The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-28
Mr.. SWIFT TESTIFIES.
A Member Of the Firm Who Had the Beef
Contract.
DID NOT GUARANTEE THE BEEF TO KEEP
The Government Did Not Furnish
R~frtRerutors Nor Comply with
the Contract.

Washington, March 2t--lhe milithry
court OF inquiry appointed by the presi-
dent to make an investigation of the beef
furnished the army during the Spanish
way has returned to Washington, and at
z o'clock today resumed It's slttings
The members of the committee are hope
full that they will be able to conclude their
work Within the next ten days and expect
TO have some important witnesses before
them before that time, including General
Eagan who viii be called. 1t Is expected
that General Miles will be given an OPP
portunity' to testify
MIR. e. c. Swift vice president of the
Swift Packing company. was the first
witness who appeared. He is resident
of Lowell. Mass, and gives especial at
tention to the Eastern interests of tho
company He assisted in preparing tho
contract for supplying beef for Cuba dur
ing the war, coming 10 Washington for
the purpose irst on the 23d OF June. Mr..
Swift stated that he started to Washing
ton in response to a request from General
Eagan, when II appeared that his firm had
made the lowest bid The conversation
with General Eagan on this otcasi0n was
somewhat general, relating TO the con-
duct of the business. He was here only
a day and was told before he left that the
contract would be awarded to his firm.
General Eagan had. however stated at
that time that he could not 20 into details
with him until he could make some ueces
sary investigation as TO suitable ships
Mr.. Swift made his second visit to
Washington on the 29th of june when
the contract was submitted to him. lie
had A. ..ll ft..t,as hA
terms OF the agreement as presented 20
him. One of these objections was to the
terms which he Thought might require The
beef company to deliver beet by lighter
he complaining that the company could
not certainly be expected to deliver at
only such points as had railway tracks
alongside the wharves. II was also be-
lieved that the beef was to be supplied
only at the port towns. the inland points
TO be furnished with beef killed in the
country. They were to keep on hand a
sufficient supply for seventy-two hours
consumption this time to be extended
twenty-four hours under special exactions
Shore refrigeration was contemplated in
all the conversations. and with the under
standing that this was to be had, the
company had agreed that tho quality of
the beef should be maintained for three
days and nights.
In response to a question from Major
gan had. during the interview with him.
mentioned that be had received some sug-
gestions OF a process for preserving meats
bur General Eagan did not so into de-
tails, giving no name OF the inventor or OF
the process.
Major Lee then stated that General Ea-
gan bad said In his testimony before the
beard that tho company had guaranteed
that the beef should be kent good for sew
enty-two hours after leaving the refrig-
orator either on shIpboard or on shore.
81 cnn only say" responded Mr.
Swift, "that General tagnp mt the
time Of the interview seemed 10
Nave the same understanding of the
contract that I hnd. HI view of his
testimony, can only say that he
was mistaken"
Major Lee--Thcu tho insertion OF
the clause limiting TO twcnty-four
hours was not clerical error, rs
suRgested by the Gencrnls
Mr.. swift-That can not he so. He
said his agents would take good
care to preserve the meat FROM the
sun aud | assured him that IL this
was done the meat would he good
twenty-four hours nrter being taken
INC
MIR. Swift continued by saying TINT
Refrigerator bcef In "a forrid coun-
try would keep longer than nm or
binary person would think Il would,
ON account Of the outside appear
ance. As consequence OF his rep
presentations the first draft of the
contract had been changed by GEN
rtaI l;fsp In.
Mr. Swift said in reply to a question that
the dressed beef export business was grow
ing rapidly at the expense OF the eXporta-
ton of live cattle. There was he said,
superior demand abroad for the refrig-
Grated beef and in London this beef was
supplied to the best trade
Charles E. Barry, travelling salesman for
Swift & Co., followed Mr., Swift He tes-
TILED to his participation in the nego-
tiations with General EagGn TO secure the
army contract, saying he had met and
talked with him several times on the sub
ject, frst meeting being in May of last
year, before the issuance OF the adver-
tlsement for bids. He also understood
that the seventy-two hour clause appli,d
only TO the time that beef was TO be kept
In the refrleerators on shore. There ,yas
an especial understanding with General
Eaegn as to the twenty-four bonr clause
limiting the time during which The beef
could be kept out of refriRerators, ne
agreeing that 1t should be kept constantly
under cover. Mr.. Barry ralated that ON
one day when he was In General Eagan's
Office. prior to the letting of tho crntruct
the latter complained OF the number of
people who We're writing letters 10 him
concerning the processing OF beef tn,
general had then handed him a letter from
Mr.. Powell OF New York who claimed
TO have a process for preserving meat
saying he bad shipped beef prepared under
ii 10 ali points In the Southern States.
ut struck me-" said Mr.. Barry. from
General Eagan's behavior. that he vas dis
Eusted at the thought. He said he was
depending on the refrigerated beef and
would only deal with those who could
furnish it,