The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-05

request from General Miles for the adj
mission of the official reports of 14I men
representing 26 regiments as testimony,
II was stated that these reports all bore
upon the question of the character of
beef supplied TO the army and were per-
tinent to the inquiry 1t was also stated
by Major Lee that General Miles had
1T Yesterdays session Of the court sub
mitted the names of 1913 officers and en-
listed men whom he desired TO have the
court summon as witnesses. giving AZ
the same time a synopsis of their testi-
mony and he asked TO have the two re-
quests passed upon.
Neither of General Miles requests
were acted upon.
Major Lee also presented, but did not
read, Il letter from Armour antd Com
pany. apropos of the process for the
preservation of beef by artificial means.
1t is understood that it will be held UNI
til Mr.. Powell appears to give his testi-
mony, which will probably be within a
few days.
Or Edwin /. Nicodcmus. of Philadel-
phia. who served in the capacity of u
surgeon in the Porto Rican campaign,
testified that both the CANNED roast
beef and the refrigerated beef were very
unsatisfactory. He had returned to the
United States on the transport Mississ-
ippi and found the refrigerated meat
very unsatisfactory 1t was, he said
suggestive of dissecting room, the
odor being characteristic Of an embalmed
body The beef had a sweetish acid
taste, and some of the men after eating
il had manifested symptoms OF ptomaine
poisoning. He inferred that the beef
had undergone chemical treatment be-
cause the taste and smell were different
from the normal taste and smell of
meat.
DR. w s. DeVoe. of Chicago. was
recalled. He is nm inspector of the Ag-
ricultural> Department and in 1894 made
an inspection of the packing houses nf
Chicago on complaints and had made
report to the department. This how
ever. could not be found and DR. DeNoe
was asked to give the best information
he could. He proved very unwilling
witness saying that he saw no reason
why statements concerning facts of four
or five years ago should be brought ont
here to the detriment of the business of
a firm which had since. so far as he
knew. obeyed the law. The court insis-
ted. however. and he said that the firm
of Nelson Morris and Company was the
one which had been especially investiga
ted. The testimony had been given
by disgruntled employees and was
to the effect that the carcasses of cattle
had been taken from the tanks and
placed ON the Local market. The find
ings had not been conclusive.
\ L. 4. 4l,n
been reasonably well satisfied that the
law had not been complied with and
that he had reported to the department
that there was foundation for the conf
plant
During the day the board sent a reply
to General Miles, saying it would take
the MATTER of his proposition to supply
more witnesses under consideration, but
intimating that the board did not require
further testimony relating to the canned
roast beef.
General Miles had sent another letter
in answer to this in which he calls atten-
ton to the letter he wrote early in the
proceedings of the board. saving that
the inquiry was not only of great inn
portance. involving the health and life
of the army. but that the honor of the
service was at stake. He adds that %
900 men and no doubt many more could
give evidence substantiating the asser-
ton that the meat was unfit to eat. and
he expressed the hope that out of this
number 131 whose names he had submits
ted would be allowed to testify. Gene
raj Miles suggested that men who had
evidence to give might answer a set of
heterogeneous prepared by the board. if
it was found impracticable TO hear them
orally.