Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-16

Chicago, March 15.-The court of in
versy held a short executive session
this afternoon and determined to leave
tonight for Omaha, where an inspec-
ton of the stock yards will be made.
Then the membes will proceed to Kan
sas City. 1t is the expectation of the
court to return to Chicago by Tuesday
Of next week, when the examination
of witnesses will be proceeded with.
DR.. John B. Shaw, of Joliet, Ills,
surgeon of the Third Illinois volunteers,
testified to-day that on the voyage
from Newport News to Porto Rico
canned roast beef was issued and there
was great deal of complaint about it.
1t was stringy, pulpy and nauseating
and did not seem to nourish the men.
Much diarrhoea followed the use of it.
The witness attributed the sickness to
ptomaine poisoning. He believed
ptomaines would develop in the hot
sun in five or six minutes after a can
was opened. If the meat were prop
erly sterilized ptomains would not be
developed. While in Porto Rico TWEEN
ty-fve miles from Ponce, the matter of
rations was taken out of the regiments
hands to a great extent. Gen. Grant
seemed to know more about it than
anybody else. The witness took no
particular interest in the meat because
of the action of Gen. Grant.
lie cannot violate the law?"
"He did,
Did he issue orders?"
He issued whatever he saw fit"
THE law required the surgeon to SUI
pervise the cooking of that which is
issued. Did you interest yourself to
ascertain what was being issued to the
enlisted men,"
1--WE saw what was issued and took
it because we could not get anything
else. We had canned roast beef nearly
all the while and the men refused to
eat it. Tt was ordered condemned and
we buried lot of it. One of the men
said if we did not bury it, it would
bury us. A board of survey was Or
dered, but the witness never heard any
thing more about it. AS to the refrig-
orator beef very little of it was used
as at least three-Quarters of it would
have to be cut off. l do not think any
chemicals had been used on the meat.
1t was simply spoiled. The meat had
undoubtedly been acted upon by the
heat, which softened it. The fat and
grease and geletine had intermingled
with the FIBRE
The last witness called proved to be
sensational. He was an officer of the
regular army, First Lieutenant M. F.
Davis, Of the First cavalry, called at
the request of Major Lee, the represen-
tative of Gen. Miles. Lieut. Davis tes-
titled that in Cuba one-half the canned
roast beef issued to the soldiers was
! thrown away because it was unfit to eat.
He testified that he had oDened one can
himself and found maggots in it.
Major Lee asked: How did the mag
gots get in there?"
''They were canned in there" the
witness replied
Col Davis: Are you aware that in
the process of canning this meat under
goes such an intense heat that no ami
NAL life could survive in it?"
ri don't mean to say they were alive,
they were dead"
The board left for Omaha tonight.
Inspection of the stockyards will be
made at Omaha and Kansas City and
at the latter city some evidence will be
taken The intention of the court is
to return to Chicago by next Tuesday
to proceed with the examination Of
witnesses here.
The evidence brought forth to-day
was largely cumulative in it's nature,
mainly with reference to the condition
of canned and refrigerated beef when
issued to the troops on shipboard and
in Cuba, and its effect upon the SOL
diers.