The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-01
He Also Asserts He Has AfHdavits from
Men who Saw the Meat EN-
baImed with Chemicals.
DENOUNCES CANNED BEEF
AND SAYS 1T is MERE PULP, WHOLLY
LACKING IN NUTRITIVES,
All the Juices Having Been Extracted
Offer to Chicago Packers.

NEW YORK, Jan. 31.-Gen. Nelson A.
Miles gave out a statement tonight after
having denied several published interviews
attributed to him. He prefaced his state
ment by saying: Il have been most freely
quoted without authority from me or with
out any utterance on my part. 1t has been
a source of great annoyance to- me-" His
statement is as follows:
'On the 20th of last September issued an
order to regimental commanders to report
to me concerning the beef which had been
issued to their men. At the time that
went before the war board investigating
committee 1 had only received reports from
fourteen of the commanders. Now have
thirty reports. They all tell the same story.
The evidence proves the truth of the state
ments L have made. In addition to the re-
ports of the regimental commanders 1 have
a great mass of evidence consisting of COM
munications, affidavits, etc, from officers,
soldiers and civilians. Every part of the
country has contributed to the mass of cor
respondence which have received in refer
ence to the beef served to our soldiers and
the evidence is all corroborative of what L
have said. The great publicity which the
press has given to the matter has brought
all the correspondence of which 1 speak,
upon me-
81 have overwhelming evidence that the
embalmed beef was treated with chemicals
In order to preserve it. 1 have affidavits
from men who saw the beef undergoing the
treatment or embalming process.
Now, as to the canned roast beef, that
was different from embalmed beef. The
canned roast beef was the beef after the
extract had been boiled out of it. You have
seen the advertisements, Beef extract; one
pound contains the substance of from four
to five pounds of prime beef Well, this is
the beef after the extract has been taken
from it. They put this beef pulp up in cans
and label it canned roast beef The SOL
diers report that the canned beef was
nauseatng. If swallowed it could not be
kept on the stomach"
1t was pointed out to General Miles that
he had been quoted as having said that if
the men who supplied the beef would de-
posite thousand dollars in such a way that
1t could be made to pay the cost of the
proceeds he would furnish absolute proof
Of his assertions. He was asked what
tribunal he had in mind, or to whom he
would furnish this proof, and in reply said
II made that statement in response to the
offer of the beef men to pay 100000 for
evidence of the truth of my allegations
against their product. 1 looked on their
offer as a bluff, and took that way of
answering it. 1 have no tribunal in mind.
L have the greatest abundance Of evidence
to support the charges 1 made and do not
think that any part of the thousand dollars
need be spent in more Investigation
General Miles has received a telegram
from Col. A. A. Pope of Boston, request
ing General Miles to draw on him for 81 900
to prove that chemicals were used to en-
balm beef furnished to soldiers, but his offer
will not be accepted for the reasons al
ready given.