The times., 1899-04-15
THE BEEF COURTS WORK.
investigation of Army Meat Ration-
Drawing to n Close

| The iabors of the Beef Court are draw
! ing to close. The members and the
! recorder believe that the examination OF
witnesses may be concluded today. aud
that the last public session of the court
may be held on Monday.
The principal witnesses yesterday was
DR.. Wiley, chief chemist of the DEPART
ment OF Agriculture. and Prof. MaIiet. in
| struetor in chemistry at the University OF
virginia. The evidence concerned the nu
tritive value OF foods and little that IL
new was developed. When the court con-
vened the Judge Advocate announced tie
order that the report submitted BY Major
General Miles on April 13 be received and
read in evidence except the following:
| testified.
? Those rendered by officers who have sub
mltted reports which have been read in evidence
unless such reports contain matter not covered
by their testimony or by previous reports.
j. Those relating TO operations IN Cuba or
Porto Rico which were submitted by officers who
oid not personally participate in the santiago
or Porto Riean campaigns.
DR.. Charles P. Adams. of Haekepsack
n j., who was regimental surgeon OF the
Second New Jersey Volunteers. was the
Hrst witness. He had had no experience
with the canned roast beef and found the
refrigerated meat, with TWO exceptions.
good He attributed the sickness Of the
men IN the regiment to climatic causes and
defective camp sanitation.
DR.. Charles r. BlundelI assistant sur-
geon in the Second New Jersey Volun-
teers, gave substantially the same testi-
mony
Col. Edwin ". Hine, of the same regi-
ment, was examined. and In the main
found the rations satisfactory. He could
not recall that DR.. Currie. who was lieu
tenant colonel of the regiment. had ever
spoken to him on the subject OF the chem
ically treated beef.
George B. Taylor an employe of Armour
Co., testified that he was in charge of
the icing of refrigerator cars. No chem
icals were used He depended on ice and
rock salt for keeping down the tempera-
ture in the cars.
L. F. Edwards, the Florida manager for
Armour e. Co., testified that no preserva-
tive was used other than cold air. The
beef supplied to the army in the Florida
camps was Of the same kind that was
sold to private customers.
Capt. Francis Bean, late of Battery B.
First Pennsylvania Volunteer Artillery.
testified that he had served with his com
mand in Porto Rico. The refrigerated beef
was unfit to eat and his men refused 10
eat it. When the green mold was cur
away, the meat beneath appeared to be
sound, but had the odor of dead body
The canned roast beef was especially OBJ
jectionaole and a large quantity of it was
thrown away. He attributed the sickness
in the ranks Of his command mainly to the
use of this article OF food.
John J. Murphy. superintendent OF the
icing department for Swift & Co, was
called 10 the stand and denied that any
chemicals were employed in the preserva-
tion of beef. He superintended the load
ing of the Manitoba at Newport News. and
the meat at that time was in prime condi-
tiOn.
1t is understood that Professor Bigelow.
Assistant Chemist of the Department OF
Agriculture, will be called to the stand
today.