The record-union., 1899-03-30


was for a time Major Blacks assist
ant in Ponce, gave testimony along the
same line. He also rele Ted the particu-
lars of the return of the Manitoba to
Ponce after visiting other depart
ments. He was at that time depot
commissary. and during the stay he had
receipted for 21 900 pounds, of which
5000 pounds was destroyed. Much Of
the beef was covered with a greenlsh
film, but some of the men ate it each
meal. Still they generally complained
of the beef Much of il was found 10
be tainted, decomposed and spoiled.
The beef in this condition was con-
demned or buried. or thrown into the
harbor at night At this time fresh ma.
tive beef was being received on the
hoof, and at many points inland native
beef is, Captain Pomeroy said, still be-
ing delivered.
AT Major Lees request, Captain Pom
eroy related a conversation with Col
|onel Smith, who was at one time Com
missary, and he told him that the beef
was guaranteed to keep seventy two
hours on shore because of process for
preserving it. The Colonel had, how
ever, stated that he did not know what
the process was.
Captain Pomeroy said he had handled
probably 10000 pounds of canned roast
beef during his occupancy of the office
|of Depot Comlnissary, but that he had
great difficulty in getting the men to
take it. 'They complained" he said
that the beef was repulsive in appear
ance, unappetizing, tasteless and not
nutritious. Not to exceed 10 per cent
of it was taken, and when the men did
accept it they generally threw it away
They tried to sell this canned beef to
the natives, and succeeded for a time
but not long. AS a matter of fact. the
canned roast beef and also the canned
boiled beef sent to Ponce was of very
little value. The men complained that
the meat made them Sick
He also mentioned a preserved meat
secured from Kansas City, which. he
said, the troops liked. This meat was
not cooked, but he did not know the
process for it's preservation
Captain Pomeroy said the native beef
only gave fair satisfaction, and that it
was not as good as the refrigerated beef
under the most favorable circumstances.
At this juncture Major Black was re-
|called at the instance of Major Lee and
asked to give the details of a conversa-
ton he had with General Eagan. at
that time Commissary General on his
(Black'G return to Washington last
fall. The statement he made proved
to be a somewhat sensational one.
Il called upon General Eagan," Major
Black began by saying, @sto confer with
him concerning the conduct of our af-
fairs at Ponce. He asked me why the
refrigerator beef was not issued at
Ponce and I replied that it was be-
cause the issue commissaries did not
want it, as they We're getting native
beef. Thereupon General Eagan be-
came very much excited, and exclaimed
- - them, they have no right to
refuse it. 1 consider it the best beef
in the United States, and - -
them, I'd have made them eat it,"
Major Black also stated that at the
time the Manitoba was on the reef he
had some conversation with General
Miles about the vessel, and while there
was casual reference to the beef on
board, the General seemed principally
concerned to get the troops and horses
off.
Inc court then took a recess until 9
O'Clock, with the understanding that
General Eagan was to appear at that
time
The afternoon session began with
General Charles P. Eagan, late Com
missary General of the United States
army, on the stand. He was recalled
to take cognizance of points which have
developed since he gave his first testi-
mony
General Eagan said that he had had
conversations with the representatives
of Swift & Co. prior to the letting of
the beef contracts, but as he had also
talked with others ON the same sub
ject, he could not recall the details of
his remarks. He remembered that Mr..
Swift had taken exception to some of
the terms of the first draft of the con-
tract as being very harsh.
Explaining his plans in general. Cen
eral Eagan said it was his first jnten
ton to take refrigerator beef. then in
case of failure to take beef on the block.
and last for the Government to have
its own herd. Everybody, he thought.
understood that his preference was for
refrigerator beef. Swift & Co. being
the lowest bidders for the refrigerator
beef, naturally received the award of
the contract.
In referring to the terms of the con-
tract, General Eagan said that the mat
ter of supplying the army with beef
was considered from the beginning a
very serious problem He had first
thought of having ships ply up and
down the Cuba shore, and it was with
this in view that he decided to ask for
beef that would keep seventy-two hours
He had also felt that there wo11ld ba
difficulty in landing at Santiago. His
principal reason for inserting the clause
stipulating that the beef should he
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 keen
seventy-two hours, for fear that #
would not keep so long.
When cross examined bv Major r %
General Eagan said he exercised his
own discretion in the letting of CON-
tracts without suggestion from the
Secretary of War. When the lowest
bid was ascertained he had been in
the habit of making an abstract of
the facts and submitting it to the Sec
retary, just as when he was a Com
missary in the army he would furnish
such an abstract to his commanding
officer.
The General said that in providing
for the soldiers in the tropics he had
acted upon his experience at Fort Mo-
jave, Ariz. He was convinced from
this experience that beef cooked before
the animal heat was cut of it was posi-
lively injurious. He recalled his con-
versation with Mr.. Gardener of the firm