The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-20
THE COURT OF INQUIRY.
Some Very Direct Testimony as to III,
Qualify Of Meal Furnished.
MEAT TASTElESS AND UNSATISFACTORY,
Sergeant Mason Says an Armour
>scnt Told Him u chemical
Was Applied to the Reef.

Fort Leavcnworth. Kan. March ia..--rhs
army beef court Of INQUIRY concluded tho
taking Of testimony at Fort Leavenworth at
noon today and at AIS y, M, departed Tor
Chicago where the session will be resumed
Monday The sole witness examined was
Sergeant Edward Macon. trocp A. First Ual
ted States cavalry. located at Fort Robin-
SOU. Neb.. who served as regimontal COM
missary sergeant at Lakeland. Fla. and dur
ing the Cuban campaign. SERGEANT Mason's
testimony was probably the most direct that
hRs been adduccd since the court LETT Chit
cHgo, he declaring that the beef for use in
his regiment undoubtedly was chemically
treated
An agent OF Armour & Co. no further
testified. told me at the time that this meat
had been treated with what was called pres
eratlon.n Witness had refused to accept the
meat,
Sergeant Mason was interrcgatsd indivld-
uaily by each member OF tue court and could
DOT be shaken IN his testimony.
The court met ut IL oCiNck this morning
IN the court martial room AT the fort. Ser
geaut Mason, whose failure TO reach the fort
Yesterday mHae It necessary for the COURT 10
take SUNDAY testimony. WAS nrst questioned
py Recorder DAVIS He told OF the meat
ha. No complaints were made Of thc canned
roast beef. but the meat wats tasttless and
thrown
overheard. In Cuba the men OF his regiment
would not eat the canned roast beef ana as
rule It was thrown away. The refrisetsted
beef issued after the surrender was good. bus
a rule u spoiled before II could be used
Tho witness was then taken In hand by
Major Lee. He said he was detailed COM
mssury sergeant at Lakeland about April 81
and served ms such through the close OF the
Cuban campaign.
Did YOU, as commissary sergeant or act
Ing commissary sergeant for the regiment,
~ vofr M M nr I ak
landg asked Major Lee.
81 did. sir -
what occurrod9'
THE meat we received was in appearance
nne. but II was undoubtedly chemically troat'
ed. One morning went down TO the refI.r-
orator car to draw meat aud ! objected 10
the appearance Of H. An agent OF Armour 4
20. was there | do not know what his name
WAS He told me ut the tlme that this meat
had hccn treated with what was called pres.
ervativc. II was as II ii had been painted
over with something like p0raffne wax. There
was light coating all over the meat oh
iected 10 the color OF the meat aud refused
10 accept Il. Our commissary officer came
down and he told me 10 accept Il"
About how mach was there vi this meat at
that time?"
Probably 5000 pounds that was IN the
car
did you notice 1t generally?"
~ examined the meat very carefully -
meat bafore. The meat was undoubtedly
spoiled
Were any reports made by Armours agent
q. tho time as 10 the harmfulness or lack OF
hRrmfuness OF this preservatine? Was It dis
cusscd2"
MY recollection is that the preparation
used did not hurt the meat. That II was
safe. lie advised us 10 cut off the outside and
taid the meat would be all right In the In
tsrior next to the bone.
Ibid he state where this had been donc?"
was all the meat you got there treated
with preservatiVes?"
THAT could not say. The only thug
know is what ArInour's agent told me"
General Giilespie-FIow did the agent hap.
pen 70 tell you about the appearance OF the
meat?
"The meat was. supplied IN the morning and
ii sTelled and lad had appearance Wo
were speaking o. II and he said that this wits
prestryatihe. That is the chemical VIC use
TO pToteci the meat 10 preserve It. As 70
what the preserNntinc was l don't know"
"po YOU wish the court 70 understand that
very much Of the meat supplied 10 YOU OF
that refrigerated beef had been treated chomi-
cally?"
= would not swear that IT was. win
say that in my opinion tt was"
BY General George w. DaVis-Did all the
meat you got at Lakeland appear 10 have
thlg, glossy surface Ike paranineg
Eyes, sir"
"Dld YOU say that 1t looked like paraniae
Mas over III"
AN the meat we received had that ap-
How about the beet you received N
Cuba?"
''rhe majority Of the meat we received IN
Cuba spoiled on us, Il was the fault OF the
climate, as ! thought az the time"
Are you sure the agent was an Armour
mani
'Yes. sir. | am positive OF that, because
/ made out the vouchers
Gould you scrape this material on the
surface of the meat-the preseryatine?'
II could not say that We could surape u
of, 1t would break. II was so lisht | could
not scrapo Il on. -