The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-16
MAGGOTS in MEAT
Sensational Testimony Given Before
The Court Of Inquiry.
CANNED BEEF UNFIT TO EAT
Lieutenant Davis Says the Mageots
We're Canned With Il.
MAS sTRINGy, PuLPY, NAUstAIING
Or. Shaw Testified That Its Use Caused
Much Sickness,
GENERAL FRED GRANT REFUSED 70 ACT
Officers Say lie Ignored the Law
Gamers" Are the Poorest
Quality of Meat Used.

Chicago. March 15.--The last witness
called before the army court OF INQUIRY
today proved to be sensational. He. was
an officer of The regular army. First Lieu
tenant f. NJ. Davis of the First caYnlry.
called al The request of Major Lee. the
representative OF Major General Miles.
Lieutenant Davis testified that In Cuba
no-half OF the canned roast beef Issued
to the soldiers was thrown away because
It was unfit to eat. lie testified that he
had opened one can himself and found
maggots in Il
Major Lee asked How did the mag
gots get there?''
They were canned in there" the wit.
ness replied.
Colonel Davis--Are you aware that in
the process Of canning this meat undergoes
such an intense heat that no animal life
could survive in t."
81 don't mean to say they were alive;
they were dead
The board left for Omaha tonight. In
spection OF the stock yards will be mada
al Omaha tonight. Inspection OF the
yards will be made at Omaha and KAN
sas City and at the latter city some evil
denoe will be taken. The intention OF tina
court is TO return to Chicago by neSt
Tuesday and proceed with he examination
of witnesses here. The evidence brought
forth today was largely accnmulatlve ia its
nature, mainly with reference to the condl-
tion of canned and refrigerated beef when
issued to the lroops on ship hoard and
in Cuba and ite effect on the soldiers,
Or. John n. shaw OF Joliet, H.. surgeon
OF the Third Illinois volunteers. testihed
on the voyage from Newport News TO Porto
Rico canned roast beef was. issued and
there was A great deal OF complaint about
IT,
II was stringy, PUPPY and nsuseatlng and
did not seem TO nourish the men Much
diarrhoea followed the use Of It. The witt
ness attributed the sickness 10 ptomaine
poisoning He believed ptomaines would
develop in the hot sun FIVE OF elk min
utes after a can was opened. II the meat
were properly sterilized ptomaines would
not develop While In Porto Rico, twenty
five miles from Ponce. the matter of beef
was taken out OF the regiments hands
to a great extent. General Grant seemed
TO know more about 1t than ANYBODY else
The witness took no particular interest In
them because of the action OF General
Grant.
ne can not violate the law?"
"Hc did"
"pid he issue ordersg'
"He issued whatever he saw ft.''
"The law required the surgeon to super
wise the cooking of that which was is
sued Did you interest yourself to ascer-
tain what was being issued to tho enlisted
mem
Eve saw what was issued and took IL
because we could not get anything else,
We had canned roast beef nearly all the
while and the men refused to eat it. It
was ordered condemned and we buried a
lot OF it. One OF the men said IL we did
not bury II It would bury us. A board of
survey was ordered but the witness never
heard anything more abost it. AS to the
refrigerator beef, very little of it was
used, as at least three quarters of It would
have to be cut OF. don't think any
chemicals had been used on the meat; Il
was simply spoiled. The meat had un-
doubleday been acted on by the heat,
which had softened II. The fat and grease
and gelatine had all ihtermingled with the
fiher."
Under cross-examinstion. DIR. Shaw told
about being called out one night so look
after the men OF company A, VINO were re-
ported 10 have been poisoned by eating
canned roast beef. 4ie said they vomited
fearfuily and II seemed that hypodernic
injections OF morphine would hardly re-
llcve the pain. They were sick for some
days afterward with great deal OF diar-
rhea and intestinal trouble.
when the men ceased eating the canned