The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-21

ing the troops hoof beef in Porto Rico,
General Miles said he was much in
favor Of It, He said that native beef
killed at night could be very well fed
the men the next day.
"Do you think" continued Colonel
Davis, that the native beef would keep
az we'll as the refrigerated beef in the
absence of cooling apparatus on shoreY'
~ am quite sure It would unless the
refrigerator beef was treated chemic-
ally with preservatives If it was treat
ed so as to keep for seventy-two hours
after coming out Of the coolers, of
course it had the advantage of the
native beef so far as keeping goes"
General Miles said his use of the
phrase "pretense of experiment. in
speaking of army beef was unfortun-
ate. lie disclaimed intending any ref
erence TO fraud and said he should
have said the refrigerated beef issue
was on the theory of an experiment"
and "a very costly one"
The trend OF questions put to the
other witnesses of the day indicated
that so long as they agreed with Cen
eral Miles as to the quality of the meat
furnished the troops in the field the
only criticism of their position the court
had to make was why they had not
taken some official steps to have the
matter remedied at the time. In every
instance the reply was that the cir
Cumstances in which the army was
placed in q sickly foreign country with
large amount Of fighting, and a great
scarcity of transportation on hand, pre-
cluded the possibility of any such ac-
tion. In each, 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 tomorrow's session.
Colonel Davis put a number Of ques
tlons as to why the commanding gem
eral had delayed definite action in the
beef matter, and General Miles re-
spOnded that he had delayed because
he did not want to act until he had
secured the very best authority, which
was information from the most reliG-
bic sources. Finally he issued his or.
der to officers to report upon the quail
ity of beef furnished. He did not re-
port directly to the secretary of war
because under a rule of 1890 the re-
port should go from the adjutant gen-
eral TO the secretary.
His attacks upon the canned and re-
frigerator beef before the war cont
mission were then taken up specifical-
ly, Colonel Davis reading the testi-
| mony of the commanding general, in
which he referred to it as "embalmed
beef" and said it had been sent as a
''pretence of experiment"
AN ApNfY pATTON-
General Miles was asked if he knew
when war began that canned roast
| beef was a part of the army ration.
! This question brought out a partial
! explanation Of his using the phrase
'pretense of experiment" He SAID he
| did not know that canned roast beef
was part of the army ration, though
| in 1883 an order had been issued in
Guiding canned corned or fresh beef
| He did not understand the canned beef
| now in question was meant. When his
| attention was finally attracted to the
| canned roast beef recently issued he
| assumed, he declared, that "it was
| being issued as an experiment" since
| it was not understood by him that
| canned roast beef was a part of the
| regular ration.
Continuing this. explanation in an
| sWer to a question of Colonel Davis
| General Miles said he thought mis- use
| of "pretense of experiment" was un.
| fortunate, and he disclaimed any in
| tention to impute fraud to any one.
| "As far as indicating fraud" he said,
Il wish to state that no such inference
was intended. 1t was perhaps an un-
| fortunate expression and had my at
| tention been called to it | might have
amended it to say--well, 'on the theory
| of an experiment.
"As a matter OF fact, it was an ex-
! pertinent and a very costly one"
General Miles read a long summary
| Of one hundred letters received by him
at army headquarters giving the vari-
! Gus terms in which the army meat was
| characterized. These included ZEN
balmed," 'decomposed." injected" ;"
| poisoned" spoiled" and the like. He
said that he should fix September 2l
(the date of DR.. Days report) as about
the earliest at which the question of
chemically treated meat had been
| brought to his notice so as to COM
mand his full attention.
! Colonel Gillespie took hand in the
inquiry when General Miles finished de-
| scribing the nauseating qualities of the
canned and refrigerated beef.
| Did you, general, ever eat any OF
| this beef?' Colonel Gillespie asked.
Il presume l did. about the time we
were at Ponce" said General Miles with
some hesitation. Yes, l presume ]
| did"
Then" said Colonel Gillespie. "it has
| not such characteristics Qualities as
would permit you to detect it Off
hand?"
mo, sir"