The Portland daily press., 1899-03-31
CHEMICALS WERE USED.
Lieut.. Campfer Says Armour Agent
Told Him 50.
THIS THE AGENT, MR.. MOORE
HOUSE, DENIES.

More Interesting Testimony Before tn c
Beef Inquiry Court--sIajor Webb
Says the Canned Reef was Useless as
an Article of Food.
Washington, March 30.-There were two
original witnesses before the court today
and two former witnesses were recalled.
Lieutenant Camper, who was commits
sary of subsistence at Lakeland. Fla. and
Major Creighton Webb, who was on Gen
Lawton's staff In Cuba. testified for the
first time; Col. Woodruff, coinmisssry de-
pnrtment and Mr.. Morehouse, the Tampa
agent for Armour & Co.. who superin-
tended the supply of fresh beef to the
troops at Lakeland. wers those recalled.
tirely with the canned roast beef. which
he denounced as useless as an article of
food. Lieut.. CAMPER said that repre-
sentative of the Armour's whom he took
to be Mr. Morehouse had told him that
chemicals wers used to preserve the beef
This Mr.. Morehouss when recalled, de-
MED.
Tomorrow some of the medical men
who served in the Cuban campaign will
be examined.
The courts session began with the
testimony of George A. CAMPER OF Gin
cinnati, who was a lieutenant in the first
Ohio cavalry during the Spanish war,
occupying the position of regimental
commissary. while the troops we're
oamped at Lakeland, Fla. For time he
nF hrf. t-
sary.
lie described the manner of receiving
the fresh beef at the depot and said it
came In ordinary express cars wrapped in
hurlap bagging Two or three total con-
sinnments of meat were rejected. He
stated that mucn of the beef had been
sour, aorid and bitter and emitted a dis
agreeable ofor when the burlaps were
moved. There wero spots of light
greenish hue on the beef when the bags
were removed, showing it to be tainted.
Mr. CAMPER said that on one occasion
when the agent for Armour ~ Co., was
present, bis tent!on was called to the
spots and he replied that the beef was all
right, saying, said MIR. CAMPER, 1.-The
spots are due to the chemicals we put On
tine beef to preserve it and prevent its
spelling within the sixty hours called for
by the contract. This agent said that IL
wss impossible to keep the beef in good
CT ID zion for that length OF time. lie
stated, however, that thereafter he would
have the beef put up in Tin boxes. This
he did but ths meat continued to come
with tn 81 OTIS on 1t.
MIR. Camper then presented a memo
randum kept by Captain Carmichael. his
predecessor rs brigade oommissary, show
ing what meat had been rejected from the
first to the 18th Of August. This showed
that the total consignment was rejected
on the filth sixth and seventh of August,
that 2s2 pounds were refused on the
second of the month and that no entries
were made on two other days On some
occasions, chunks were cut out of the
meat and condemned. He thought MIR.
Morehouse was the agent who had spoken
of the us5 Of chemicals
The conversation had taken place in
the presence of Captain Carmic h haei (who
afterwards committed suicide) and DR..
Gas t. Mr.. CAMPER had gotten the inn
preston that some kind of ~ liquid com
position had teen used for CLOSING the
meat over but had not gwen it much at
tention as he supposed that il chemicals
had been used they were harmless.
Major q. Creighton Webb, who was
General Lawton's inspector general, gave
testimony concerning the meat issued in
tre Santiago campaign referring especial
ly to the canned roast beef.
cit was not food" said he, cit was
ron-nutritiye, stringy, tbrous and had
10 tas,e. 1t looked like the flag ends of
teef stew. IL WAS ike oIening your
mouth and letting the moon shine in 1t.
1t was not satisfying; it was something
we old not want ana could not give