The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-20
Army Beef Was Covered With
"Preservaline."
LOOKED LIKE PARAFFINE
Surface of the Meat Coated With Wax
Like Substancs-D.rect Testimony
OF Sergeant Edward
Mason.

enworth to-day and at Ais o'clock de-
parted for Chicago where the sessions
will be resumed Monday morning The
sole witness examined to-day was Ser
geant Edward Mason, troop A, LIST
United States cavalry, located at Fort
Robinson, Neb., who served as regi-
mental commissary sergeant at Lake
land, Fla. and during the Cuban cam
paign. Sergeant Mason's testimony was
probably the most direct that has been
adduced since the court left Chicago.
witness declaring that meat received
att Lakeland for use in his regiment
WAS undoubtedly chemically treated"
An agent of Armour & Co., he further
testified. told me at the time that this
meat had been treated with what was
called 'preservaline.' Witness had re.
fused to accept the meat. Sergeant
Mason was Intercepted individually by
each member of the court and could
not be shaken in his testimony.
The court met at 10 O'Clock this morn
ing in the cort martial room at the fort.
Sergeant Mason, whose failure to reach
the fort yesterday, made it necessary
for the court to take Sunday testimony,
was first questioned by Recorder Da-
Wis. He told of the mea: furnished on
the voyage from Tampa to Cuba. No
complaints were made of the canned
roast beef, but the meat was tastelass
ana unsatisfactory generally and had
to be thrown overheard. In Cuba the
men of his regiment would not ca. the
canned roast beef, and as a rule, it was
thrown away. The refrigerated beef
iSSIel after the
but. as rule, it spoiled before it could
be used.
The witness was then taken in hand
by Major Lee. He said he was detailed
commissary sergeant at Lakeland about
April 20 and served as such through to
the close of the Cuban campaign.
Did you, as commissary sergeant,
or acting commissary sergeant for the
regiment. draw any refrigerated beef 1T
Tampa or Lakeland?' asked Major Lee.
Il did, sir
What occurred?"
The meat we received was in APP
pearance fine, but was undoubtedly
chemically treated One morning
went down to the refrigerator car to
draw meat and / objected to the ap-
pearance of it, An agent of Armour
& Co. was there. 1 do not know whaI
his name was. He told me at the same
with what was called 'preservalne.' 1t
was as If it had been painted over
with something like paraffine wax
There was light coating on the out
side of the meat. l objected to the
color of the meat and refused to &C
cept it. Our commissary officer came
down and he refused to accept it,
About what time was that?"
THE 2Sth or 29th of May"
tWbn ba Off
down."
Lieutenant C. J. Hartman"
About how much was there of this
meat at that time?'
Probably 5000 pounds that was in
the car"
Did you notice it generally?"
Il examined the meat very carefully
as commissary sergeant. 7 had handled
meat before. The meat was undoubted-
ly spoiled"
Were any reports made by Armour's
agent at the time as to the harmfulness
or lack of harmfulness of the prepara-
ton? Was it discussed?"
My recollection is that he said the
preparation used did not hurt the meat:
that it was safe. He advised us to cut
off the outside. and said the meat
to the bone"
Did he state where this had been
done?"
Where had the meat come from be-
fore coming to Lakeland?"
Il do not know. 1t came in car loads;
probably from Chicago or Kansas"
Tampa?'
Yes. sir"
You know, as a matter of fact, that
there was refrigerator establishment
there, where meats were sent to the
various commander
Il know that. l think our meat came
from Chicago. 1t was not billed in any
way to the commissary."
1T was not billed in any way to the
commssary; it came entirely to the
agent?''
1T came to the agent entirely"
ITO whom would he report in regard
to the meat? Would he report to the
commissary
He would probably notify the COM
missary officer. We would go down in
wagons and get the meat every morn
ing"
BY General Wade: "Were YOU at
Lakeland when the car was opened?"
II do not think that I opened the
car. but l was there when it was op-
ened."
Was it regular refrigerator carr"
Yes. sir"
1T had only 5000 pounds in ito"
No. sir; the car was full when 1t
came in"
Was the meat you got out of the
car before that treated?"
Yes sir: I suppose the same as the
rest of it,
Was that the only car treated?"
mo. sir: we would take about a car
a week. We had four regiments there
the Twenty the Seventy-second
New York, the First and Tenth cav
arly."
WAS all the meat you got there
treated with preserValine?'
THAT I could not say. The only
thing I knew was that Armour's agent
told me-
BY General Gillespie: How did the
agent happen to tell you about the APP
pearanCe of the meat?"
THE meat was supplied in the morn
ing and it smeled bad and had a bad
appearance The agent just simply
speaking of it, said: That is preserva-
line. That is the chemical we use to
protect the meat and preserve it AS
to what preservaline was, l do not
know"