The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-02-22
BEEF INVESTIGATION
General Miles Testimony Cor.
rObOrsted by Other Officers g

General Miles Testimony Cor
rObOrsted by Other Officers 6
Washington. Feb n-Ths court Of m
auiry engaged in investigating tbs bee
charges preferred against General Miles
continued today the hearing OF Testimony
bearing upon the controversy. A number
Of army officers who participated IN th,
Santiago campaign were heard Practical
ly without exception the officers agreed
upon the worthlessness Of the canned
| roast beef
DIFFICULTY In preventing taintlug before
cooking was experienced generally. There
was very little In today's evidence point
ing to any use Of chemicals upon this beef
The contention Of General Miles that the
army In Cuba and Porto Rico should have
been supplied with herds OF cattle. or beef
on the hoof. instead or refrigerated beef
was supported by every witness who to-
day gave his opinion upon this question.
A feature OF today's examination was the
general assertion that they would not
have felt It their duty TO the men 70 have
made any special report upon the beef.
had Il not been for the special orders
calling for such reports. but rather would
have permitted the unsatisfactory ration
20 pass without further notice as an in
cident TO warfare and 70 the peculiarly
trying conditions with which tho army
was confronted at the outbreak Of tho
war. a number OF officers testified TO the
belief that a very small proportion OF
sickness In cuba was due TO the beef or
unwholesome rations, but rather to the
climate.
Lieut. Charles Veile made a long re-
citai Of HIS experience with canned roast
beef
yol. what did you have in Cuba ?
Witness-Canned roast beef. except for
a few days before leaving for home when
we had refrigerated beef.
Col. Davis-What did you nave on the
transport coming homer
Witness-Canned roast beef
Col Davis-What satisfaction did e
give2
witness-Did not give any satisfaction
at all
Col. Davls-what complaints were made
to yoV as to this beef2
Witness-There we're no complaints.
There was no chance to get anything else
aud the men took It and said nothing
Col. Davis--They did use It then?
Wl;ness-I dld not say they used 1t. Il
was issued to them and they took IT, I
saw a good deal OF It thrown overheard
Col. Davis-what did you do toward get
ting something 70 replace Il?
WItness-I aid nothing. There was moth
ing 20 do There was nothing else 20 be
had
Col. Davis-lIave YOU made any reports
on THE subject?
wltness-Yos; have made three re-
ports.
Col. Davis-But why was it that sou
made no official representations on this
srhject while you were in the neld9
Witness-For one reason. that for a
long time there was not a sheet OF paper
in my command.
Col Niele said that he did not take up
the subject OF beef after the command got
back 10 Montauk and sent out a circular
letter to his troop commanders asking
for reports This was before he had re-
ceived official notice from the war depart
mcnt that report on this subject would
be wanted. what refrigerated beef his
command received In Santiago seemed to
~ kV'N' lA' NitlN ltiii'ulhtlth plit lHhht
that was tainted lie had no complaints
as TO Il from the men.
THOSE CHEMICALS
did YOU have any reason to suspect
while you were at Santiago that the re-
frigerator beef had been treated with
chemicals?" asked Col. Davis.
"I had never heard OF such thing at
the time. was t9e reply, "and such an
explanation did not occur TO me-"
Did you eat any Of the refrigerator
meat yourself?"
"Once-that was enough for me"
Witness explained that the meat had
close musty smell as though II had been
shut up a. a close room, and Il turned
him against the meat, so he took bacon
In preference. lie was in good health az
the time, but many Of his men were sick.
Replying 10 Col Gillespie. he said he
had no reason 20 believe that tho other
officers in his mess did not use the meat.
lie said the refrigerator beef at Santiago
had yellow appearance on the outside
that he had never noticed upon the refrig-
orator beef formerly furnished at Fort
Riley, Kansas where he had been station
ID. When he ate Il at Santiago he was In
clined 10 nasea. Referring 10 the canned
roast beef he said II seemed 10 be OF
scraps and that the men would not ca,
g.
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