The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-30
.EAGAN TOOK THE STAND
He Went Into q Detailed Statement Re'
eardine Beet Contracts.
CORRECTED SOME OF HIS FORMER EVIDENCE
Major Black said in His Testimony
that Engnn Had Used Most
Profnne Lnngua.N.

court appointed TO look into General
Miles charges against the beef furnished
the army during the Spanish war had
Commissary General Eagan before 1t to-
day, and heard the testimony of Rear Ad-
miral Stewart and Paymaster Colby Of
the navy and Major Black and volunteer
officers who were engaged in the commits
sary service at Ponce during General
Miles part of the campaign,
General Eagan's testimony was not
startling. He stated that the Messrs.
Armour G. Co. had put in bid to supply
beef to be preserved by g process of their
own, but that he had not received 1t. He
also modified former statement to the
effect that the twenty four hour clause IN
the beef contract had crept in as clerical
error, saying that in the multitude OK
matters which had been demanding his
attention at the time he had forgotten it.
There was an apparent effort by Major
Lee. representing General Miles, to show
that Senator Hanna had sought to IN
fluence the contracts. but General Eagln
asserted that he did not know the senator
and no explanation was made OF the intro
duction of his name.
General Eagan made frequent references
during the giving OF his testimony to the
numerous demands on his time during the
war, making this condition an explanation
for not remembering details.
Major Black and Captain Pomeroy gave
the details concerning the condition of the
beef brought to Porto Rico on the steamer
Manltob a. Captain Pomeroy stated that
OF $1,000 pounds receipted for at Ponce,
5000 pounds had been condemned. They
detailed objections made by men to the
roast canned beef.
Major Black. at the instance of Major
Lee, gave The details of conversation he
had with General Eagan, at that time
ccmmlssary general after his BLACK 81
return to Washington last fall. The state
ment he made proved 10 be somewhat SEN
rational.
Il called upon General Eagan," Major
Black began by saying, ito confer with
him concerning the conduct of our affairs
al Ponce. He asked me why the refriger-
atcr beef was not issued at Ponce and I
replied that 1t was because the issue COM
missartes did not want Il, as they were
getting native beef. Thereupon General
Eagan became very much excited and ex-
claimed with an oath: They have no RICH.
to refuse it. | consider It the best beef in
the United States; and Ga curse) them.
ia havo made them take it"
Admiral Stewart and Paymaster Colby
testlhed to the use OF canned roast beef
in the navy.
General Charles P Eagar. late com.
mlssary general Of the United States was
on the stand this afternoon. He was re-
called to take cognlZance of points which
have been developed since he gave his
nrst testimony. General Eagan said that
ne mas mad conversations with the repre-
sentatives of Swift & Co. prior to the lie e
ting Of the beef contracts, but as he had
also talked with others on the same sub
1ect, he could not recall the details of his
REMARKS lie remembered that Mr. Swift
had taken exception to some of the terms
OF Inc hrst draft of the contract as being
very harsh
When cross examined by Major Lee,
General Eagan said he exercised his own
discretion in the letting of contracts with
out suggestion from the secretary Of war.
When the lowest bid was ascertaine1 he
had been in the habit of making an alb
stract OF ne facts and submitting it to the
secretary Just as when he was Il commits
sary in the army he would furnish such
an abstract to his commanding officer.
Inc general said that in providing for
soldiers in the tropics he had acted upon
MS Ell erience at Fort Mojave, Arizona.
He was convinced from this experience
that beef cooked before the animal heat
was out OF 1t was positively Injurious He
recalled his conversation with Mr. Gard
rer Of the firm of Swift a. Co.. who. no
said had assured him that with proper
care refrigerated beef would keep for
seventy two hours. He was, however.
doubtful OF the care the army would give
it, If 1t was known the beef would keep
seventy-two hours, hercs N agreement
to the insertion of the twenty four hours
clause.
Did you understand il was to keep in
good condition seventy-two hours after
being taken from the ships refrigerator 2"
asked Major Lee.
Yes; that was the understanding" Gem
eral Eagon promptly responded.
Here he again referred t. thu twenty
four hour clause. explaining that his whole
idea was thai there should be a seventy
two hour limit, though the contract should
state 1t at twenty-fOur hours. The re-
tenti0n so strongly of the seventy two
hours idea in his mind explained his for
gettn.ness Of the twenty four hour clause
IN sivins his testimony on a previous oc-
easion and his statement then that its
insertion was clerical error.
Major Lee asked the general II he
thought 1t perfectly feasible to keep re-
Irigerated beef for even twenty four hours
after leaving the refrigerator, and he re-
piled in tho affirmative.
But not he said, III left in the open
sun or dumped in dirty carts. as it was In
some instances"
General Eagan said he had secured the
ooinion Of the surgeon general that the
refrigerated beet was most acceptable He
hal never had any idea that the troops
could be better supplied by giving them
beef on the h0of He had no recollection
that the secretary OF war had suggested to
him that tho refrigerated beef should be
taken from Armour or Swift, merely as a
trial. being convinced OF it's superiority
over all beefs
The secretary gave me free hand, -
said be. He approved my award OF the
contract and there was no further confer
ence with him or Instructions from him
on the beef subject
Referring 10 General Westous report on
the trial OF the Powell process for pre-
serving beef, made in rl~~ida. General
Engan said a report had been rerpi
on this subject from General Weston, but
that he tEagan) had not known of its
purport until long after the contract was
let TO Swift & Co.
lie recalled a letter he had written TO
Alexander h. Powell. May 26. regarding
ms process. He also stated that he had
heard that Powell had induced Swift or
Armour to investigate the process land
some OF the bidders proposed TO use IT,"
BUT he gave the subject no attention.
For that matter" he continued, there
was great deal of talk about the Powell
and other processes about the department.
put not on my part. as did not propose
tlat any buf tho hnaf frayan h,of