The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-25
ROUGH RIDER
Col. Theodore Roosevelt Goes
on the Stand
To Tell What He Knows of the
Army Beef.
COVERED WITH SLIME
And Didn't Agree With the
Men Who Ate 1t.
His Official Reports About 1t
We're Suppressed.

OF inquiry investigating the charges
made by Gen. Miles that the beef furn-
ished the soldiers in the Cuban and
Porto Rican campaigns was unfit for
use, convened in this city today. Be
fore the hearing began Major Lee said
he believed Gov. Roosevelt will be the
only witness heard here The court is
expected to adjourA to Governors Is
land to hear the testimony of officers
of the Thirteenth infantry stationed
there.
Any other witness will probably be
called to Washington where the court
sits again on Monday.
Upon his arrival, Gov. Roosevelt shook
hands with several members of the
court and then took the stand after Col.
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
asked the governor.
Certainly"
wen. it was aboard ship at Tampa.
/ saw a mani think his name was
Ash, know he came from Kentucky
! throwing away a can of the so-called
roast beef. 1 asked what was the mat
ter and he said he could not eat it. 1
told him not to be a baby and that he
did not volunteer for good time and
ought to be able to take what came 1
thought no more of the matter until 1
heard that complaints were being made
on all sides. Then / made inquiries and
was told that the roast beef was part
of the regular ration and that only the
| volunteers were complaining.
L spoke to Col. Wood about it, and he
| said it was the regular ration. 1 ate d
| mOuthful or two myself, but could not
/ eat it,
| Gov. Roosevelt spoke of the issue CT
| ratiOns in Cuba and said that although
| he did not like the beef and his men
would not eat it, he never heard any one
| say it was an unfit ration
What did the meat look like?" asked
| Col. Davis.
| When the can were opened, there was
| a covering of slime. 1t was unattractive
| The meat was Stringy and it did not
| agree with the men who ate it
| COULD HAVE EATEN HIS HAT.
| Gould you not eat it when served
| with onions and pOtatoes?"
| Il think at that time L could have
| eaten my hat if l could have had onions
! and potatoes. The men would have
| eaten anything with fresh vegetables.
! They stewed the meat with mangOes
| and ate it. Some of the men seemed 20
! eat the meat without difficulty or dis
| treSS, but it was not suitable for sick,
| or half sick men,"
| Governor Roosevelt told at length of
| his attempts to get supplies in Cuba.
| He repeated the statements he made to
| the army investigating commission, as
| to his attempts to organize a transpOr-
| tation train to bring supplies to his men
| from Siboney.
! When did you begin receiving refrig-
| Grated beef?" asked Col. Davis
| About July %"
| Were the supplies regular?"
Sometimes. We received them about
noon"
What was their condition when you
| received them?'
Their condition as a rule was good.
| The outside was sometimes bad but it
/ seemed 9WfIlllV good -
| What was the proportion that was
bad?"
I can't exactly say, but I doubt if
| there were more than two or three is
| sues when the proportion was bad.
Had you reason to believe the re
| frigerated beef was treated with chemi-
| Gals before you received it?''
MADE MEN SICK.
| 4 never thought about it until I re-
| turned home. The meat seemed good to
| us. We ate it and enjoyed it. 1t did
| undoubtedly give the men diarrhoea."
| Did you hear any complaint?''
| well. / heard that some of the Off
| GERS and men thought there was some
I thing wrong with the meat, but 1 have
! known meat if kept for a few days on
! a hunting trip to have like effect.
None of us were in very good health
| would have had at another time
Did you attribute their ill health to
the rations?" asked Col Davis.
! ITO a certain extent, 1 suppose yes.
| When we left Cuba less than 20 per cent
of the men 1 had was fit for active
| service
| Major Lee about to put a ques-
| ton when the governor interrupted to
| say he wished to speak of the talk of
| the ''embalmed beef
When we left Tampa" he said, "two
| or three quarters of beef were put
| aboard our ship. 1 told to put it in
the shade. 1 understood it was special
| ly treated for the tropics. 1t did not
| last and a board of investigation de-
cided to throw it overheard
| Can you remember the brands or the
Ia bells on the canned roast beef COM
planned of, either that issued in Cuba or
at Montauk?" asked Maj Lee.
Il do not think 1 can. Some were
Swift'S and some were ArmOur'S / be-
| Heve."
REPORTS SUPPRESSED
| Governor Roosevelt said he had sub
mitted reports regarding the rations
through the regular army channels in
July and again on September 10. These
reports were omitted from the published
! records of the war department but
| were to be printed, so he said in the
! next report.
Maj. Lee appealed to the court to or
der copy of Governor RoOsevelt's re-
port to be made a part of the minutes OF
the proceedings.
Gen. Wade ruled in compliance with
the motion and Governor Roosevelt said
there were supplementary reports to
the report of September 10 which he
| considered very important They in
| cIude" he said the statements of two
captains, four leUtenants. a surgeon
and Capt. Brown of the regulars"
foIl rod NTuf