Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-21

The court of inquiry to exam
inc into the beef controversy as
sembled at the Lemon puilding.
shortly after 10 O'CLOCK, this
morning. preparatory to its first formal
session. At 1895 the court in full dress
uniform proceeded to the White House,
where 1t paid it's respects to the Presi-
dent and then to the war department
| where it called upon Sec. Alger and
Major General Miles. Meantime repre-
sentatives of the press. who were ac-
corded places in the court room. had
assembled, and on the outside were
many other correspondents and a
number of artists specially detailed to
attend the inquiry.
| The court returned at 1905 from its
visits of courtesy and after two photo
graphers made pictures of the court,
| Col. Davis announced readiness to pro-
coed and read the orders converting the
court and it's instructions.
! Following the reading of the order
which has been published already. COL
Davis read n letter from Adjutant Cen
| eral Corbin in response to a letter from
/, Gen. Wade, president of the court. ex-
| planning more specifically the lines
! along which the court was expected to
investigate.
The court was then sworn and Ma
jor General Nelson A. Miles was pre-
scented as the first witness. He APP
peared in fatigue uniform and was
sworn After stating his rank and Of
flee, he was asked about his statement
before the war commission. He said
he made one and upon Col. Davis sub
hitting printed report of that state
ment Gen. Miles examined and APP
proved it.
Then he was asked about an alleged
interview. which appeared in the New
York Journal of Dee. 30 whether it
represented completely or in part what
he said. Gen. Miles read it.
General Miles said: Il do not recall
| anything in that interview that had
not been given in my testimony or
transmitted in my reports. You will
observe it contains a number of my
destinations to name officers or my au-
thorities and refusals To answer. 1t
must therefore be incorrect in its rep
resentation.'
He then commented upon the general
slight inaccuracy of newspaper inter
views owing to the dependency of writer's
|
six months had passed that an inter-
viewer had not applied to him. Because
Of the Kindness Of the press 10 the army
and especially to the enlisted men, ne he'll
ondeavored to give them such informA-
ton as he thought wise and safe. bu.
never, he said. with a view 10 prejudicins
anyone against any person or depart
ment. Finally Generally Miles said he
did not think the Journal interview rep
resented correctly what was said because
its contents should be taken in connection
cot hi Gil ~
some points and speech upon others.
Being asked about an interview from
the, New York Herald of Feb; /, he said
I understand, wrote this, in which he
says he is willing to swear that declined
to be interviewed. and that, thinking
something had been given out, he hal
proceeded to write out what he knew
we're the facts
He then pointed out that the interview
was erroneous in that where it represent
ed him to have said that he had over
whelming evidence that the refrigerated
beef was treated with chemicals, the fac.
was that his only evidence was what was
contained in the reports of officers and
statements Of men who claimed that the
beef had the odor of an embalmed body
and that they had seen fluid injected into
the beef. He declared the interview an
erroneous presentation of what he coul /
possibly have said.
Col. Davis. recurring to the statement
of Gen. .iiles before the war commission.
asked him what his idea as to the beef
supply for the army was when war brok.'
out
tention was occupied with weightier MAJ E
tiers of mobilization and equipment OF
troops. he felt confident that the usage
of 100 years would be followed and cattl,
herds would be shipped to the army in
the tropics and killed there just as they
had been through the South during The
Civil War. He reviewed his action in
cabling the department to send no more
refrigerated beef to Porto Rico while he
was there, finding it possible to use beee
on the hoof.
Gen. Miles said that he understood that
our troops in Porto Rico We're still being
supplied with form of refrigerated beef.
although the country was as good a grass
country as any in the world
Col: Davis asked If Gen. Miles knew
whether Porto Rico exported any cattle.
Witness said it did. to the number of sew
cattle. Still. he understood that our
troops were not only receiving refriger-
ated beef at the coast, but it was being
he said, was different from that during
the war. Now there were ice machines
on shore. Then there was not ice enough
diency of feeding the troops hoof beef in
Porto Rico, Gen Miles said he was much
in favor of it.
do you think" continued Col. Davis
that the native beef would keep as we'll
as the refrigerator beef in the absence of
cooling apparatus on shore?"
| i am quite sure II would, unless the
refrigerated beef was chemically treated
with personalities. If 1t was treated 50
as to keep for " hours after coming out
of the coolers, of course it had the ad-
vantage Of the native beef so far as keep
ing goes"
Continuing this explanation, in answer
to question of Col. Davis, Gen. Miles
said he thought his use of "pretence of
experiment was unfortunate and ne dis
claimed any intention to in1pute fraud to
anyone. AS far as indicating fraud" he
said. II wish to state that no such infer
ence was intended. II was perhaps IN
unfortunate expression and had my at
iention been called to it ! might have
amended IL to saY-weil, 'on the theory
or an experiment. As 4 matter of fans
1t was an experiment and a very costly
one
with thai disclaimer remarked Col.
Davis, ''of course We Will pass to the re-
freerated beef"
Then replying to 4 question. Gen. Niles
said he first heard complaints agar The
beef at Ponce. The first direct statement
that it had been chemically tied came
he believed. from Or. DAILY who present
ed it late in September. and subsequently,
appeared before the war commission
Gen. Miles said he did not recoliec.
whether DIR. Dalys report was vo,un-
teered or whether he had been ordered %
investigate and report on the meat It
was general talk among the officers at
Ponce Gen. Miles continued. that the re-
frigerator beef must have been subjected
a