The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-03-31
THE BEEF INQUIRY.
The Military Court Resumes Its
Sittings in Washington.
F. C. SWIFT TESTIFIES BEFORE IT..
The Packer ContradIcts One OF Eagan's
statem.ntr-The Commissarv General
Hints ABOUT Process OF Pre-
serving Meat,

Washing ton, March 2S-The mill
tary court of inquiry appoint ted by the
president to make an estigation of
the beef furnished the army during
the Spanish war has returned to Wash
ington and yesterday resumed its sit
tings in the Lemon building. The
members of the commission are hope
full that they will be able to conclude
their work within the next ten days
and expect to have some important
witnesses before them in that time, in
GLIDING Gen. Eagan, who will be re.
called. 1t is also expected that Gen.
Miles will be given an opportunity to
testify.
f. G. Swift, vice president of the
Swift Packing company, was the first
witness who appeared. He assist in
preparing the contract for supplies of
beef for Cuba during the war, coming
to Washington for that purpose first
on the 23d of June lie stated that he
started to Washington in response to
a request from Gen. Eagan when 1t APP
peared that his firm had made the
lowest bid. the conversation with
Gen. Eagau on this occasion was some
what general relating TO the conduct
of the business. H. was also under
stood that beef was to be supplied only
to the port towns. the inland points to
be furnished with beef killed in the
country. They were to keep on hand
II sufficient supply for - hours con-
sumption, this time to be extended "a
hours IN ler special cXuctions. Shore
refrigeration was contemplated in all
the conversation. and with the under
standing that this was to be had the
company had agreed that the quality
of the beef should be maintained for
three davs and nights.
In response to a question from Mai.
Lee, Mr.. Swift stated thaJGtn. Eagan
had during the interview with him
mentioned that he had received some
suggestions of process for preserving
meat, but Gen. Eagan did not go into
details, giving no name of the invent
or or of the process. Maj Lee then
stated tnat Gen. Edgan had said in his
testi muIv before the board that the
company mad guaranteed that the beef
should kept good for ~ hours after
leaving The refrigerator either on ship
board or ON shore. Il can only say"
responded Mr.. Swift, that Gen. Eagan
at the time of the interview seemed to
have the same understanding of the
contract that l had In view of his
testimony | can only say that he was
mistaken"
Maj Lee-Then the insertion of the
clause limit to "a hours the time for
fresh beef after being taken out of the
refrigerator was not a clerical error,
as suggested by the general?
Mr.. Swift-That cannot be so. He
said his agents would take good care
TO protect the meat from the sun and
] assured him that II this were done
the meat would be good "a hours after
being taken from the refrigerator,
Mr.. Swift continued by saying that
refrigerator beef in torrid country
would keep good deal longer than
an ordinary person would think it
good, on account of the outside ap.
pearance. As consequence of his
representations the first draft of the
contract had been changed by Gen.
Eagan in several places
Mr. Swift said in reply to a question
that the dressed beef export business
was growing rapidly at the expense OF
the expectation of live cattle. There
was he said. "A superb demand abroad
for the refrigerator beef and in London
this beef was supplied to the best
trade.
Charles +. Barry, travelling salesman
FOR Swift Il Co., followed Mr.. Swift.
He testified that the az hour clause ap.
piled only to the time the beef was to
be kept in the refrigerators on shore.
There was an especial understanding
with Gen. Eagan as to the "a hour
clause, limiting the time during which
the beef could be kept out of the re.
frigerator, he agreeing that it should
he kept constantly under cover.
After hearing Mr. Barry the court
held brief executive session and then
adjourned.
Traffic In Dead Bodies.
Selalia Mo- March Og - Elnar