Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-03-15
ARMY BEEF INQUIRY.
Examination Of Chicago Plants
Finished and Taking Of Tes-
timony Begun.

Chicago, H., March 1.-THE army
court of inquiry which is investigating
The beef question began the taking of tes-
imony today, having finished the exam
ination of the plants at the stockyards,
where the meat IS prepared for consump-
ton. From the best information obtain
able the court viii confine its inquiries
while in this city to these points:
l. The kind of beef used in preparing
roast beef.
?. The process of canning, the purpose
being to determine whether or not the nutri-
ment is extracted from the meat.
). The disposition IF condemned animals.
a.. Explanation of contracts from the
packers.
1t is believed the court will be able
20 cover these phases by Monday or Tues
day, as the witnesses are to be confined
with perhaps two or three exceptions to
the packers and their employees.
Maj. Jesse Lee, who is looking after
the interests of Gen Miles. occupied a
chair with the board of inQuisitors.
The first witness called was Maj. Fred
A. Smith. chief commissary of the De-
partment of the Great Lakes. 1t was
the duty Of Maj. Smith to purchase all
the supplies used by the soldiers both
while III camp IN the various parts Of this
country and also the supplies used III
Cuba and Porto Rico.
Maj. Smith was on Gen. Skaters staff
during the entire Cuban campaign. He
said: L never heard of any complaints
being received at headquarters on the
subject Of rations. | had in charge the
unloading Of the beef that was brought
to Cuba on transports Mississippi and
Port Victor. | saw it every day and it
made a very favorable impression upon
me. | thought the beef of excellent
quality and had no reason to change my
mind during all the time | continued to
issue it. III point of preservation its con-
diti0n was good. 1t was as good beef
as ! ever saw. There were no COM
plants received While | was there.
Col. Davis asked: WAS any of the
meat tainted or had decomposition set
in?''
No, sir was the reply. There We're
no requests made to exchange meat. It
was received with pleasure by those to
whom | issued it, and | heard no un-
favorable comments on It whatever.
There were never any complaints re-
ceived with respect to the canned roast
beef, so far as my knowledge goes. |
saw it used frequently and ate it myself
Oh shipb0ard and on shore Not even any
unofficial complaints reached me. | ar
rived in New York August II and was
ordered to Chicago as chief commissary
of the department of the lakes.
Mai Lee asked: so far as You know,
the canned roast beef or boiled beef was
entirely satisfactory TO the troops?"
L did not state that in my testimony.
| said that SO far as | knew no official
complaints or written complaints We're
made.
WAS it practicable to have furnished
refrigerated beef. fresh. to the troops in
their operations before the surrender:
Yes. sir.
WAS any effort made to so furnish
it,
Not to my knowledge"
In answer to questions from Mai. Lee.
the witness said he had heard that some
of the meat was not in hrst-cIaSs cOEdi-
ton when it reached the camps. but al
ways thought that was due to the negli-
gence of the division cOmmissaries them
selves. He had frequently seen wagons
standing about for an hour or two hours
after issue without being unloaded.
DO you wish the court TO infer that
the unsatisfactory condition of the meat
was due to the neglect of these officials
or the conditions under which they had
to get the beef out thereE
I presume ii was dive to the condi-
lions and the difficulty Of transporta-
ton
that beef was to last seventy-two hours
were there any facilities in these camps
around Santiago TO enable the troops to
carry out that provision of the con-
tract?''
NO, sir
do you believe it was 4 possible thing
for that beef to last forty-eight to seven
ty-tWo hours?'
IN + Jo