Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-30
EAGAN AGAIN HEARD,
His Testimony Before The Beef
Court Not Startling,
SUGGESTION OF HANNA|SM.
Former COmmiSsaTy General, However,
Says He Doesn't Know OhiOan.
MORE LURID EAGAN LANGUAGE.
II il Testified To by officer who Was
MiIes's Chief Commissnry I'm Porto
Rico-NavaI Officers speak in Favor
of Canned Beef.
of Canned Beef.

WASHINGTON, March 29.-The mill
tary court appointed to inquire into Cen
eral Miles's charges concerning the beef
supplied the army during the Spanish
war had former Commissary-Gener
Eagan before il to-day on recall, and also
heard the testimony Of Rear-Admiral
Stewart and Paymaster Colby, Of the
navy. and Major Black and Captain
Pomeroy, volunteer officers. who were
engaged in the commissary service at
Ponce during General Miles's Porto Rican
campaign.
General Eagan's testimony was not
startling. lie stated that Messrs. Armour
& co. had put in a bid to supply beef to
be preserved by a process of their own,
but that he had not considered IT, He
also modified a former statement TO the
effect that the twenty-four-h clause
I'm the beef contract had crept in as a
clerical error, saying that in the multi
tude of matters which had been demand
ing his attention at the time, he had for
gotten its insertion. His understanding
was that the beef was to keep in good
condition seventy-two hours after being
taken from the ships refrigerator.
His principal reason for inserting the
clause stipulating that the beef should be
good twenty-four hours after leaving the
refrigerator was that he did not wish the
troops to know that the contract called
for beef that would keep seyenty-two
hours. for fear that it would not keep so
long.
HANNA INFLUENCE?
There was an apparent effort on the
part Of Major Lee, representing General
Miles. to show that Senator Hanna had
sought to influence the contracts, but
General Eagan asserted that he did not
know the Senator and no explanation was
made of the Introduction of his name.
General Eagan made frequent reference
during the giving Of his testimony to the
numerous demands upon his time during
the war, making this condition an eNpla-
nation Of his not RENE emberlnS details.
Major Black and Captain Pomeroy gave
details concerning the condition Of the
beef brought 10 Porto Rico on the steamer
Manitoba. Captain Pomeroy stated tha,
Of p 900 pounds receipted Tor AT Ponce
6.MO pounds had been condemned. Thy
also detailed the objections made by the
men to the roast canned beer.
MORE EAGAN "LURIDITY."
Major Black, who was chief commits
sary on General Miles's stan during Inc
Porto Rican campaign, was asked by
Major zee TO detail a conversation he
had had with General Eagan, at that
time commissary-gen after his
Hlaclx's) return 10 Washington last tall.
The statement he made proved 10 be
somewhat sensational
Il called upon General Eagan,' Major
BLACK began, "tO confer with MN con-
corning the conduct of our affairs at
Ponce. He asked me why the refrigerated
beef was not issued at Ponce, and l re-
piled that it was because fhe issue COM
missaries did not want II, as they were
getting native beef. Thereupon Genefdi
Eagan became very much excited ana eN-
claimed. '- - them, they nave no
rieht TO refuse it. / consider It the best
beef i'm the United States, md, - --
them. | have made them take IT,.
At Major Lees request Captain Pome-
rov. of the Volunteer Subsistence Depart
ment. related a conversation with Colo
mel smith. who was for a time chief COM
,,issary and who had told him that beef
was guaranteed 10 keep seyenty-two
hours on shore. because of process Tor
preserving IL. The Colonel had, however,
stated that he did not know what the
process was.
BEEF GENERALLY THROWN AWAY.
Captain PomerOy said he had handled
probably $4,000 pounds Of canned roast
beef during his occupancy OF the ONCE
Of depot cOmmissary. but that he had
had great difficulty I'm getting the men TO
take IT,.
.Thev complained" he said. 'that the
beef was repusiye in appearance. un-
apDetizing. tasteless, and not nutritious.
Not to exceed 10 per cent. was taken, ana
when the men did accept ii they generally
threw it away. They tried to sell TINS
canned beef 10 the natives, and succeeded
for "a time. but not long. As a matter or
fact the canned roast beef. and also the
canned boiled beef, sent 10 Ponce was OF
very little value. The men complained
that the meat made them sick
He also mentioned a preserved meat.
secured from Kansas City. which, he
said the troops liked. This meat was not
cooked but he did not know the process
of its preservation.
GOOD WORD FOR THE MEAT.
Admiral Stewart and Paymaster Colby
testified to the use OF canned roast beer
I'm the navy. ON the whole, II gave salts
faction.
The court adjourned for the day with
the understanding that some witnesses
I'm General Miles's behalf would be heard
tomorrow