The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-29
GEN. EAGAA IS MISTAKEN.
The Seventy-Two Hour Clause in
the Beef Contract.
ARMouR's MEN TESTIFY
They Swear That No Preseryatives
Were Used and That the Beef
Was in Excellent Con-
dition. .r-

Washington, March 2S-Captain
George B. Davis, now commiseary of
subsistence, was the first witness be-
fore the beef court of inquiry to-day.
He assisted in the preparation of the
contract with Swift. He understood
from Eagan that the beef was to be
kept in refrigerators after arrival, and
ITO keep "a hours after removal from re-
frigerators. Davis detailed Instances
where the beef had been condemned
while in refrigerato tors. In reply to Ma
jor Lee, Davis said:
1.-THE understanding in the commits
sary generals office was that the beef
was to be kept good Y hours by con-
tractors after leaving the ship provid-
ing good care was taken of it. This
was the extreme limit" he said, "but it
was not supposed the beef would be
kept more than "a hours
Asked about the discrepancy between
his testimony regarding the ~ hours
clause and that of Eagan regarding the
same, Davis said Eagan's testimony
was incorrect, because he (Eagan) had
forgotten the matter, probably not hav-
ing seen the contract in six months.
Witness said there had been considera-
Bile discussion in the commissary gen
erals office regarding shipping beef on
hoof. but the plan had not been adopt
ed because of the difficulty in getting
ships. The subsistence department had
gone so far, however, as to gather
names of persons who might desire to
bid.
Bernard +. Murtagh an agent for
Armour & Co. at Lakeland during the
presence of the troops, gave the details
of the supply there. He said the beef
was generally held in the cars for three
days, the cars being well iced. About
one-third of the contents of one car
had been rejected and after this the
meat was shipped in refrigerator boxes.
Some of this boxed meat was also re-
jected. Both Messrs. Murtagh and
Smith testified that they had never seen
anything of the use of preservativps,
and both stated that Sergeant Mason,
who had testified that preservatives
had been used, had praised the quality
of the beef
Charles H. Morehouse. manager OF
the Tampa branch of Armour & Co.'S
establishment, also testified. He said
that from May 20 to June l. 10000
pounds of ice were used at Lakeland.
He said that the beef supplied ITO the
troops was of the same quality as that
SoppllGu " lilt Z lb1 iud IltGlS. NO
preservatiyes had been used on the
beef. He was willing to take oath as
to that. The principal trouble was that
some of the commssary officers knew
nothing of beef.
George w. Watson, railroad agent at
Lakeland said he had often gone into
the cars in which the beef was carried,
and that the meat did not present any
unusual appearance. He had eaten
some of the rejected meat, and had
found it to be as good beef as he had
ever tasted
The afternoon session was executive
in character and was devoted prnci-
pally to the consideration of witnesses
to be called in the future 1t is ex-
pected that Major Black, who was a.
member of General Miles staff in Por-
to Rico. and Captain Pomeroy, who ac-
companed the expedition as commits
sary officer. will be heard tomorrow,
and that later in the week some OF the
medical officers of the army will APP
pear on the stand.
General Eagan. formerly commissary
general of subsistence, arrived here to-
day. He will testify before the board,
probably Wednesday,