Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-04-19
QI't Republican,,
A PRETENSE OF FOOD.
Testimony of Inspector eneral
Breckenridge Regarding
Canned Roast Beef.
WATERTOWN. WIS.

Washington, d. c., April 15.-Gen.
john G. Gilmore, Acknowledgement of the
army on Gen. Miles staff, was the first
witness before the Wade court of inquiry
today.
He was examined with especial refer
ence to testimony given by Capt. Aspin-
wall, in command of the transport Mani
toba, which carried q cargo of beef TO
Porto Rico.
Capt. Aspinwall had stated that Gen.
Gilmore suggested to him after the vessel
became stranded in the harbor at Ponce
that the beef should be thrown over
board, saying that if necessary he would
give an order to that effect
The captains testimony to this effect
was read to Gen. Gilmore.
L don't remember word of it, he
said. Il am positive | would not have
told him to throw the beef overb BARD,
because L am not given to making re-
marks of that kind. In fact | don't re-
call any conversation with Capt. .Aspin-
wall, Wha tever"
water transportation in the quarter mas
ter-generalS OFFICE, expressed the opinion
that the government could have saved
money by buying beeves on the hoof. kill
ing them in Cuba and Porto Rico and
Keeping the meat IN refrigeratOrS of its
ONu. LIZ eApr0SSoU iIlS opinion TO
Col. Davis at Gen. Eagan's office while
the war was in progress
Col. Bird also gave particulars con-
corning the purchase of transports at the
beginning of the war. Referring to Gen.
Miles recommendation under this head,
he said: We felt the need of securing
the most suitable vessels as sharply as
did Gen. Miles" He said that while the
eontrac- with Swift & Co. had required
that the firm build its own refrigerators
on transports, they had not been required
IN any instance to do so, as all the trans
ports were equipped with refrigerators
before the beef shipments began.
Gen. Joseph G.. Breckenridge, Inspector
general of the army, also expressed the
opinion that it would have been possible
TO land a limited number of cattle in
Cuba after the troops secured footing
there. He thought the landing of live
stock about the easiest task that the
army in Cuba had, as they landed them
selves. He was also of the opinion that
the cattle might have been held in the
island. as grass and water were plenti-
full. 1T would have been as easy for the
cattle to carry themselves as it was for
the mules to carry them, he said, lacon-
ically.
Odoriferous Canned Beef.
Speaking Of the canned roast beef,
Gen. Breckenridge said he had eaten it
and found it to be unpalatable ITO my
mind he said. 1T was a mere pretense
of food. | tried giving it away to others
in whom | was interested, but did not
succeed to any appreciable extent" He
had concluded that the canned beef was
well to avoid. Gen. Breckenridge also
stated that he was recently present in
HaFana when quantity of canned beef
was distributed among Cuban indigents.
Il felt interested" he said, because |
thought the rations given to those people
should be beyond question. [ was pres
ent at two issues and | found the canned
beef giving out a most offensive odor I
saw the meat myself and [ have no
doubt that some Of it was decayed."
This was about the time of the condem-
nation Of the canned goods at HaKana