Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-24
COURT WILL CONE TO OMAHA
Inquiry Into Beef Supply Will Be Pursued
at Packing Plants,
ASSISTANT coNMlssARY DEFENDS MEAT
General EnEnn Appears and Fakes
Issue with Miles that Beef on
the Hoof is the Hest for
the Army.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-The work of the
court of inquiry in Washington will be
finished for the time being about the mid
die of next week, when the court will ad-
journ to Chicago to look over the packing
industry in that city and examine such wit
nesses as may be conveniently reached at
that point. From Chicago the court will
proceed to Omaha. Whether their duties
will carry the members elsewhere before
returning to Washington will depend on
future developments.
The testimony of Colonel j. +. Weston,
who, at the outbreak of the war, was as
sistant commissary general, and who is now
successor to General Eagan, with the reap
p~earance of General Eagan was the feature
of the investigation today.
Each contended that the canned roast was
wholesome and a component part of the ra-
tions at Santiago and Porto Rico and took
issue with the regular army officials who
have condemned 1t. General Eagan took is
sue with General Miles in regard to beef on
the hoof being the best to supply to the
army, saying such operations were impossi-
BILE in Cuba, and especially undesirable in
any country where the animal heat in the
beef could not disappear before cooking.
nptnin Piper Called.
Captain Alexander r. Piper of the Sub
~sistence department of volunteers was
called. He was assigned as commissary
of the Second brigade, First army corps,
embarking with General Brooke's expedi-
ton for Porto Rico. He said that in Porto
Rico beef on the hoof, native cattle, in
connection with canned, corned and roast
beef, was issued. Native beef was issued,
he thought, five days out of ten until Au-
gust IL, after which, under instructions of
Colonel Sharp, corps commissary. he drew
refrigerated beef from the Massachusetts,.
Some complaint against the canned roast
beef he said was made, but it amounted to
but little. The men he'd deteriorated in
condition and were in a mood to complain Of
nearly everything and no action was taken.
The men complained of the native beef be-
ing too fresh. Refrigerators were placed at
San Juan and Ponce and under orders from
the commissary general refrigerated beef
was issued to all the troops where it was
practicable.
Replying to Colonel Davis, witness said
there were no complaints against the beef
issued from the Massachusetts, but on the
contrary the men were delighted with it.
The only complaint about the refrigerated
beef was because some meat had
spoiled. There was a great diversity of
opinion among officers and men as to the
cause of sickness in Porto Rico. Personally,
he thought a large portion of the sickness
was due to the native fruits, cheap rum and
c%ocoanut candy with which the men stuffed
themselves.
Thought Canned Beef Best Thing.
General ]. f. Weston, successor to Cen
eral Eagan as commissary general, was
called. He said the whole question of fresh
meat was thoroughly gone over just prior
to the war and it was decided that canned
roast beef was the best thing obtainable.
He said the War department had made an
honest and thorough investigation of the
subject and took the only course open.
Major ]. F.. Weston went into details of
| the embarkation at Tampa. He said the
! beef was fine there. There was q touch Of
merriment in General Weston's voice when
he suggested leaving behind nearly all the
! tobacco he had gotten together for 1.-The
boys
Regarding the use of canned roast beef in
| Cuba, General Weston said the commissary
/ officers never got a full ration from the de-
partment commissary because they would
not carry it. There were always both
canned roast beef and bacon on hand and
the men got whatever they asked for. The
material in the depot commissary storehoune
| Noo oiS w t'S 'S' 49, t'SN 49, 49, tNN
trains could take it. General Shafter un-
derstood the situation and the regimental
commissary officers were notified that there
would be no quibbling over acquisitions.
The first business was to feed the troops.
General Weston said he received no COM
| plants as to the meat ration while at ST.
honey. The general reviewed the first ar
rival of refrigerator beef, the Mississippi
bringing 200, 600 pounds Immediately after
the surrender. He saw the beef on the Mis-
sissippi and speaking to Colonel Davis said
it was not so inviting in appearance as the
meat at Tampa. 1t was slightly discolored,
but not bad.
..EXperiment" Mt Ponce.
Speaking of the Ponce preservative eX-
pertinent Colonel Weston said the Commits
sary department had nothing whatever to
do officially with it.
Mr.. Edwards, representing Armours, asked
witness If he would not put some chemi-
cally-prepared beef. which was coming, on
ice. Witness asked what had been done to
the meat. The reply was that nothing in
furious had been done to it and the same
kind was furnished Florida hotels and he
believed the beef would keep seventy-two
hours. Six or seven quarters were taken.
Some of it was in canvas and some not.
The former held out seventy odd hours,
while the incased beef went up pretty
quickly"
Colonel Watson declared emphatically that
the government had no connection with the
experiment. Colonel Weston here reviewed
the deterioration of the troops, When they
left Tampa he estimated that 10 or 20 per
cent of their vitality was gone and the
Cuban climate affected them so greatly that
nothing but the campaign excitement kept
them up until after the surrender, after
which they went to pieces.
This deterioration he did not attribute
to bad food, but perhaps slightly to insufi-
cient food, owing to the men throwing most
Of it away as cumbersome luggage. Canned
roast beef in Cuba was not spoiled, but
the weather made it uninviting in appear
ance. Nevertheless it was wholesome and
made good stew.
Witness said he did not know whether any
beef furnished the army had been treated
chemically.
Ought tn Keep Scventy-TyNO Hours.
Major Henry Osgood, acting as assistant
commissary general prior to the outbreak
of the war and subsequently assigned to
duty with General Miles, accompanying hin
to and remaining for some time at Tampa,
testified that he participated in loading the
transports. No refrigerated beef for the
troops was put on board, the soldiers being
furnished with travel rations. He saw the
Powell process beef for experiment. Leav-
| inB uarnBa tlu A he tarag -