The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-05
For His Experiments and Those OF
BOracic and salicylic Acids.
HITS THE WAR COMMISSION
ACCUSES III or WILLFUILY MIsC0N-
STRUNG HIS TESTIMONY.
DIR. Nicodemus Also of the Opinion
Odor-Proposition from Miles.

WASHINGTON, April 4.--The army court
of inquiry to-day akSin heard Dr. Daily IN
regard 10 the character OF beef furnished for
the army during the late war. lie reiterated
his former statements, paid his respects 10
the war commission and declared that the
refrigerator beef smelt like a cadaver after It
had been embalmed. DR.. Nlcodemus, OF
Philadelphia, who service in Porto
Rico. corroborated this testimony, compar-
ing the smell OF the beef to the odor about
dissecting room.
The day brought out proposition from
General Miles 20 supply the court the names
of large number Of witnesses and that he
had in February offered the official reports
of 147 officers as testimony. but that the
court had not indicated its acceptance OK
them. General Miles's proposition follows;
II have the honor TO inclose list Of wit,
nesses all OF whom will give material and
pertinent testimony in the matteK now being
inquired into; and TO the END tnat the wnCie
truth may be arrived at, ! Respectfully. pne &
called and examined i'm the order In which
their, names appear or II II Is found I'M
testimony be obtained by other usual meth
ods As far IL can be now determines, In
nTesenfad % ' and viii soon he presenieS il is
not thought :hat any additional testimony
will be required. j reserve; however, the
privilege Of adding 10 the above mentioned
list such other witnesses as may be neces-
sary hereafter in case OF new develop
ments."
General Miles's proposition did not include
the acceptance OF the reports OF the officers
ds testimony, but the suggestion was made
by Major Lee in his behalf. Major Lee said
in presenting the matter: THE major gem
eral commanding the army on Feb 10, 1883.
transmitted to the secretary OF war original
official reports OF 1i7 officers. representing
twenty-six regiments and some 26. zoo troops,
called for by circular order from the head
quarters OF the army Sept. -. lsss. On Feb.
D. 1899 the major general commanding the
army submitted with his letter to you Of that
date additional reports and originals OF COM
munications voluntarily sent TO the head
quarters of the army, arranged as per said
letter of Feb. %. 1899. / now offer as evil
derce i'm this cHse the reports OF the 1i1 OIL
GERS transmitted. aforesaid. 10 the secre-
tary of war. and the additional reports OF
officers now in your custody 1t need not be
argued that the officers who made those re-
ports made them upon their honor and in
the discharge of their official duties. and that
the same credence should be given to the
statements made in the above reports
though their contents had been sworn to-"
THAT ALLEGED EXPERIMENT.
DR.. William H. DAILY was the first witness
to-day. He was a medical member of Gen.
Mies's staff i'm Porto Rico and had previ-
ously testified before the court. but Was re-
called to complete his testimony then begun
After relating the extent OF his service with
General Miles. DR.. DAILY stated I'm response
to questions from Major Lee. that he had
been made president of various national
medical societies of the United States and
a member of foreign societies i'm recognition
of scientific Investigations by himself and
without any asking on his part DIR. Daly's
testimony dealt, on this occasion, as on his
first appearance. especially with the beef
supplied to the army. He had. he said, made
sufficient observations 10 warrant him in
submitting an official report. and after that
time he had made an analysis which had
confirmed his suspicious to the meat. His
first observations had been made on a trans
port at Tampa before the sailing of the ex-
pedition to Santiago, when Colonel Weston
invited his attention to a quarter OF beef
hanging on the deck. Colonel Westons only
remark was
Here's a quarter OF beef which has been
hanging here for sixty hours i'm the SUM-
We are going 10 see what II will do"
No reference was made to personalities
His CDR Daly's) attention had immediately
been aroused. Il was rather pleased" he
said II believed that II the beef could he
preserved so long II was "A good thing. He
then cut off a piece OF the beef and cooked
and ate IL next day. After that he became
sick at the stomach. but he had not felt
convinced that the meat had caused sick
ness.
After some references to his stay in Porto
Rico. DIR. DAILY detailed the particulars OF
the trip north on the transport Panama,
last September. which was in his charge.
The vessel had been provided. setting
out with the best obtainable refrigerator
beef but the vessel had not gone far before
It became evident that ii was not good lie
did all he could 10 quiet the complaints. but
they increased and the stencil soon grew 80
strong that it pervaded the whole ship. The
odor was indescribable. He at last suggested
a board OF survey and. one being ordered.
it condemned the meat left, about i.aS
POUNDS. and he had 81 thrown overheard.
WAR COMMISSION SCORED.
Here DIR. Daily took occasion 20 pay his
respects to the war commission. before
which he had appeared. lie said the COM
mission had given out the impression that
the deterioration Of the beef or the Panama
was due 10 want of ice. This was contrary
10 his testimony and the truth could easily
have been ascertained. As matter OF fact
the Panama had an excellent refrigerator
and il carried ten tons OF ice 10 one OF
beef He also referred 10 the criticism OF the
war commission TO his OF the expression
In his report that the smell about the beef
was like the odor OF boracic acid. 1t is.'
he said. las difficult to say what smell is
like as It is for an artist TO paint a dying
groan. II the phrase was offensive" he