The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-31
General Miles Now Has
His Inning
CONTRACT WITH SWIFT & co,
Mr. swift Says General Eagan was
Mistaken lin His Testimony N To tn c
Terms OF the C~ontracr-C. 4. Harry
Testides N to Offers of Process for
Preserving Meats-The General Dis
gusted at the Proposals for Such
Treatment

Washington, March 27.-The military
court Of inquiry appointed by the pres
ident TO make an investigation OF the
beef furnished the army during the
Spanish war has returned 10 Washing
ton and at > o'clock today resumed its
sittings in the Lemon building.
The members OF the commission are
hopeful that they will be able TO con-
clude their work within the next ten
days, and expect to have some import
! ant witnesses before them in that time.
including General Eagan, who will be
recalled. 1t is also expected that Gen.
eral Miles will be given an opportunity
to testify.
Mr.. E. c. Swift, vice president OF the
Swift Packing Company, was b first
witness who appeared today. He as
sisted in preparing the contract for
supplying beef for Cuba during the war,
coming TO Washington for that pur-
pose, first OIL the 23rd Of Jnue.
Mr.. Swift made his second visit TO
| Washington on the 10Th Of June. when
the contract was submitted TO him. He
had then made some objections TO the
terms of the agreement as presented TO
him. One of these objections was to
the terms which he thought might re-
| Quire the beef company to deliver beef
by lighter, he complaining that the
! company could reasonably be expected
to deliver at only such points as had
railroad tracks alongside the wharf 1t
| was also understood that beef was to
be supplied only to the port towns, the
inland points TO be furnished with beef
killed in the country. They were to keep
on hand a sufficient supply for seven
ty-two hours consumption, this time
TO be extended tw~enty-four hours
under special exactions. Shore
refrigeration was contemplated in
all the conversations and with the
understanding that this was to be had,
the company had agreed that the quail
ity of the beef should be maintained
for three days and nights.
In response to a question from Major
Lee, Mr.. Swift stated that General
Eagan had during an interview with
him, mentioned that he had received
some suggestion of a process for pre-
serving meat, but General Eagan did
not go into details, giving no name of
the inventor or of the process.
Major Lee then stated that General
Eagan a said in his testimony before
the board that the company had guar
anteed that the beef should be kept
good for twelve hours after leaving the
refrigerator either on shipboard or on
shore.
Il can only say" responded MIR.
Swift, that General Eagan at the
time of the interview seemed to have
the same understanding of the con-
tract that / had. In view Of his testi-
mony, l can only say that he was mis-
taken"
Major Lee-Then the insertion of the
clause limiting to twenty-four hours
the time meat should be fresh after
taken out of the refrigerator was not a
clerical error as suggested by the gen.
eral?
Mr.. Swift-That cannot be so. He
said his agents would take good care
to protect the meat from the sun, and
l assured him that if this were done
the meat would be good twenty-four
hours after being taken from the re-
frigeratOr.
Charles E. Barry, travelling sales
man for Swift & Co., followed Mr..
Swift. He testified to his participation
in the negotiations with General Eagan
to secure the army contract. He also
understood that the seventy-two hour
clause applied only to the time that
beef was TO be kept in the refrigera-
tors on shore. There was an especial
understanding with General Eagan as
to the twenty-four our clause limiting
the time during which the beef could
be kept out of refrigerator, he agreeing
that it should hsszept constantly under
cover. s
Mr.. Barry related that on one day
when he was in General Eagan's office
prior to the letting of the contract, the
latter complained of the number of
people who were writing letters to him
concerning the processing of beef
The general tren handed him a letter
from a Mr.. Powell, of New York, who
claimed to have a process for preserv-
ing meat, saying he had shipped beef
prepared under it to points in the
southern states. 1T struck me-" said
Mr.. Barry, from General Eagan's be-
havior that he was Disputed at the
thought. He said he was depending or
the refrigerator beef and would only
deal with those who could furnish it,
After hearing Mr.. Barry the court
at $3.50 o'clock held a brief executive
session and then adjourned until to.
morrow.