The record-union., 1899-03-04
Major Lee Cross-Eramines Witnesses VI
Behalf Of the Army Commander.
Antagonizes the Court With tho
First Witness to the Extent Of
Demanding the Admission Of
Certain Letters as Evidence,
Which Was Refused.

est development OF the War Depart
ment Court of Inquiry into General
Miles beef charges was the appearance
to-day of Major Jesse Lee as counsel
for the General commanding the army
Major Lee was so introduced to the
court by the Recorder, Colonel Davis,
at the beginning of the afternoon ses-
sion. He began to ross-examine wit
nesses at once, and with the first one
antagonized the court to the extent of
demanding the admission of certain
letters as evidence, but was refused.
The proceedings We're not marked, how
ever, by any evidence of unpleasant
friction between the court and the new
counsel
Captain Groom of the Philadelphia
City Troop was the first witness before
the war inquiry to-day. About two
weeks out Of four, while in Porto Rico,
his command lived on canned roast
beef. TT was our food and meat" said
witness, that was about all there was
to it. We never ate it cold, but had it
made into stews, with what vegetables
we could get and whenever we could
get them
OF the refrigerator beef Captain
Groom said it was occasionally tainted
on the edges. and had to be trimmed !;
otherwise it was excellent meat
Aboard the transport witness had
charge of feeding the men, and saw to
it that the meat was drawn at night
and cooked as soon as the galieys were
unoccupied thereafter, being served to
the men in satisfactory condition. Wit
ness invaded four men of his command
and brought back ninety-three in as
good condition as when they sailed
Colonel J. A. Case of the Fourth
Pennsylvania, who served with General
Brooke in the Porto Rico campaign,
said he had had about six days exper-
fence with canned roast beef At first
the men tried to keep the meat after
the cans were opened, but it spoiled be-
tween meals.
Captain A. M. Gray of the = Sixth
Massachusetts, which went to Porto
Rico on the Yale when she carried Gen.
eral Miles south, said the principal
cause of complaint among his men was
not as to the quality of the rations but
because they were short in quantity.
Alfred F. Foote of Holyoke, Mass. a
Sergeant of the Second Massachusetts,.
which served at Santiago, had new
adjective of the much discussed canned
roast beef. He said it tasted ''bleached -
The court went into executive session
to consider the reply of General Miles
to the inquiry Of the court as to wheth-
er he was to be regularly represented
by counsel. and it was stated after the
session that Major Lee will hereafter
appear as the regularly accredited coun-
sci for General Miles
The appearance of Major Lee in the
case is the elimination of considerable
correspondence between General Miles
and the court as to the accuracy of
some statements made by witnesses on
the stand. and which General Miles con-
sidered he had official data to prove
incorrect
This does not place General Miles in
the position of defendant before the
court, but gives his counsel the right
of conducting a cross-examination as
full as he desires.
H S. Van Setback of the Rough Rid
ers testified that the canned beef was
bad and the rations generally unsatis-
factory He said that he had been
more or less i'll since his return, and
physician, that he was suffering from
stomach trouble, due to bad and in
sufficient food.
At this point Major Lee, counsel for
General Miles, raised the first issue
with the court. Witness said he had
certain letters written him from Cuba,
describing the conditions there from
day to day. He offered to read them.
but Colonel Davis declined.
Major Lee stated that he thought the
letters should be admitted as evidence,
Citions which were being inquired into.
The court declined to entertain the
suggestion.
Lieutenant Fanthayer, who was
aboard the Yale on her trip to Porto
Rico, supported the preceding witnesses
in all the uncomplimentary things they
had said of the canned roast beef.
Major Lee continued the examination,
and elected the fact that the refrigera-
tor beef served aboard the Yale was so
offensive that it was repulsive even in
soups and stews.
Major Lee also got from the witness
a detailed description of the canned beef
to the effect that it was in long strips
in the can the meat being held together
by long strips of fibre or gristle which
had to be cut away. being wholly un-
eatable When his command went
ashore, Is per cent. of the men were
sick.
RRITTAI, MURDER.