain deci-
sion. The decision amounts to the
court finding that the beef packers
were saints sent to our soldiers with
mamma from heaven, and that Gen.
Miles was careless because he did
not report the first vague rumor
which 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 commits.
sary generals Office testified that
canned roast beef in 1873 was an ex
perimental ration and was adversely |
reported on after short trial. The |
court was evidently so we'll satisfied |
as to the proof of General Miles
allegations as to the roast beef that
when, shortly before The testimony
closed, they were asked to subpoena |
a list of 1874 additional witnesses,
they declined to subpoena all except
ten, for the reason that the 124
would give cumulative testimony
only against the canned roast beef"
BEEF WAS CERTAINLY EIBALMED.
What abbut the embalmed beei?"
Before bids were received by the
commissary general he was advised
by expert cattle and beef men that
fresh beef would not hold up "a
hours after delivered from the re-
frigerator in the climate that pre-.
vailed Ia Florida and West Indies,
and that the best course to pursue
would be to purchase the beef on
the block or beef on the hoof. He
told these gentlemen that the parties
who desired to furnish the fresh
beef had 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. The day after
the bids were opened attorneys in
addressed communion
ton to the secretary of war, making
the argument that notwithstanding
their clients were somewhat higher
than the others, that they ought to
be awarded the contract because of
their ability to perform their con-
tract by means of the Powell process
for the preservation of meat, which |
they controlled, and which had been |
satisfactorily tested under the au-
spices of the government.
''This letter was referred by the
secretary of war to the commissary
general for his consideration, who !
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