The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-01
MEDICAL MEN on THE STAND.
They Said GEN. Eagan Told Them to
Give the Beef a Trial.


Washington March s1-All but two OF
the witnesses before the army beef in
curry to-day were members of the medi-
cal stan OF the army who were in SER
vice in Cuba during the Spanish war.
Inc other two witnesses were George
oiddings and Gen. J. H. sypher, who
mao been interested in securing contracts
Tor supplying beef on the hoof and on
the DOCK for the army in Cuba. They tes-
'iiled that Gen. Eagan had told them that
tile secretary of War had asked him to
give the refrigerator beef a trial while
Mr Sypher said that Gen. Eaean had
created the impression upon him that he
preferred the beef on the block to the re-
frigerator beef.
Inc testimony throughout was contra
Nlctory TO Gen. Eagan's testimony. ana
Mr' Glddings said that Conerassn,ar
fla"ley was present at several of his CON
Aerences with Gen Eagan
majority OF the army surgeons eN-
pressed the opinion that the canned heaf
80 unsatisfactory for food for the troons
fr1 .bo+H i9 % them thought it more harm
u man other meat in the Cuban climate
Mr. George H. Giddings of San Antn,,io
.eA', IN reply TO a request from Mai T'ae
uetalfed the particulars of his vario,,s In
'e'EieWs with Gen. Eagan concerning tbs
4e..Ihg or the contract for beef.
me hrst conversation related to rho
sPecllca IONS for bids, in which Mr. cid
uihss mad called attention to the fact that
~ were vague Gen. Eagan had then
iu 'Hdt Inc specification were necessari-
~ vague, as he could not at that time give
a
AT mat time said that his preference would
ne Ior refrigerated beef, "if he had anv
commence IN it; bur he did not think the
refrigerator beef could be made available
In the Cuban climate"
mad been in Cuba several times nv
sen said the witness. Il agreed with
MN that it would be impossible to keen
'ile refrigerated beef in that climate with
out refrigerators.
Mr.. Giddings then told of his visit n
the commissary general on the first of July
When the latter told him that the Score
tary OF war had sent for him the night
before, and had said that owing TO the
dliIerence in price they had better give the
refrigerator beef a trial and that he would
have to do this
l then asked Gen. Eagan if he had any
confidence in the proposition and he re-
piled that he had very little, but that the
pond TO keep the beef good for seventy-two
hours after leaving the refrigerator. He
also stated that they had preservative
process by which they expected TO he
able to keep the beef in condition. But he
said that If there was any dissatisfaction
after the contract went into effect he
would upset it and give the Texas cattle
men a chance"
With reference to Gen. Eagan's ailusion
a1sNraf
said that the general had told him that
Swift q Co., who had made the lowest
bid on refrigerated beef, had a process
which would enable them to keen the beef
for seventy-two hours after being taken
from the refrigerator.
DO you believe il? I asked Gen. Fa-
gan" said Mr.. Giddings; ito which he re-
piled, I've got to believe tive got to
give il a trial.
Gen j. Hale Sypher, an attorney for
the Texas cattlemen, confirmed what Mr.
Giddings had said. He said that while ha
had not visited Gen, Eagan with Mr.. Gid
dlngs, he had seen him frequently and
talked fully with him on this subject in
the interest of the Texas men.
Gen Eagan,' said the witness. soon
veyed the impression to me that he dis
tinctly and positively preferred beef on
the block to refrigerator beef, and 1 so in
%OAA4~N 10y pSOplCs SGHuluB Tor some of
them to come here"
Gen. Sypher said that he had first dis
covered a tendency to change his mind ON
the part of Gen. Eagan soon after the
bids were opened.
He disclosed to me then" said the wit
ness, that the refrigerator beef men had
volunteered to give a bond for preservation
of their meat for seventy-two hours after
leaving the refrigerator I asked him if
he thought 1t possible to do this and he
replied, I don't believe it is, unless they
put up cold storage plants "
Continuing, Gen. Sypher said that some
thing was said by Gen. Eagan at this
juncture concerning a preservative pro-
cess, but that he gave it very|1ittle atten-
ton.
Some days LATER Gen. Sypher said,
"Gen Eagan informed me that owing to
the great difference in price he would have
to give the refrigerator beef a trial"
The witness said in reply to question
put by Mai Lee that Gen. Eagan had
said something about political pressure"
as the reason for the necessity for making
the trial. and that he had said something
about his conference with the Secretary
of War AS to just what he said on this
latter point. he could not remember, but
he thought Mr.. Giddings had stated it cor
rectly.