Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-02-22
cen. MILES ON THE RACK
General Of the Army Interrogated
BY Court Of Inquiry.
ARMY'S BEEF SUPPLY.
Witness DiscIaimed Any Intention to
Make Out Case Of
Fraud.

Washington, ID. C., Feb. 2O.-IhC
court of inquiry to examine into the beef
controversy assembled at the Lemon
building shortly after 10 O'clock this
morning preparatory to its first formal
session. Brig.-Gen. George w. Davis
and Col. George L. Gillespie, members
of the court and Col. George 3. Davis,
recorder and judge advocate were first
to arrive. Maj.-Gen. James L. Wade,
president of the court, came later and at
1873 the court, in full-dress uniform,
proceeded to the white house where it
paid its respects to the President and
then to the war department., where it
called upon Secretary Alger and Maj
Gen. Miles. Meantime representatives
Of the press who were accorded places in
the courtroom had assembled, and on the
outside were many other correspondents
and a number Of artists specially de-
tailed to attend the inquiry
During the morning several army Off
GERS who are in the city as witnesses re-
ported to Col. Davis, the recorder, but
remained only Il few moments at the
rooms of the court.
The court returned at 1905 from it's
visits of courtesy and after two photog-
rapherS made pictures of the court Col
DAVIS announced readiness to proceed
and read the orders converting the court
and It's instructions.
Following the reading of the order, Col
Davis read a letter from Adjt-Gen. Cor
Dln III response to a letter. from Gen.
wade, president of the court, explaining
more specifically the lines along which
the court was expected to investigate.
The adjutant-generaPs letter reads
Gen. Miles on the Stand.
The court was then sworn and Maj
Gen. Nelson A. Miles was presented as
the first witness. He appeared in IA
tigue uniform and was sworn After
stating his rank and office, he was asked
about his statement before the war COM
mission. He said he made one and upon
Col. Davis submitting d printed report
OF that statement, Gen. Miles examined
and approved it.
interview, which appeared in the New
York Journal of December %, whether
1t represented completely or iA part what
he said. Gen. Miles read it and said
do not recall anything in that inter
view that had not been given in my tes-
tImony, or transmitted in my reports
You will observe it contains a number
OF my destinations to name officers or
my authorities or refuSalS to answer. 1t
must, therefore, be incorrect in its repre-
Sentation.'
He then commented upon the general
SilSnl 1ndccuEacN OIL newspaper inter-
views, owing to the dependency of writ
erS upon their memories. Hardly a day
III SIX months had passed that an inter
viewer had not applied, and because of
the kindness CT the press to the army
and especially the enlisted men, he had
cndeayOred to give them such informa-
ton as he thought wise and safe, but
never, he said, with a view of prejudic-
ing anyone against any person or depart
ment. Finally Gen. Miles said he did
not think the Journal interview repre-
scented correctly what was said, because
its contents should be taken in connec-
ton with all that was said. his silence
upon some points and speech upon 9th
erS.
Then being asked about an interview
from the New York Herald of February
1, he said:
i have a letter from the gentleman
who, | understand. wrote this. III which
he says he is willing to swear that | de-
cllned to be interviewed and that, think
ing something had been given out he lad
proceeded to write what he knew We're
the facts.
He then pointed out thar the interview
was erroneous in that where it represent
ed him to have said that he had over
whelming evidence that the refrigerated
beef was treated with chemicals, the fact
was that as only evidence was what was
contained in the report of officers and
statements of men who claimed that the
beef had the odOr of an embalmed body,
that they had seen fluid injected into beef
and other indications of chemical treat
ment. He declared the interview an err
roneOus presentation of what he could
possibly have said.
The Beef Supply.
Col. Davis, recurring to the statement
of Gen. Miles before the war commits
sion, asked him what his idea as to the
beef supply for the army vas when war
broke out.
Replying, Gen. Miles said while his
attention was occupied with weightier
matters of mobilization and equipment
of troops, he felt confident that the
usage of a hundred years would be fol-
lowed and cattle herds would be shipped
to the army in the tropics and killed
there, just as they were during the Civil
war in the South, in Arizona, Texas and
Mexico. where # was SO hot soldier
could not sit upon the rocks. He under
stood Cuba and Porto Rico. were excel
lent grass countries, cattle could be ship
ped and kept IN prime condition. He
reviewed his action in cabling the depart
ment TO send no more refrigerated beef
to Porto Rice while he was there, finding
it possible to use beef on the hOOf.
Gen. Miles said that he understood
that our troops in Porto Rico were still
being supplied with form of refriger-
ated beef, although the country was as
good grass country as any in the world,
and that the cattle there was plenty and
the Spanish troops drew all their meat
supply from this source.
Col. Davis asked if Gen. Miles knew
whether Porto Rico exported any cattle
Witness said it did to the number of
several thousand and that they were fine
cattle Still he understood that our
troops were not only receiving refriger-
atcd beef at the coast, but it was being
sent into the interior. The situation now
he said, was different from that during
the war. Now there were ice machines
on shore Then there was not ice enough
for the hospitals.
Recurring to the expediency of feeding
the troops hoof beef in Porto Rico, Gen.
Miles said he was much in favor of it.
He said native beef killed at night could
be very well fed the men next day.
DO YOU think" continued Col. Davis
that the native beef would keep as we'll
as the refrigerated beef in the absence
of cooling apparatus on Sh0re?'
L am quite sure it would, unless the
refrigerated beef was chemically treated
with preservatives. If it was trea ted so
as to keep for seventytWo hours after