Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-05-11

The report places the quantity 81 canned
roast beef purchased for the war by the
commissary department al G,sf7 ia pounds.
including $4,000 pounds which was brought
from Liverpool ana other English ports.
This amount is characterized as excessive.
and the commissary general Gen. Eagan)
Is severely criticised in several parts Of
the document on this score.
other Conclusions.
Replying specifically to other questions
set out by the president, the court says:
That the canned beef was described as
fresh" because IL was not sailed. but that
the meat was not Old or stale.
That the refrigerated beef furnished the
army was mot doctored or treated with
any other agency than cold air"
That the meat purchased for the army
was the meat of commerce; that both
kinds-refrigerated and canned-were such
az are Well known 70 both hemispheres as
commercial articles, % which there Is and
has been very large consumption not only
by the trade generally. but By the United
States navy ana by The armies and nayies
Of Europe
That 10 reports Of unfitness or unsuita-
bNity Or the beef sent from the United
States were forwarded 70 the war depart
mens by any general officer serving IN Cuba
or Porto Rico while the field operations
were in progress, nor were any such reports
received until more than month after hos
Titles ceased
That barring some defects in methods Of
Inspecting the beef or its delivery to the
subsistence department the deterioration
Of the meat In shipment was due to the
fault Of no one.
Miles Charges.
re charges Of Gen Miles. as made in
newspaper interviews, as well as those
made before the war Investigating commits
sion, are referred to at length. among them
being the interview with the general sent
out from the New York office of the Asso-
ciated Press on the 3lst of January IN
which Gen Miles was quoted Is saying that
he had overwhelming evidence that the
beef was treated with chemicals to preserve
II and that he had aftidavits from men who
saw the beef undergoing the embaiming
process" The court notes the denial which
Gen. Miles made of this part of the CONVEX
sation as it was printed in he New York
Herald. but prints the charge a part of
the allegations, saying on this point; THE
testimony of both Mr.. Reid and Mr.. Berry,
Of the New York Times. agree in the verify
Of the interview as reported by the former,
and this is found in the Herald clipping.
The court does not therefore ignore this
paragraph. bat treats II as a part Of the al
legations which are under investigation"
Several pages of the report are devoted
to the consideration Of the allegation made
BY Gen Miles that the refrigerated beef
was treated with preservatiyes, but the
statement Is made upon the threshold of
this question that but little testimony was
submitted nv nun ~ support Of this con-
tention The inference drawn By the
court from the absence of such testimony
is adverse 60 the existence of the practice
alleged TO prevail by the major general
commanding.
Approved by the President.
The report closes with the following state
ment: THE court With q deep sense of the
responsibilities devolvng upon Il has la
bored zealously 10 bring out he truth and
believes that 1t has fully covered all the
matters referred to it for investigation,
That the calling Of more witnesses from the
large number suggested by the major gem
eral commanding, including all those who
have taken part in the operations of the
war would only have resulted in additional
testimony on the same lines as those pur-
sued, without throwing further light upon
the questions involved"
The document is signed by J. f. Wade,
major general, United States volunteers.
president, and George y Davis, lieutenant
colonel, deputy judge advocate general, re-
cocder Tie dndiags OF the court are APP
proved by the president The court is dis
solved by order OF Adjt Gen Corbin acting
secretary Of war.