The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-07
Proposition Was Made to Gen. Eagan
to supply Fresh Beef "Prtserved"
by the Powell Process.
TESTS WERE MADE Al TAMPA
AND THE MEAT Is SAID TO HAVE
KEPT WELL IN THE HOT sun.
William III. ID. Cafndry's Testimony as
to COntracts-SpOiled Meat Thrown
Away at Havana.

WASHINGTON, April Elm the army
beef court of inquiry to-day the letter of
Messrs. Armour & Co., proposing TO use
the Powell process for the preservatiop-of
beef, was submitted as evidence by Major
Lee, acting for General Miles. 1t was ad-
dressed to the commissary general, dated
at the firms Washington office, July Is,
1898, and read as follows:
"As supplementary and explanatory of
our bid to supply dressed beef In Cuba, We
wish to say that we have the exclusive con-
troll of the Powell process for preserving
fresh meats, and that this process mas been
tested at Tampa, the test having been com
pleted with most satisfactory results. Ihis
test was made under the supervision OF Col.
John Weston, of your department.. Who has
advised you of the results. We are advised,
however, that he received four carcasSes
of beef which we sent him from Chicago
duly refrigerated and treated according 10
the Powell processes. Part of these car
and part were not. These carcaSSeS We're
distributed to the Third Cavalry. the Skin
Cavalry, batteries of artillery and the med-
zeal department, and were hung I'm the AIR
On the upper deck of the transport troop
ships lying at the wharf in the not sun,
without any benefit of the fresh ar or
movement of the ships. The pieces that
were not wrapped fermented in less than
thrty-two hours, while the pieces that
were covered or wrapped kept about IoO
These practical tests, made under the
supervision of your own officer, show that
by means of this process wrapped pieces
or carcasses can be kept longer than the
seventy-two hours required by your specl-
fications. We believe We may safely state
that such results have never before been
accomplished in the history of the fresh
meat business. In view of the tests which
have made in the past and OF the result
of the tests made under the supervision OF
your own officer we believe are abso-
lutey safe in the assertion that this is the
only process or method which Will secure
81, rrn1h INV rsaarr
The testimony began to-day with DR.. l.
Clifford Cox, assistant surgeon in the vol
unteers of the District of Columbia. He
was at Tampa and in Cuba, and testified
that the command was attacked with diar-
rhoea to the extent of an epidemic. after
eating the beef at both places. After the
second attack of this character the regi-
mental surgeon had ordered that the issue
of the beef be stopped. When this was
done the diarrhoea stopped.
William H. De Caindry, who has been
chief clerk in the office Of the commissary
general of the War Department for twenty
years, related his connection with the work
of letting the beef contracts. AT the in
stance of General Eagan he had first sent
out forty or fifty kilograms to dealers in
beef, asking for bids to supply refrigerated
beef or for beef on the block, General Eagan
having supplied the form. MIR. De Caindry
had been instructed by General Eagan to
prepare the original draft of the contract
for the beef supply, and after some re-
arranging submitted a draft, feeling conf
dent that it was complete. IT was then that
men whom he understood to be representa-
tives of Swift & Co. brought up the question
as to the length of the time the beef sn nUe
containing the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. clause were
brought to him by Captain Davis, assistant
commissary general Details were lacking
and the suggestions as to time seemed to be
conflicting He had tried to get details
from Captain Davis in regard TO the twenty
four hour clause, and was told by him that
the understanding was that refrigerators
were to be built on shore and in the rear
of the moving troops, the intention being TO
have the beef exposed for the minimum
time only. He had at the time pointed out
the apparent conflict between the twenty
four and seventy-two-hour clauses. In one
of the revisions, General Eagan had inter-
lined in his own handwriting a clause re-
ferring to the time, reading as follows:
men snalI hot pe more lLdII sSNenty w !. y
hours from the time OF storing the same In
such refrigerators.' This clause, Mr. De
Caindry said, he at the time did not under
stand but he had no authority TO strike II
out. When the Neutrality-suspicious. clause was
inserted General Eagan appeared dubious
about it, but said nothing more. Mr.. De
Caindry said he had been so worried by the
apparent inconsistencies in the contract that
he had kept all the memoranda relating to
the matter.
Are they on file now?" asked Major Lee.
They are not in the file boxes"
The witness then stated, in reply to ques-
tions, that Captain Davis was in charge Of
these boxes and that Captain Davis was the
especial confidant of General Eagan. Asked
II he had any reason at the time the contract
was drawn TO suspect that any of the data
had been withheld by Eagan or Davis. Mr.
De Caindry replied that he had no such sus-
picion then and that he had none now. His
impression was that they were undertaking
to do something which they had not digested
sufhclently TO know just how they wanted
to do Ii.
lars concerning the trial of the Powell pre-
servative process in Florida. He spoke of n
letter of Armour & Co, in which they argued
because they controlled this Powell process,
notwithstanding their bid was somewhat
higher than that of Swift & Co.
What became of that letter." asked
"A portion of it is on file" said Mr. De
the writer at his request. The portion re-
tained was the last page. containing the
Endorsement of the Secretary of War and the
however, retained. The witness was then
requested to and did read the letter from
this subject but he said he had no remem-
brance of ever having seen the letter before.
This letter was then put in as evidence.
AT this point Major Lee asked Mr.. De
Caindry whether he had ever rendered his
resignation as an official of the War De
partment, and the witness replied that he
had done so. II rendered my resignation on
the day following General Eagan's ap- ~ r.
ance before the commission" he sa.H
Major Lee was about to proceed with to >
line of questions. when Colonel Davis OBJ
jected on the ground that the inquiries were
not pertinent. Major Lee then withdrew the
first question.
Richard A. Pyles, chief surgeon of the
District OF Columbia Volunteers testified
that the refrigerator beef supplied the troops
in Cuba had given them dysenterv but ex-
pressed the opinion that this was due IN the
fact that they ate too much of It. He ex-
pressed disapproval of the canned beef and
said the men would only eat IL when they
could get no other meat. The court then adj
iniirnad Until ------ -