The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-08
FED ON COOKED MACCOTS
Officers Reports Condemn the
Roast Beef.
A MISERABLE APOLOGY
No More Unpalatable Article of Food
Could Have Been Issued-It Was
Distinct Failure as
Ration.

with SPAN, as requested ny General
Miles. The public forenoon session of
the court was only of sufficient dura-
ton to permit the preferment Of this
request. Major Lee stated that he con-
sedered it important that the matter |
should be definitely determined as soon |
as possible. He also asked for con-
sideration of General Miles supple
mentary request that a large number
of additional witnesses be summoned.
1t was learned that all the reports
were brief and that the court in secret
session decided to allow them to be
read. There are 147 of them and they
were generally prepared by their au
thors after the close of the campaigns
in Cuba and Porto Rico, and in re-
spOnse to a circular letter. With rel
erence to the application to have more
witnesses called, it is understood that
the court will adhere to Its determine
ton not to summon any of the list
whose testimony would be merely cor
roborative of that already given. At
the afternoon session Major Lee read
the reports. all of which pertained to
canned beef.
Brigader General Viele pronounced
the canned beef "a miserable apology
for food" A large number of reports
were made from officers of the lst
cavalry, among these the following:
Major James NJ. Bell-It is better
than no beef, but l cannot recommend 1t
as component of the field ration.
Lieut.. Clough Overton-lt is an un-
desirable portion of the travel ration.
Mai w. S. Scott heard no COM
plants of the canned roast beef.
Lieut.. C. B. Willams-The beef as
an occasional substitute for bacon was
| acceptable.
| Lieut.. Walter NJ Whitman--The pro-
| longed issue of the beef on the trans
| port was injurious, to the men.
| Lieut. NJ. F. Davis-Considered the
| beef as Of poor quality and said he
had found four maggots cooked with
| the beef in the cans
| Lieut.. H. D. Berkely-No more un-
palatable article of food could be is
sued.
Lieut.. w. c. Rivers--It was an un-
suitable article of food.
Lieut. E. S. Wright-It was a dis
| tinct failure.
| Lieut.. Col. w. A. Rafferty, of the Cd
cavalry stated that he agreed with the
report of his commissary officer, who
| pronounced the beef non-nutritive and
said the men soon tired of it.
A large number of officers in this
regiment pronounced a similar verdict.
Major Jackson of the Sd cavalry pro-
canning poor 1t had served very well
in hash, but as a separate article of
| food it was nauseating.
| Lieutenant Colonel Carroll of the 9Th
| cavalry said that most of the meat is
sued to his troops on the transport had
| been thrown overheard, as 1t made
some of the men sick.
Capt. f. West of the 9Th cavalry had
preferred going without meat to eat
ing the canned beef. 1t made his men
sick.
Lieut. R. B. Paddock-Men would go
hungry rather than eat it.
Capt. G. S. Grimes, I'd artillery-The
meat was soft, watery and unsatisfac-
tory to the men,
Captain Ellis of the 4th cavalry-It
was stringy and tough, and 1 and 9TH
ers found it unpalatable.
Capt. w. L. Finley of the 9th cavalry
The beef was tough and devoid of
flavor.
Capt NJ. G. Hughes of the 9th caval-
ry-The meat became distasteful after
a few days.
Capt P. 3. Rowel of the 9Th cav
alry-Almost wholly devoid of the fla
vor of beef.
Captain Hutchinson of the 9th cav
alry-It should be alternated witt
other meat Had heard of no bad re
suits from it's use.
Lieut.. I. NJ. Nance had found i
taSteleSS and the men would not ca
5 it.
: Captain McLain and Lieutenant:
Hardwick, Barber, Stadtler, McCor
mick, White, Cavanaugh. Lyman ant
Everett made reports very similar tt
those preceding. Lieutenant Barber
| thought it good as a change.
Captain Albert Cummns of the &c
artillery thought some of the meal
:, contained ptomanes and caused great
deal of sickness. AS a ration it. was
; a failure.
Capt H. J. Reilly of the 5th artil'
, lery-It was palatable with vegetables
but not otherwise desirable.
Colonel Sinclair of the 18th cavalry
The meat used was of poor grade Il
better grade of meat was secured
it might prove proper food.
Lieutenant Benton of the 7th artil
lery-It was more wholesome than the
fresh beef.
Lieutenant Brown of the I'd infantr,
1t was unfit for use. Many of th
men said it had been 'doped," mean
, ing that chemicals had been used il
its preparation.
!; Capt. ]. Waring of the I'd infantry
I | 1t was not fit to be issued.
: Major Baker of the 4th infantry
+ The canned beef was of an inferio
= quality, anything but palatable.
Lieutenant Colonel Miner of the ct
: infantry-The canned beef was utter
! unfit as an article of diet. Hungr
men left it on the ground. Much O
= it appeared like meat from which eX
= tract of beef had been prepared befor
it was put up.
Major Corless, Lieutenant Quent an
Captain Howe cf the 7th infantry a
reported the canned beef was not fl
:, for consumption and that the sam
: was true of much of the fresh beef.
u Lieut.. Col. B. H. Ellis of the Sth in
n fantry-It was openly condemned b.
d the men and generally thrown away.
= Capt. w. l.. Pitcher of the Sth infan
e try-The canned beef was just as ba
S as possible short of being rotten.
Col. w, H. Powell Of the 9th infan