Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-02-24

lie Never Asserted That Timed Beef Was
Treated with Chemicals. hut Referred
to refrigerated Beer-Believed That Beef
on the Hoof Was to Be Used in the
Army.
Washington. Feb. 22.-The court of
inquiry appointed by the rrcSidcna to
investigate the charges made 10y Ma
ior-Gcneral Nelson 4. Miles regarding
the beef furnished to the army in the
war with Spain held IL brief executive
session and perfected its |organiZa-
ton. Maior-Grn. James +. Wade pre-
sided. All the members were in full
uniform. The others present were
Brig.-Gcn. George Davis. Col. George
l.. Gillispic, and Lieut.-Col. George Il.
Davis. Recorder.
The court rras~cmblcd ut noon in
the rooms formerly occupied by the
War Investigating Commission.
Col. Davis brought with him on his
return from cuba two cans of roast
beef which were placed before the
court for examination. The members
were then sworn and Gen. Miles was
announced as the first witness. Ills
examination was conducted by Col.
Davis. who inquired. Did you sub
nit to the War investigating Com
mission n Statements
Yes, sir answered Gen. Miles.
Col. Davis then submitted to Gen.
y lcs n printed copy of his statement.
indicating to him what referred to the
question of beef supplies. This Gen.
Miles pronounced to be Il correct re-
port of his testimony, who explained
that it had been supplemented by re
ports of regimental commanders.
Col. Davis next called attention to
an alleged interview. and asked Gen.
Miles if he had been correctly report
ed. y clipping from the paper giving
the interview was handed to Gen.
Miles. After carefully reading it he
remarked:
This reported interview. you will
notice, has four or five statements.
saying | declined to give names of
officers. Il declined to reply to ques-
tons. and. in fact. | do not recall any
allegations in that interview that had
not been given before the War InveS-
tigating Commission, and also in Off
cial reports from me and other Off
GERS. AS far as the interview is ON
cerned. it is evidently written from
the memory of the interviewer. AS
the press has been so kind to the army
and to the enlisted men, | have given
such information as | thought
proper"
You assumed in the beginning. that
beef cattle on the hOof would be used
II Cuba and Porto Rico:"
Gen. Miles answered afiirmativcly.
saying that from reports from officers,
among them Capt. Whitney. who was
in Porto Rico. as a spy. he believed
that beef on the hOOf was to be used
in Cuba and Porto Rico. 1t was 10
supposed that cattle on the hOof would
be procured in Cuba. but that such
cattle would be shipped there from
this country. He remarked that even
now refrigerated beef was supplied
The army in Porto Rico and carried to
-he troops through a country supplied
with herds of cattle .
You speak of them in your testi-
mony as the finest beef cattle in the
world. Are they large cattle
Il am told So
Gen. Miles again said that refrigera-
ted beef was being supplied to the
troops on the %seacoast and also in the
Interior. The conditions now were diff
trent from those during the war. Then
there were no refrigeratorS on shore
and not enough ice for hospitals.
Would the freshly killed beef not
have to be eaten quickly?'
NO. sir; no. sir. 1t would he killed
ut night. when it was cool. and would
not spoil the next day as quickly as re-
frigerated beef, unless the latter had
some artificial p~reservative that would
| Enpn IL pNnntX-IXVn hn1rS