The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-31
SPOTS ON IHE BEEF
One Witness Says They Were
Caused by Chemicals.
ARM0UR'S MAN SAID so
But Armour's Man Denies Any
Such Admission.
ARM0UR'S MAN SAID so

Washington, March 3O,-There were tive
original witnesses before the army bee
! inquiry today and two former witnesses
were recalled. Lieutenant CAMPER, who
was commissary of subsistence at Lake
and Fla, and Major Creighton Webb
who was on General Lawton's staff in
Cuba. testified for the first time. Colone
Woodruff, OF the commissary department
and Mr.. oMorehouse. the Tampa agent for
Armour & Co, who superintendent the
supplying of fresh beef to the troops at
Lakeland, were recalled. Major Webb's
testimony dealt almost entirely with the
canned roast beef, which he denounced
as useless as an article Of food. Lieuten-
ant CAMPER said to representative of
Armour, whom he took to be Mr.. Moore
house, had told him that chemicals were
used to preserve the beef. This, Mr..
Morehouse, when recalled, denied. To-
morrow some of the medical officers who
served in the Cuban campaign, Will be
examined.
Z
this afternoon with the testimony of
George A. Camper, a clerk living in
Cincinnati O., who asa lieutenant in
the First Ohio cavalry during the Spanish
war occupying the position Of regimental
commissary while the troops were camped
at Lakeland Fla. For a time he occu-
pied the position of brigade commissary
He described the manner of receiving the
fresh beef at the depot and said it came
in on ordinary express cars, wrapped in
burlap bagging. Two or three total as
signments Of meat were rejected. He
stated that much of the beef had been
sour and bitter, and emitted a disagree
able odor when the burlaps were removed.
There were spots of light greenish hue
on the beef when the bags were removed,
showing it to be tainted. Mr.. CAMPER
said that on one occas sion while the agent
for Armour & Co. was present his atten-
ton was called to the spots and he replied
that the beef was all right. Saying" said
Mr. CAMPER, that the spots are due to
the chemicals we put on the meat to pre-
serve it and prevent its spelling within the
sixty hours called for by the contract.
''This agent said that it was impossible
to keep the beef in good condition for that
length of time. He stated, however. that
thereafter he would have the beef put up
in tin boxes. This he did, but the meat
continued TO come with the spots on it,
Mr.. CAMPER then presented memoran-
dunn kept by Captain Carmichael his
predecessor as brigade commissary, show
ing what meat had been rejected from the
1st to the 18th OF August. This showed
that the total consignment was rejected
on the 5th, 9Th and 9TH OF August, that
2S2 pounds We're refused on the I'd 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.
Mr.. CAMPER thought Mr.. Morehouse was
the agent who had spoken of the use of
chemicals. The conversation had taken
place in the presence of Captain Carmich-
aes (who afterward committed suicide)
and DR.. Castle. Mr.. CAMPER had got the
impression that some kind of liquid COM
position had been used for Guessing the
meat over, but he had not given the mat
ter much attention, as he supposed that If
chemicals had been used they were harm
less. I'M CAMPER was then excused, SUBJ
ject to recall.
Major C. Webb, who was General Law
tons inspector general, gave testimony
concerning the meat issued in the San
tiago campaign referring especially to the
canned roast beef. at was not food" he
said. ut was non-nutritive, stringy,
fbrous and had no taste. 1t looked like
the fagends of beefsteak. It was like
opening your mouth and letting the moon
shine into it. 1t was not satisfying;
something we did not want and could not
give away, even to the Cuban troops, who
preferred hard bread"
Major Webb said that he had tried to
eat the beef OCCASIONALLY when very hungry
but never received any satisfaction from
it. except after vegetables were procur-
able, when it was used as hash to some
advantage.
''You do not then regard It as suitable
ration for the army?"
Il do not Major Webb replied; 'it is
a weighty thing to carry and it is a waste
of time to eat it."
Major Webb said he had found the re-
frigerator beef generally good. though
some of it became putrid in the hot eli
mate. He had never heard Of embaImed
beef until he returned north.
Colonel c. A. Woodruff. purchasing Of
ficer for the commissary department at
New York. was recalled He said he had
rejected some tenders of canned roast
beef but that he did not remember the
names Of the bidders in any such case.
Colonel Woodruff stated that in one in
stance canned beef which had been ship
ped to Liverpool England. was brought
back 10 this country and sod for the use
Of the army. This purchase amounted TO
$4,000 pounds. The beef, as he understood
i, had been stored in Armour's ware
house III Liverpool and had been sent
abroad with the view OF selling it 10 the
British government. Colonel Woodruff
had letters read from representatives Of
various firms engaged in canning beef. all
saying that the beef sold 10 the army was
OF frst-elass quality and Of the same quail
i'y Is the bee fshipped to foreign caun-
tries and sold to the navy department in