Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-03-12


B. Sharpe testified at the beef inquiry
to-day that wagons which had not been
cleaned after being used for the trans
portation of manure, and wagons IN
which garbage had been carried, the
bottoms of which were covered with
slime in which maggots were crawling,
were used to carry fresh meat to the
soldiers at Camp Thomas, at Chicka-
manga, last summer.
Lieut.. Colonel Sharpe was stationed
at Chickamauga from April rs TO July
20 of last year, and was later CHIEF
commissary with Gen. Brooke in Porto
Rico. The blame for this condition OF
things, said Lieut. Colonel Sharpe, lies
on the shoulders of the regimental
commissaries who sent the wagons for
the meat without having them proper
Iy cleaned, according to order. AS
soon as he learned of the matter he
ordered the wagons cleaned immediate
ly.
The meat isued to the troops the
witness said, was of good quality and
in good condition, but after it had
been carried in wagons in the condition
described, it was of course impossible
for the troops to use it.
Six witnesses were examined at the
first sitting of the court to-day, the
evidence given by Lieut.. Colonel Sharpe
being the most important of the day.
The court will reconvene Monday
morning. There are a number of wit
nesses yet to be examined in Chicago,
but it is expected that the list will have
been exhausted by Monday night or
Tuesday at the latest.
Major Jesse Lee, who is looking after
the interest of Gen. Miles, occupied a
chair with the board of inquisitors.
The first witness called was Major
Fred A. Smith, chief commisary OF the
department of the great lakes. 1t was
the duty of Major Smith to purchase
all the SUPPLIES used by the soldiers both
while in camp in the various parts OF
this country and also the supplies used
in Cuba and Porto Rico.
Major Smith was on Gen. Shafter' S
staff during the entire Cuban campaign.
He said: Il never heard of any COM
plants being received at headquarters
on the subject of rations. | had charge
of the unloading of the beef that was
brought to Cuba on the transports Mis-
issippi and Port Victor. l saw it every
day, and it made very favorable i'm
preston upon me- l thought the beef
of excellent quality and had no reason
to change my mind during all the time
| continued to issue it. In point OF
preservation its condition was good. 1t
was as good beef as l ever saw. There
were no complaints received while L
was there.
Col. Davis asked: Was any OF the
meat tainted, or had decomposition In
it?"
mo. sir" was the reply.
"There was no requests made to ex-
change meat. 1t was received with
pleasure to those with whom | issued
II and l heard no unfavorable com
ments on it whatever. There were
never any complaints received with re-
spect to the canned roast beef, SO far
as my knowledge goes. | saw 1t used
frequently, and | ate it myself on ship
hoard and on shore. Not even any I'M
official complaints reached me. | ar
rived in New York August IA, and
was ordered to Chicago as chief COM
missary of the Department OF the
Lakes"
Major Lee asked: so far as you
know, the canned roast beef or boiled
beef was entirely satisfactory to the
troops?"
Il did not state that in my testi-
many; | said SO far as | knew no Off
cIal complaints or written complaints
were made
Was it practicable to have furnished
refrigerated beef, fresh, to the troops
in their operations before the surren-
der?"
Yes, sir"
WAS ally effort made to 50 furnish
it?'
Not to my knowledge"
In answer to questions from Major
Lee, the witness said he had heard
that some Of the meat was not in first
class condition when it reached the
camps, but always thought that was
due to the negligence of the division
commiSsaries themselves. He had fire.
ouently seen wagons standing about for
an hour or two after issue without be-
ing unloaded.
DO you wish the court to infer that
the unsatisfactory condition OF the
meat was due to the neglect of these
officers, or to the conditions under
which they had to get the beef out
there?"
II presume it was due 10 the condi-
tons and difficulty Of transportation. =
IF under the terms Of the contract
that beef was TO last seventy-two
hours, were there any facilities in these
camps around Santiago TO enable the
troops to carry out that provision of
the contract?'
NO, sir"
do you believe it was a possible
thing for that beef to last forty eight
or seventy-two hours?"
mo, sir; do not"
General Davis asked:
did you pass through the camps
while the troops were engaged at San
tiago?"
Il did"
Did you see canned roast beef in