The San Francisco call., 1899-03-26

NEW YORK. March 25.-The army
court Of inquiry investigating the
charges made by General Miles that the
5eef furnished the soldiers in the Cuban
and Porto Rican campaigns was unit
for use convened in this city to-day
Before the hearing began Major Lee
said he believed Governor Roosevelt
would be the only witness heard here
The court is expected to adjourn to
Governors Island TO hear the testimony
Of officers of the Thirteenth Infantry,
stationed there Any other witnesses
Will probably be called TO Washington
where the court sits again on Monday.
T-pon his arrival Governor Roosevelt
shook hands with several members of the
court and then took the stand, after
colonel Davis had administered the OATH
The Governor described the organization
of the Rough Riders at San Antonio
Tex. and told of the issuance of rations
when was the first complaint you
heard Of the rations?" asked Colonel
Davis ~
May I answer that in my own way p
asked the Governor.
Certainly"
Wei. it was aboard ship at Tampa.
I saw a mani think his name was Ash'
I know he came from Kentucky-throW-
ing away a can of the sO-called roast
beef I asked what was the matter and
he said he could not eat it. | told MN
not TO be baby and that ne dld not VOL
IInTeer TOR a good time and ought 10 be
abIe TO take what came. l thought no
more of the matter until heaTu lnat
complaints were being made on al! SlQes.
Then I made inquiries and was toIa tLar I1sI
the roast beef was part OF tHe S reg @ uiSsd
ration and that all the volunteers ~eIS
complaining l spoke 10 Colonel WOOD
about it, and he said 1t was the regulaafF
,.o+y0r 7 tried a mOuthful or two mySelI,
but I could not eat IT, -, $1,000
Governor Roosevelt spoke of the issue
Of re-iOnS In Cuba and said that althouSn
he did not like the beef ana ms men men
would not eat it, he never neard any one
saw il was an unfit ration. o., .,-.,
What did the meat looh IKE eSA0u
"78-iIe When the cans were opened there was
2 covering of slime. 1t was unattTactlNe
agTee 5lg with With the men who ate it."
"Could you not. eat il when. served Win
onions and potatoes| , -.4..,
II think at that time 1 could have eaten
nv hat if l could have had onions ana
potatoes The men would nave eaten 5E
ANYTHING with fresh vegetables. AIIty
steved the meat with mangoeS ana ate
J. Some of the men seemed 10 eat tIie
meat without difficulty or distress, put II
vas not suitable for sick or halt-slcA
ilieI5 Governor Roosevelt told at length Of
his attempts to get supplies IN Cupa- Ne
repeated the statements ne mace 70 tHe
army Investigating committee as TO ms
attempts to organize transportatlon
train to bring supplies to his men from
aWhen did you begin receiving refrg-
Grated beef?" asked Colonel Davis.
about July %, when ashore about
Were the supplies regular?"
Sometimes. We received them about
"What was their condition when you
@Tbetr condition as a rule was good.
The outside was sometimes pad, out II
seemed awfully good to US
'What was the proportion that was
~ can't exactly say, but doubt if there
were more than two or three issues "hen
the large proportion was bad
HAD YOU reason to believe the refrig-
Grated beef was treated with chemicals
before you received i? - ii,
II never thought about 1t until re
turned home The meat seemed good to
US. We ate it and enjoyed IT. II Ga uh-
doubtedly give the men diarrhoea-
Did you hear any complaint?
"IVeH I heard that some of the officers
and men thought there was something
wrong with the meat, but 1 have known
meat if kept for a few days on hunting
We're in very good health, and il took less
to upset US than it would have at any
other time"
Ibid you attribute their III health to
the rations?" asked Colonel Davis.
ITO q certain extent, I suppose, yes.
When left Cuba less than 20 per cent Of
the brigade was fit for active work"
What was given the men on their voy-
age home as a rattOn?'
The canned roast beef"
ITO what extent was It acceptable?'
at was utterly and hopelessly unac-