The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-04

Again Before the Beef Court-Some
Sensational T,stlmony-Other wit
nesses Testify 10 the Quality Of the
Beef Furnished

-
nesses Testify to the Quality Of the
Beef Furnished
Washington, March 29-The military
court appointed to inquire into General
Miles charges concerning the beef sup
piled the army during the Spanish war
had former Commissary General Eagan
before IT today on recall and also
heard the testimony of Rear Admiral
Stewart and Paymaster Colby, of the
navy, and Major Black and Captain
Pomeroy, volunteer officers, who were
engaged in the commissary service at
Ponce during General Miles Porto
Rican campaign.
General Eagan's testimony was not
startling. He stated that Messrs. Ar
mour& Co. had put in a bid to supply
beef to be preserved by a process of
their own, but that ne had no con-
sidered it. He also modified his former
statement to the effect hat the TWEEN
ty-four hour clause in the beef con-
tract had crept in as a clerical error,
saying that in the multitude of mat
tiers which had been demanding his at
tention at the time he had forgotten its
insertion. His understanding was that
the beef was to keep in good condition
seyenty-two hours after being taken
from. the ships refrigerator. His prin-
cipal reason for inserting the clause
s~tipulating that the beef should be
good twenty-four hours after leaving
the refrigerator was that he did not
wish the troops to know that the con-
tract called for beef that would keep
seventy-two hours, for fear that it
would not keep so long.
There was an apparent effort on the
part of Major Lee, representing Gen.
eral Miles, to show that Senator Hanna
had sought to influence the contracts.
but General Eagan asserted that he did
not know the senator, and no explana-
ton was made of the introduction of
his name. General Eagan made fire.
quent reference during the giving Of
his testimony to the numerous de-
mands upon his time during the war,
making this condition an explanation
for not remembering details.
Major Black and Captain Pomeroy
gave the details concerning the condi-
ton of the beef brought to Porto Rico
on the steamer Manitoba. Captain
Pomeroy stated that of p, 900 pounds
receipted for at Ponce, 5000 pounds had
been condemned. They also detailed
the objections made by the men to
the roast canned beef.
Major Black, who was chief commits
sary on General Miles staff during The
Porto Rican campaign, was asked by
Major Lee to detail a conversation he
had with General Eagan, at that time
commissary general, after his (Black's)
return to Washington last fall. The
statement he made proved to be some
what sensational.
Il called upon General Eagan," Ma
Jor Black began by saying, 'to confer
with him concerning the conduct of
our affairs at Ponce. He asked me
why the refrigerator beef was not is
Cl1Qd ar p0nna or1 1rI;l -l -
was because the issue comrnissaries
did not want 1t, h a they We're getting
native beef. Thereupon, General Eag-
an became very much excited and ex-
claimed: Cd d-n them, they
nave no right to refuse it. I consider
it the best beef in the United States.
and Cd d-n them, 1 have made
them take it,
AT Major Lees request, Captain
Pomeroy, of h volunteer subsistence
department, related a conversation
with Colonel Smith, who was at the
time chief cOmmissary, and who had
told him that the beef was guaranteed
TO keep seventy-two hours on shore.
ecaus of a process for preserving it.
The colonel had, however. stated that
he did not know what the process was.
captain Pomeroy said he had handled
probably $50, 900 pounds Of canned roast
peer during his occupancy of the Of
nee or depot commissary but that he
great difficulty in getting the men
to take'i it. He also mentioned a pre-
served meat secured from Kansas CITY
which he said the troops liked. This
meat was not cooked, but he did NOT
know the process of it's preservation.
Admiral Stewart and Paymaster Col
by testified to the use Of canned roast
peer in the navy. On the whole, il
satisfaction.
The court adjourned for the day.
with the understanding that some wit
nesses in General Miles behalf would
be heard tomorrow.