The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-13
GENERALS N COURT
Chaffee Says the Beef Served
Was All Right
BUT NONE WOULD EAT IT
Experiences in Porto Rico
The Beef on the Panama.
BUT NONE WOULD EAT II

Washington, April 12-Generals Adna r.
and Captain Williams, of the commissary
department, were before the Wade court Of
inquiry today. General Chafee said that
while he considered the refrigerator beef
supplied TO the army at Santiago whole
some, both officers and men OF his COM
mand refused generally 10 eat Il. He at
trbuted this largely TO the fact that mos;
of them were sick. Dr. Huidekoper said
the canned beef was generally OF poor
quality. Captain Williams told of the
condemnation CT the beef on board the
transport Panama. General Arnolds tes-
timony dealt with the beef supplied at
Jacksonville, which was, ne said. generally
wholesome. Members of the court express
confidence of being able 10 conclude tha
taking Of testimony by the early part of
next week. There will not be much delay
after that in the presentation of the re-
port.
General Arnold, who was in command of
the Second division, Seventh army corps.
during the Spanish war, was the first wit
ness before the court today. He stated
that at Jacksonville, as a rule. the fresh
beef was acceptable. but that there were
occasional complaints that it was tainted
especially during the hot weather OF last
summer. This complaint came at times
every two or three days. There was also
some complaint concerning the potatoes.
onions and other food. He did not at
tribute the sickness of his command TO the
food supply. He did not remember that
Lieutenant Colonel Currie of the Second
New Jersey had ever made complaint of
the food supplied. He had not suspected
that the meat was chemically treated.
General Chaffee. who commanded a brig
ade at Santiago. gave the details of the
recent condemnation of canned roast beef
at the latter place. He said the canned
beef had been sent there from othr points
in tn West Indies for distribution to the
destitute CUbans and that he had distrib-
uted probably 100000 pounds of it. He
had not heard any complaints about the
meat until few weeks ago, when a news
paper reporter had told him that 10, 600 cans
had been thrown into the sea because bad.
He had Immediately reported TO General
Brooke and asked for an inspection. This
was ordered, with General Ernest at the
head of the board. This board found that
of the 10000 rations remaining on hand.
about is per cent was bad. They also
found considerable quantity of tomatoes
and canned fruit which was not good
General Chaffee also testified concerning
the meat supply 10 his command during
the Santiago campaign. He believed the
refrigerator beef 10 be perfectly good, but
while this was true, the officers and men
would not eat it. They rejected it almost
wholly as being spoiled. II was generally
received in camp by O'Clock in the morn
ing and was buried soon after. This was
due largely, as ne thought, to the fact
that the men were sick. He had remon-
strated with them because he thought
they needed the change of diet. but they
would not have it. As for himself, he kept
the meat until the afternoon and then
found it wholesome and sweet. The beef
was covered, as a rule, with a greenish
tinge. This could easily be scraped off,
and when thus treated the meat was
good He never received but one quarter
which he believed to be actually spoiled.
AS to the canned roast beef he had heard
neither complaint nor commentator. He
had eaten the canned beef but once. He
found it unpala;able, too fresh in taste,
but he did not consider it unwholesome.
At the conclusion of General Chaffee's
testimony the court recessed.
DR.. Rush L. Huidekoper, Of General
Brooke's staff, as chief medical officer in
Porto Rico, was on the stand at the after
noon session. He said ne had inspected
nearly all Of the troops in Porto Rico.
looking into the kitchens and talking with
the cooks. Some Of the canned beef
spoiled and much Of st was OF apparently
poor quality. He considered the meat
wholesome. as a rule. The refrigerator
beef would keep only from two to eight
hours. He saw it often and found that it
soon decomposed on the surface DR..
said It had never occurred 10
him that the refrigerator beef mad been
subjected to chemical treatment, yet for
fifteen years he had been aware that chem
icals had been used both in the United
States and Europe in preserving the sur
face Of fresh meats and that the use OF
such preparations was sanctioned by for
elgn governments. He knew that bOraclc
acid. ealtDetre and in some cases fluid
were used. Or. Huidekoper
said that ne thought the canned roast beef
had only been boiled before being put UP
and beef extract made from # and said
he had expressed surprise that the arms
putting L up would risk their regulations
on such a product II the grade were good I
he thought canned beef would be a usefu.
part Of the ration for the army. IN reply
70 Major Lee he said that 1ormalins had
been found 80 be good preservstive IN The
preserving room and ae supposed l. would
serve the same purpose IN preserving beef
Captain William =. Williams. EhO was
quarterruz on the transport Panama. (
convalescents from Porto REQ
10 the norch ssld thai II had been neces-
sary 10 throw overheard al the resrfg "a
tor beef. ABOUT 400 pounds. two days out
from Ponce. The beef had been loaded
into gae ice box AZ Ponce, EbeE the DIX
vas warm and whea o1.y one and = rail-
tors OF ice could oe secured fer L. TIE
mex. day elent tons of ice weTe secured
I. did not. however. prove sGflC.eat g
kep the meat and .he odor became 20
q .stressiug mat il vas necessary - order
g survey and have the refrigerator neat
u. TIE canned beef. amounting
20 .6o@ cans. also s2a.ied ald asd - be
condemned Tz.s wa7 tns ir.2 referred
% b. Dr. DAILY % Us testimony. he
Clyli-Ianlsl vas la command 81 the expe-
di-ior- Csptaia W.iilaus also staEed that
General u les mad gwen orders tast - !
sassel should ~ abun.3ans.y zg7piisc wfta !
.ce az M start bur tast as ehe ca9acsF