The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-01
George II. Giddings Of San Antonio
Gives Crushing Evidence.
EAGAN PREFERRED BEEF ON THF HOOP
He Had No Confidence in the Refrigerator
Article,
BUT WAS INSTRUCTED TO GIVE IT A TRIAL
Eagan Told Mr.. Giddings OF the re-
quest of Secretary Aiger, on
which lie Acted.

Washington, March 3f.-All but two OF
the witnesses before the army beef in
qulry court today were members of the
medical stan OF the army who were In SER
vice in Cuba during the Spanish war. The
other two witnesses we're George II. Cid
dings and General Hall Sypher, who had
been Interested in securing contracts for
supplying beef on tho hoof and on the
block for the army in Cuba. They testi-
ned that General Eagsn had told them
that the secretary of war had asked him TO
give the refrigerated beef trial. while
Mr.. Syphcr said that General Eagan had
created the Impression upon him that he
preferred beef on the block 10 refrigerated
beef.
Their testimony throughout was con-
Trajectory to General Bagans testimony.
and Mr. Giddings said that Congressman
Hawley was present at several of his con-
ferences with General Eagsn.
A majority of the army surgeons ex-
pressed tho opinion that the canned beef
was unsatisfactory as food for the troops,
but some of them thought It not more
harmful than other meat in the Cuban
climate.
The forenoon session opened with a
number of officers Of the medical corps Of
the army present who had been SUM
moned as witnesses. Colonel Charles r.
| Greenleaf, chief medical inspector Of the
army, who was the chief surgeon 10 the
field during the Spanish war and who was
nruI To-. n
campaign, was the first called to the stand.
/ He said that while in Porto Rico he had
looked Into the question OF food to GER
tain extent but only incidentally. He
| there heard OF complaints as to the char
acter of the cooking. His attention had
not been brought to any complaints con-
corning either tho canned or refrigerated
beef. He had eaten some of the canned
roast beef and did not relish It,
1T was not pleasant to the sight" he
said, and 1t was mawkish to the taste
| without condiments such as salt and pep
per-"
Colonel p. j. Pope chief surgeon OF the
| Fifth army corps in tho Santiago cam
paign testified concerning the food sup
| ply OF that campaign. The hard bread he
found good and the canned vegetables
| generally so. The canned beef, wrong
fully labelled roast beef he did not speak
OF in such high terms. He had been un'
able TO trace any special diseases to the
food used in Cuba, hut he thought that
the use of the canned beef would tend tc
| weaken men and cause disease.
Or. Louis A. Lagarde, who was In com
mand OF the military hospital al Siboney
testified that he did not believe the canned
beef had been any more harmful IN caus'
ing disease than would any other meat Al
a rule the officers and men did not like the
canned meat. considering 1t neither invit-
INK nor nutritious. He felt In eating u
that II was not nutritious.
1T was not like straw" he said, yet II
was rather tasteless.'
The refrigerated beef was generally sat
lsfactory, but he had noticed on some oc'
casions a green scum over IL. Diarrhoei
seems to follow the use OF this mea; b,
patients Yet wholesome. fresh beef woplt
have the same effect,
Captain NJ. J. Ireland. who was eNecu
tive officer at the Slhoncy reserve hospital
and as such supplied the institution VIII
food considered the canned beef "a coarse
grade Of beef greasy and unacceptable e
the sight or taste
Captain Ashton b. Heyl, who was sur
geon OF the Rough Riders brigade in thu
Santiago campaign. the first witness a
the afternoon session. testified to beint
made violently sick on three occasions b!
eating canned roast beef, and on one DC
nasion several others who partook of tn
meat with him also became very III. Sooi
after this experience he had found piece
of bacon lying by the roadside. This h
had taken up. cleaned and cooked and ha'
found II very palatable This meat has
not caused any inconvenience. The bee
mad occasinned vomiting on each oc
easion. The surgeon Of the Tenth cavalr!
had reported similar experiences amoni
The men Of that regiment as result 0
eating the canned beef, Others had eater
Il without apparent Ill effects The bee
was tough. stringy, tasteless and deyoi'
~ nutrition and DR.. Heyl thought It's us
had promoted disease in the army
Al this point the line OF surgeons unde
examination was broken In upon by IN
Il introduction Of Mr.. George n slaaihgs
San Antonio. Texas. who had put in bi