New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05
THE ARMY BEEF INQUIRY.
WORK OF THE COURT IN WASHINGTON
NEARLY FINISHED.
c~,.tcAco TO BE VISITED EARLY IN THE
wEEK-A VOLUNTEER WITNESS RE
observation-disclosures TESTIMONY.

Washington. March A-The Army Beer Oot -
inquiry wound up its weeks work Win H"', TO-,
session to-day having exhausted Its hs' Oh wiz
,asses NOW, on hand There may be some Witnesses
a, MONDAYS session. but the court VIII start lo'
chicago early next week. probably on Tuesoay vi
Wednesday. ,o,
Inst before the close of the session to-day VOL
unteer witness presented himself. but was not ac-
80 10 wore an Army uniform, and said MS
rsme was Frank Rundas late Of the Bird Neoraska
wv ! Rryar's regiment. and that he had rece"'!
been honorably discharged from the serNiVe ""u
was on his way home. His story was III o'''. va"
no had served in the company Kitchen WIN "'S
command IN Jacksonville. and that FOR lohs
,eriod when the men were living on reinsera'o'
heef tbcre Was 50 much intestinal trouble that the
issue of this meat was stopped Al another u"ie
he found some refrigerator meat IN the Kitchen TIC"
was of such peculiar color that the atteh'o" ~
The company officers was called TO II. Inc su'eeV"
IN charge examined it, so Rundas alleged ana re-
r,,rla5 thar The meat was all right hut had been
nrepsrod 10 send 70 Porto Rico. ami since u hau
been issued the men had rs well use IT, Inc meal
was cooked but ali the men who ate II were nldue
sick The inference drawn was that ms was
some Of the same Porto Rico beef when III gay
had an9lvzel and alleged 10 he chemically trea'eo
Pundas said he was on his way home. but had
s,onrod IN Washington 10 OFFER this Information 10
the Court OF Inquiry If it was thought worth near
inc 10 presented himself 10 Colonel DAVIS 'ne
.-orss~ If tho court bat was told that he would
affervar1 whether Rundas was to be called or why
he had been rejected Colonel Davis said;
81 know nothing about the man He had on
uniform. bat that is no proof that ne Is Il Soioei
or ever hos Been There are all sorts OF crahks
and irn09s.o~s who come up here and want TO
tes.ff, a. 70 this man II he identify him
self and the Court directs me to call him. VIII
do 81
Tho counsel for General Miles viii inquire into
the erioceGerts of tbs witness. and II ne Is what
he r.nressn- himself % he. ne Will he called.
MORE SPECIFIC INQUIRIES HEREAFTER.
Tie Court was engaged with odds and ends oil
testimony several volunteer witnesses ana com
nlssarv officers being on the list. Inc inquiry UP
10 date has Been en- general lines. laying the ioun-
dstion for more spec0c inquiries. which Will ioi-
Inv The Court will begin this second stage OF
the work cr aoine Yves; early next week. where
the plants q The packing houses ana meat HrinS
VIII be- INSPECTED Thereafter the Army inspectors
and others who saw The meat that was turned Over
10 tho Governmcn; will be examined.
Col,~s1 Can.rce~ who was recalled in answer
10 p question from Major Lee as to whether or
not be- had issued canned beef 70 the Cuban refu-
gees because the American soldiers would not eat
il, replied.
we issued tho canned beef to the Cubans be
cause they preferred II and The bacon TO our men
because they preferred iha,. We were trying our
best TO give every one what they most preferred
''I'mph" commented Major Lee.
Lieutenant Louis u. Hunter. Of the 9th Massa-
chuset,s and reeimental commissary while in
Port, Rico said his experience with both the
canned and refrigerated beet the whole had been
satisfactory Some Of the canned beef was con-
demned but the percentage was small Consider
able native beef had been issued at times. but on
one occasion the quantity had been cut down on
the advice Of the surgeon. The men liked the
native beef which was well favored. but very
tough.
Lieutenant Hunter said the men large
amount Of native fruit. and bananas or cooked.
became almost staple article Of food. Probably
per cent OF the sickness due TO fruit.
Cross-examined, witness said the men did not
use over per cent Of the canned beef after reach
ing Porto Rico They traded the rest to the native
storekeepors. on the march he had seen many men
throw away the beef after making one meal out
OF the can. or else give II TO the natives Witness
had been made sick once. he supposed, by eat
ing canned beef His general health was good
As to the shortage in rations on board the Yale
on her trip South which had been noted by several
other witnesses Lieutenant Hunter said it was due
not 10 lack OF provisions. but OF cooking facilities.
Major George w Ruthers. OF the Commissary De
partment who had supplied refrigerated beef TO the
Seventh Army Corps while at Jacksonville. said he
had received complaint The meat had
been rigdly inspected and showed no evidences OF
cuts or punctures anything else that might give
rise 10 the suspicion that IT had been chemically
treated At Jacksonville he had issued general
circular to the Seventh Army Corps calling atten-
Z ton the fact that beef vegetables furnished
and not coming up to specifications were 70 be re-
loturned TO the commisssry officer issuing them, even
81 If the defect discovered until the food
g reached the company camp
MAJOR LEE TAKES 4 HAND
Major Lee took up the cross-examination and
. DEVELOPED the fact that at times there had been
= complaints Is 20 the beef and that in one case $40
pounds OF beef had been condemned Witness said
ne had three ofncia complaints Of the beef At
Jacksonville
q understood you to say" said Major Lee, that
you had never had single complaint 10 the
refrigerator beef. II wrong Ia like to he
corrected
You are. sir" replied the witness. What l said
was That / had handled l02000o pounds OF refrig-
orator beef Savannah without any complaint
1.-The complaints were made at Jacksonville
Lieutenant olonel Guild. OF Boston, who was
attached to General Fitzhugh Lees stan in
spector-general OF the seventh Army Corps. said
SANS Sommissi9n ana mao mSqs we cnIee de
General Breckenridge. both of which were on file
in the War Department. He thought that these re-
rorts being accurately compiled from official data,
would be better evidence than he could give Off
hand. .,, 49,. 1900 .o,.,., .....
TO the Var Department said colonel DAVIS. but
War Commission win of course. not be available
for US 80
had been satisfactory 70 had personally Inspected
many cars finding few sides OF beef in the whole
amount 10 Wnch any exception couiu Os n taken.
demned i-oOD pounds at Jacksonville which had
beer. shipped from NeR-Orieans before II was de-
Ivered 10 the Army IN jacksonville
He explained that . large shipment of canned
roast beef had arrived at Jacksonville in offensive
condition. He had picked out offensive smelling
amounting ~ 900 pounds and called in the
Jacksonville health officer, who condemned II >
public nuisance, thus giving him the right TO de-
stroy It at once in the public crematory Armour 6
agent. VINO was on the ground asked leave 10 tele-
graph 10 his home office ana quickly received word
from his nrm THAI il would be glad take back the
Mnole shipment and furnish good beef In It's place
This was done The beef had been sent 10 New