Evening star., 1899-04-11

| Gen. Miles statements to the war commits
sion as the basis for q fabricated story.
| For this reason Mai Lees first question
| this morning was as to whether or not the
| witness had read the Miles testimony be-
| fore he called on the general at the Wall
dorf-Aseoria.
Mr.. Riede could not say positively THAI he
had not. but he was emphatic in his asser-
ton that Gen. Miles himself had made the
assertions contaired in the original story
he furnished the Associated Press, but
| which the New York Herald changed some
what in its own office. No effort OF counsel
could shake the witness stand upon this
| assertion, and he was excused shortly.
Gen. Skaters Aid.
Gen Skaters aid, Capt Edward II.
Plummer was the next witness. He de-
scribed his service In Florida and Cuba, and
the operations of the quartermaster's de-
partment in carrying supplies from Siboney
to the front during the siege of Santiago
On account of the bad roads the wasous
and pack trains could not carry much more
than half q load each. There were 100 wag-
ons and ], 600 mules employed. As fash as
the supplies were received at Siboney they
were pushed TO the front. 1t often hap
pened that only part OF the ration could
be furnished, owing to the difficulty In un-
loading the transports. As much bacon as
could be obtained was sent TO the front. as
the men complained of the canned roast
beef. The main shortages were in coffee
and sugar. The inadequacy of transporta-
tion facilities could not have been helped
under the circumstances. The one road
used only permitted the passage OF one
wagon going one way at a time.
Cross-examined by Major Lee, the wit
ness said he had not heard complaints from
the LIST Cavalry Volunteers and the 18th
Infantry that they could not get their re-
friserated beef before it had spoiled.
WAS any effort made by the engineers
to cut repair enlarge the road from
Siboney?" asked Major Lee.
The witness detailed the work OF this
kind that had been done, and said that
supplies were not landed from the ships
in any regular order. He was not I'm a posi-
ton to have complaints made to or through
him.
Replying to Gen. Davis, Capt. Plummer
said he could not recollect hearing the men
express preference as against canned roast
beef but he admitted that they took more
of bacon than the other. He thought that
possibly more care could have been taken
of the meat.
Fly Blown, but Good.
Simon Octsenschluger, an employe at
Jacksonville of Armour & Co, was called
next and apologetically smiled when asked
TO spell his name to the court. He testified
that he had not heard at Camp Cuba Libre
any complaints of the Armour beef or
known of any use Of chemical preserNa-
ttyes At one time the issue to the I'd lih-
nois was hy-blown, but nevertheless II was
good meat. The witness displayed some
reluctance to answering the question or
Major Lee as to how much of the meat hs
had personally issued to the troops at
Camp Cuba After several emphatic ques-
tions he admitted that one-third had been
issued by a man named Getz. He examined
the cars of meat as soon as they arrived
and would take the meat to an ice box. lie
admitted that complaints had been made,
hut had some difficulty in stating wherS
thew came from. Finally il was drawn front
him that they had come from commissary
officers. Pressed for a name, he referred to
the commissary of the ID Illinois, but he
insisted that there was no good ground for
complaint.
..Did YOU ever see any of your beef that
wasn't all right?" asked Major Lee, ironi-
cally.
Then every complaint was unfounded?"
Eyes, sir"
Gen. Shafter a Witness.
Maj. Gen. Shafter was ushered next to
the witness stand and briskly made the
preliminary descriptive statements. AL
though Falstaffian in girth, Gen. Shafter
is not tall and his voice is almost falsetto.
He related the familiar details OF the for
nation of the various expedftionary forces
at Tampa and the final movement to en-
compass the destruction of Cervera's s fleet
and the capture of Santiago. Sixty days
rations for 10000 men were put hastily on
the transports. This was the capacity OF
the vessels but he had nothing to do with
the loading.
Gen. Shafter stated that there had been
no preliminary conference as to the COM
ponents Of the ration to be carried. He
first heard of the intention to use canned
roast beef when he was in this city. Gen.
Eagan was his informant
THE question of taking beef on the hoof