The record-union., 1899-03-28
The Court Of Inquiry Resumes
Hearing at Washington.
Members Hopeful Of Concluding Ths'f
Work Within the Next Ten Days.
E. s. Swift, Vice President of the
Swift Packing Company, Testia
fes Before the Court Regarding
the Firms Contract to Furnish
Meat to the Government. M

| Meat to the Government. M
| WASHINGTON, March 21-The Mili-
tary Court of Inquiry appointed by the
President to make an investigation OF
the beef furnished the army during
the Spanish war has returned to Washl
ington, and at 2 O'Clock to-day re~
sumed its sittings here. The members
of the commission are hopeful that they
will be able to conclude their work.
within the next ten days, and expect
to have some important witnesses be-
fore them in that time, including Gem
eral Eagan, who win be recalled. 1t Is
also expected that General Miles Will
be given an opportunity to testify.
e. c. Swift, Vice President of tha
Swift Packing Company, was the sfirst
witness who appeared He is a resfx
dent of Lowell, Mass, and gives espec-
ial attention to the Eastern interests
lof the company. He assisted in pre-
pairing the contracts for supplying beef
for Cuba during the war; coming to
Washington for that purpose ON Junia
|23d 4
Mr.. Swift said he started to 'WasiTL
ington in response to a request from
General Eagan when it appeared that
his firm had made the lowest bid. The
conversation with General EaganA oH
this occasion was somewhat general, ,Sre-
lating to the conduct of business. Ha
was here only a day, and was told be-
fore he left that the contract would be
awarded to his firm. General EaEau
had, however, stated at that time that
he could not go into details with him
until he could make some necessary in
ficrohi ion to IA q ncshir
Mr.. Swift made his second visits to
Washington on the Doth of June. when
the contract was submitted to him. Ide
had then made some objections to the
terms of the agreement as presented to-
him. One of these objections was to
the terms which he thought might re-
IQuire the beef companies to deliver beef
by lighter, he complaining that tha
company could reasonably be expected
to deliver at only such points as, had
railroad tracks alongside the wharves.
1t was also understood that beef was
to be supplied only to the port townss
the inland points to be furnished with
beef killed in the country. They were.
to keep on hand a sufficient supply for
seventy-two hours consumption, this
time to be extended twenty-four hours
under special exactions. Refrigeration
was contemplated, and with the under-
standing that this was to be had, thes
company had agreed that the qualitYs
of the beef should be maintained forS
three days and nights.
In response to a question from Majon
Lee, Mr. Swift stated that Generalf
Eagan had during the interview with,
him mentioned that he had received
some suggestion of a process for pres
serving meat but General Eagan di&
not go into details, give no names of
the inventor nor of the process.
Major Lee then stated THAT General
Eagan had said in his testimony be-
fore the board that the company had
guaranteed that the beef should be
kept good for seventy hours after leav-l
ing the refrigerator and either on ship-.
board or on shore.
"I can only say" responded Mr..
Swift, that General Eagan at the tima.
Of the interview seemed to have the
same understanding of the contract
that 1 had. In view of his testimony.3
l can only say that he was mistaken"
Major Lee: Then the insertion of tha
clause limiting to twenty-four hours the,
time for fresh beef after being takenA
out of the refrigerator was not a clerical
error, as suggested by the General?"
Mr. Swift: THAT cannot be so. Ha,
said his agents would take care to pre-s
serve the meat from the sun, and 1 as-
sured him that if this We're done, theg
meat would be good for twenty-fouE
hours after being taken from the res
frigerator.'
Mr. Swift continued by saying that,
refrigerated beef in a tOrrid countrY
would keep longer than an ordinary
person would think, on account OF th9
outside appearance. As consequence
Of his representations. the first drafE
Of the contract had been changed bN,
General Eagan in several particulars
Mr. Swift said in reply to g. question:
that dressed beef export business was.
growing rapidly at the expense OF the.
expectation of live cattle. There was,
he said, super -demand abroad for re-
frigerator beef, and in London this beef
was supplied to the best trader
Charles E. Barry, travelling salesman
for Swift & Co., followed Mr.. Swift. He
testified as to his participation In the
negotiations with General Eagan to Sc
cure the army contract, saying that
he had met the General several times
on this subject, first meeting him in
Nav last. before the issuance of the adj
vertisement for bids. He also UNDER
stood that the seventy-two hours clause
applied only to the time that the beef
was to be kept in the refrigerators on
shore There was an especial UNDER
standing with General Eagan as to the
twenty four hour clause limiting thu
time which the beef could be kept out
of the refrigerator, he agreeing that 1t
should be kept considerably under