The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-24
EAGAN ON WITNESS STAND.
Took Issue With Gen. Miles as to
Beef on the HOOf.

Beef on the HOOf.
Washington, Feb. 2S-The testimony of
Col ]. F. Weston, who was. at the out
break of the war assistant commissary
general, and who now is the successor
of Commissary General Charles P. Eagan.
together with the appearance of Gen. Ea-
gan, was the feature of to-day's proceed
ings of the court of inquiry investigating
the charges of Gen. Miles as to the beef
supply to the army while in Cuba and
Porto Rico.
Each contended that the canned roast
beef was a wholesome and nutritious COM
ponent of the army ration which was
furnished the Santiago and Porto Rican
expeditions and took issue with the regu-
lar army officers who have criticised 1t.
Regarding the refrigerated beef the tes-
timony of to-day tended to show that 1t
was satisfactory. Gen. Eagan entered into
circumstances attending the entry into
contracts with the beef concerns, and will
conclude his testimony tomorrow. There
was little of notable interest in the pro-
ceedings.
Gen. Eagan appeared in full dress uni
form wearing a sword greeted the court
smilingly and proceeded to testify. He
took issue with Gen. Miles in regard to
the beef on hoof being the best supply of
fresh beef to the army, insisting that such
course was impracticable in Cuba, and
especially undesirable in any country
where the animal heat In the beef could
not disappear before cooking
Col. Weston, in speaking of the Ponce
preservatives process experiment said the
commissary department had nothing what
ever officially to do with it. Mr.. Edwards,
he said, representing Armour & Co., came
10 him and said some beef was coming
that would be treated, and ne asked wit
ness If he would not put it on ship and
see how long il would keep The beef
arrived and witness asked Mr.. Powell
what had been done to the beef and the
latter replied that nothing injurious was
in the treatment; he had furnished beef
for years to Florida hotels, and he believ-
ed the beef In question would keep seven
ty-two hours, and. if so, and the govern
ment would contract, the full process
would be explained. Six or seven quarters
were taken on board ship. Some was in
canvas and some not. The former held
ont seventy-odd hours while the uncan-
vassed beef went up pretty quickly
Col Weston declared emphatically that
the government had no connection with the
experiment., that he merely accommodate
ed the beef people and observed the result
of the experiment.
Mai Henry Osgood, acting as assistant
commissary general prior to the outbreak
of the war, and subsequently assigned to
duty with Gen. Miles, accompanying him
TO and remaining for some time at Tampa,
was also examined.
He said he was at Chickamauga, and
testified as to the excellence of the refrig-
Grated beef Going to Santiago early in
August, he looked after the is
sue of beef. He explained the
contract with Swift & Co., saying 1t re-
ouired the beef TO keep seventy-two hours
after being taken from the ship refriger-
a tor. and If taken from the concerns re-
frigerator on shore it should keep twenty
four hours thereafter. Witness said he had
TO use some beef on the hoof but 1t never
came became firm and did not compare
favorabIy at all with the refrigerated beef,
| nor did it give such satisfaction.
Responding to Gen. Davis, witness de
c1ared his opinion that many of the claims
of officers that refrigerated beef was
snoiled were false. The beef, he said, often
appeared offensive, whereas if a knife
were used to cut off the outside "the best
beef YOU could find anywhere would be
| found. "Snap judgment was taken often
| ON that beef" the witness declared. He
/ said he had never learned whether the
beef actually would keep seventy-two
hours or not. Speaking of the men and
their complaints, he said:
sAu their lives were out of whack. l
| estimate that 80 per cent. of them had
| enlarged livers, and they were ready to
| complain at everything-wanted to be fed
all the time on delicacies."