The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-12
BEEF CHARGES UNJUST
PACKERS AND AGENTS DEFEND
CANNED AND CHILLED MEAT.
Views of DR.. Atwater, an Expert
ence on the Horror Ship" Seneca.

WASHINGTON, JAN 11.-NIr. Tilden, sec
rotary and one of the directors of Libby.
Mcneil & Libby, timed meat packers of
Chicago, testified before the war invest
cation commission to-day as to the COM
pany's method of selecting cattle, killing
them and preparing them for market. He
said nothing was added to the meat in the
cans in which it was put up, except little
calf's-foot jelly to bind the meat together
and flavor it. The company had sold the
government, roughly estimated. 100000
pounds during the war and had received no
complaints, either at home or from abroad.
His house had furnished identically the same
meat to the English, French German and
Japanese governments as was furnished to
the United States during the recent war.
There had never been any complaints from
these customers, and the surgeon general
of the Japanese army had recently inspect
ed the canning plant and expressed himself
as we'll pleased.
Arthur Meeker formerly European agent
for Armour & Co., of Chicago, and for sew
eral years past the general superintendent
of their home plant said Armours general
methods of slaughter, inspection and cook
ing were practically the same as Swift &
Co.'S He shipped about 100000 pounds of
refrigerator beef week. The foreign trade
amounted to about $4OO1C0O annually. Their
export trade was exclusively English and
there were very few complaints from GUS
toners. He said that he could not truth
fully say there had never been a single
complaint, but they were very rare. The
firm had supplied refrigerator beef to perma-
nent United States army post for fifteen
years without a single complaint Witness
submitted a number of letters from army
officers who had dealt officially, with the
IL win flen oil Of how
expressing satisfaction with the fresh meat
service.
P. ]. Conner. Eastern manager for Ar
mour & Co. who made the contracts for
fresh beef at Camp Black, Camp Alger and
Camp Meade, said he has received no com
plants, but, on the contrary. had been com
ptimented by the various cOmmissary officers
with whom he had dealt.
George j. Brine, of Armour & Co.'S eX-
ecutive department, confirmed in a general
way the testimony of the other witnesses as
to the purity Of the companys products.
He also read a letter from DR.. Salmon,
chief of the bureau Of animal industry of
the Agricultural Department, in which the
doctor commended the Armour plant and
products without qualification.
AJeannette Jennings, a newspaper woman
and volunteer worker Of the Red Cross,
who was at Santiago on the supply ship
Texas, appeared at the afternoon session
and varied the monotony of the chemical
beef inquiry by telling her experience as
nurse aboard the Seneca, which was de-
horror ship" Witness said that, contrary
TO the testimony of numerous army sur
geOns. the Red Cross did render essential
aid to the hospitals at SibOney and else
where in Cuba and that this aid had been
requested by DR.. La Garde. the surgeon in
charge of the beach hospital, and gratefully
acknowledged at the time Regarding the
Seneca, witness was sent aboard her TO care
for the sick who were returning from Cuba.
Her description of the vessel did not differ
essentially from those of the correspondents
and sick who were aboard the Seneca on
the voyage to New York. She said that,
FfFqf FaClA of lsflf fFsff 40
vessel had not aboard it Il single article for
the use of the sick. The captain was very
attentive and supplied many meals 10 the
SICK soldiers from the passenger table, but
he protested before starting that the YES
sci had not been cleaned and was in no con-
ditiOn TO receive sick or COnVaescents, and
silg for the sick aboard. Witness, seeing the
condition, hastily collected as many supplies
as possible from the Texas, but the time did
not permit getting much The ships pas
sengers. who were foreign attaches and cor
respondents, gave up their staterooms 70 the
sick, and, with the hastily collected supplies.
the ship managed to get through without los
ing patient.
Witness spoke of the lack of surgical in
struments aboard and DR.. Conner. who was
conducting the examination asked what
need there was for surgical instruments be-
yond scissors and bandages. Witness replied
that one soldier who had nearly suffocated
being shot through the lungs, had ia ounces
of liquid pumped out of his thorax as soon
as they could get him into Bellevue Hos
pital. Others. she said. We're almost as badly
in need of surgical attention. She said fur
Their that in spite of the fact the Seneca
and other transports untitled for the care of
sick and wounded were loaded to their ut
most for the home voyage the Relief, which
was fitted 10 carry SO sick. came home inn
mediately afterward with only 10 patients
aboard her.
The next witness was DR. w. A. Atwater.
q special agent Of the Agricultural Depart
mont. who was called an expert chemist on
the subject "of embalmed beef" The gist
OF DIR. Atwaters testimony. which occu-
pied some hours. was that he considered the
ordinary canned beef of commerce. both
rrtd ~no Foavt. exec llspt food and ah1uf
of equal nutritive value. lie also considered
refrigerator beef excellent food and had
never heard Of chemicals other than salt and
saltpeter being used in preserving any sort
Of meat to be found in the general market.
DR. Atwater was exceedingly guarded In his
testimony. however. and would not give
categorical answers. He was INDUCED by the
commission and furnished a long qualified
and explanatory answer 10 almost every
query.
"A Excited Frenchnann Burned.