Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-05-01
BEEF COURT REPORTS.
Official Copy Of Findings Forwarded
to the President.
TEXT NOT YET MADE PUBLIC
II Is Known. However. That the YER
diet Does Not Sustain the AIIegR-
lions of General Miles-Further
Proceedings unneccssary.

Washington, May l. - The army
court of inquiry concluded its work on
Saturday in connection with the allega-
tons of General Miles concerning the
beef supplied to the army during the
war with Spain. The report was signed
at 2:30 p. M. by every member Of the
board, who soon afterward left the
| Lemon building, where all the meetings
| in this city have been held Colonel Da-
| Wis, the recorder of the court, carried
the official copy of the findings to the
| war department and in the absence of
Secretary Alger delivered it to Acting
Secretary Meiklejohn. Mr.. Meiklejohn
Immediately sealed the document in an
envelope and forwarded it to the White
House, whence it was dispatched forth
with to the president in New York. The
report is of about 10000 words and goes
fully into the questions which have
been raised in connection with the army
beef. The text has not been made pub
lie and will not be until after the pres
ident shall have read it, 1t will then
rest with him to say when the report
shall be given to the public.
The verdict, however, is known to be
that the allegations which General
ing commission are not sustained with
reference to the refrigerated beef, al
though his convention that the canned
roast beef was not a suitable continu-
Gus ration Is admitted. There is direct
criticism of General Miles for failing to
promptly bring to the attention of the
war department the reports made to
him concerning bad beef, and several
individuals are censured for failing to
observe the proprieties of their position
as commanding officers in this and 9TH
err respects"
The court takes the position that the
testimony is conclusive that both the
refrigerated beef and the canned beef
were in good condition when delivered
to the government and continued so I'M
til issued to the troops except in espe-
cial instances, where the deterioration
was due to accidental conditions in
transportation or to the influences of
the tropical heat. The report admits
the liability of refrigerated beef to faint
quickly after removal from the ice
chests. The court finds the charges Of |
"embalming" the fresh beef to have |
been unsubstantiated by the testimony
and says no chemicals were used to pre-
serve it, It also finds that it would |
have been impracticable to secure beef |
on the hoof for the Cuban campaign. |
The finding is likewise in opposition to
the assertion on the part of General |
Miles that the use of the beef was an
experiment.
Canned Roast Beef.
Much attention is given to the charges
ipc no
t is stated that the testimony proves it
20 have been wholesome and nutritious
where used in moderation and under
favorable circumstances. The position
S taken that too much of this article of
God was supplied to the men and that
lnder the circumstance it was unpal-
ltable and found undesirable as a con-
inuous ration. The fact is set forth
hat the canned roast beef was not used
o any appreciate extent before the be-
ginning of this war, and it is therefore
egarded as practically untried ration.
n view of this fact the commissary
General Of subsistence is roundly criti-
Used for the purchase of the meat in
UGH extensive quantities. AS to the
haracter Of the meat for wholesome
ess and nutrition, the reports of Pro-
essors Atwater and Chittenden are
uoted at length, sustaining the claims
n this respect. The instructions of the
resident are followed closely in order.
nd all the points indicated by him as
eing those upon which he desired that
lquiry should be made are covered
Accordingly the court finds that the
neat was not "doctored;" that it was
he beef of commerce; that there was
o more neglect than was incident to ,
he hurried preparation for the war;
nat the inspection, while generally ac-
ording to regulations, was not always
p to the requirements, and that the
ckness of the troops was not to any
reat degree occasoned by the use of
ther the canned or the refrigerated t
eef !
On the other hand, it is found that |
eneral Miles himself did not report I
uring the war that the beef, either {
9frleerated or canned, was unfit as a a
alton. Other officers who gave their 6
'StlmOny before the court are found c
so to have neglected what the court l
'nceives to have been their duty in c
lis respect, and all are blamed for this
ilure
But the court does not think further
'oceedlngs necessary. "