The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-21

quartered In the old meeting room or The
war investigating commission in the
Lemon building, with accommodations
for representatives. OF the press associa-
tions and the local papers. Calls OF cere-
mony on the president and general COM
manding the army occupied a large part
of the forenoon, and Immediately after
General Miles, appeared as the first wit
ness. lie and three other army officers
were examined before the court closed
its session al 3 o'clock. General Miles
testimony. of course, was the feature or
the days proceedings. Colonel Micher,
his chief of tan. and a gentleman in ctti-
zens clothes, who took seat by the fire.
place ana gravely watched the course or
proceedings. retiring with the general as
silently as he had coifie. accompanied the
general to thr courtroom.
General Miles appeared i'm fatigue uni
form. rather striking In it's contrast with
the display Of the full dress uniform or
the court. lie submitted TO the ques-
tloning OF Colonel Davis. recorder OF the
court, with equanimity, except for
flash OF mingled indignation and irony
when he irformed the recorder that he
was not compelled TO report to the
was i'm reply 10 a question as to whether
or not he had reported TO the commits
eary department the fact that com
plants had been made To him as 10 the
quality OF meat being issued to the
troops An instant later General Miles
resumed his cool and carefully consid-
cred replies 10 the inquiries OF the court.
As Indicated by letter Of the adju-
tant genera, r. ad by the recorder for the
information OF the court the scope OF the
inquiry was limited TO the allegations or
General Miles before the war commission
as TO the quality OF the army beef, "and
the matter purpurting to have been fur
rished to tFe public press by the same
official" TN letter read as follows:
"Sr--I have the honor TO acknowledge
receipt of your letter OF inquiry OF the
18th inst. I'm reply thereto am directed
by the secretary OF war to say that the
president holds that the specific allega-
tions referred 10 the court OF inquiry for
investigation are indicated by marginal
lines i'm the statement submitted by the
major general commanding 10 the com
mission appointed 10y the president 10
investigate the conduct OF the war de-
partment in the war with Spain and in
the matter purporting to have been fur
all OF which is transmitted herewith
marked enclosures A. i and G, respec-
lively.
The president also directs special in
vestigation be made TO determine If the
beef furnished the army was wholesome
and OF good quality and sufficient guam
tity, and TO inquire with care into the
allegation that IL was treated with acids
or chemicals by the contractors or others
or in any way made deleterious TO the
health OF the consumers. If there was
bad meat issued TO the troops, the re-
sponsiblity FOR It must be fixed with a
view TO further action"
In answer to a question of Colonel
Davis. General Miles said he thought
his use of 'pretence of experiment was
unfortunate and he disclaimed any in
tention to impute fraud 10 any one.
"As far as indicating fraud" he said,
al wish to state that no such Inference
was intended. IL was perhaps an un-
fortunate expression, and. had my at
tention been called to it, ] might have
amended it, say-well on the theory OF
an experiment. AS n matter of fact it
was an experiment, and very costly
one"
onel Davis, "Of course we will pass to the
refrigerated beef
Then. replying to a question. General
Miles said he first heard complaints
against the beef at Ponce. The first di
rect statement that II had ls,en treated
chemically came. he believed. from DIR.
DAILY, who presented il late in Septem-
her, and appeared subsequently before
the war commission.
General Miles said he did not recoleCt
whether Dr. Days report was volun-
teered or whether he had been ordered
to Investigate and report on the meat.
1t was general talk among the officers at
Ponce. General Miles continued, that
the refrigerator beef must have been
subjected TO some chemical treatment
TO make II keep for - hours. DR.. Daly's.
however, was the first Official report.
General Miles then read a long sum-
mary OF 100 letters, received by him at
army headquarters, giving the various
terms i'm which the army meat was
characterized. These included EN-
balmed.' "decomposed," injected"
poisoned" spoiled" and the. like. In
addition, he showed summary OF re-
ports on refrigerator beef condemned
and thrown overheard from transports.
- =. lf4llltAilHf liONl AAtt lbStllllttt re-
ported the condemnation OF 5000 pounds:
Lieutenant Colonel O'Neill OF the Ches-
ter, 1000 pounds; Colonel Hamilton
Lewis. 10 600 pounds.
He said he should Ak Sept. q. tho date
OF DR.. Days report as about the earliest
at which the question OF chemically
treated meat had been brought TO his
notice so as TO command his full atten-
tion.
Only two irterviews,were called up by
the court. the first an interview with a
New York Journal representative early
I'm the beef controversy, ia which General
Miles was questioned as charging that
certain chemicals were used in the pre-
servation of the army beef and another
OF the New York Herald under date ot
Feb. l. covering about the same ground.
General Niles yVne very slow and care.