The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-22
THAT WAS THE CONSENSUS OF
OPINION BROUGHT OUT BY
BOARD OF INQUIRY
GEN. MILES coRRoBoRATED
Roast Beef and Found 1t Repug-
nant-Others Heard Frequent
Complaint From the TrOops-
Refrigerated Beef Fared Better
Than Did the Canned Article.

beef charges preferred by Gen Miles
continued today the hearing of the
testimony bearing upon the contro-
versy. A number Of army officers who
participated in the Santiago campaign
! were heard. Practically without eX-
ception the officers condemned the can
ned roast beef furnished as as travel
ration, and reviewed complaints about
| it which the men very generally made
declaring it unpalatable and wanting in
nutriment. On the other hand the re-
! frigerated beef suffered but little at the
hands of today's witnesses. it being
generally conceded that it was good
when delivered from the transports,
and when it escaped the decomposing
| effects Of the tropical sun en- route to
/ the several commands, it was found TO
| be satisfactory. General commissary
methods in Cuba were inquired into.
! Difficulty in preventing taint before
cooking was experienced generally.
A feature Of today's examinations
| was the general assertion of witnesses
that they would not have felt it their
| duty to the men, or army organization
to have made any special report upon
| beef, had it not been for special orders
| calling for such reports. but rather
would have permitted the unsatisfac-
tory ration to pass without further
notice es an incident to warfare and to
! the peculiarly trying conditions with
which the army was confronted at the
outbreak of the war
A pumber Of officers testified to the
belief that very small proportion of
sickness in Cuba was due to the beef
or unwhOlesome rations, but rather to
| the climate.
The examination of witnesses will
continue tomorrow and perhaps all Of
{ this week in Washington and the testi-
mOny henceforth is expected to be gen.
orally cumulative. Many officers are TO
| appear, among them being Gen. Joseph
| Wheeler and Gov. Roosevelt.
| Late this week or early next week.
| the court will leave for Chicago and
other Western meat centers, where they
will inspect the packing houses of the
firms, which furnished beef to the
army. A thorough study Of the meth
/ eds employed in preparing refrigerated
and canned roast beef will be made,
and witnesses will be examined in the
| different cities.
SAMPLE TESTIMONY.
Lieut. Col Charles D. Viele, of the
First cavalry, another official of the
egular army, who had been through
the Shafter campaign, gave a long re-
citaI of his experience with canned
roast beef.
Col. Davis-What did you have as a
meat ration going down on the trans
ports?
Witness-Canned roast beef
Col. Davis-What did you have In
Cuba?
Witress-Canned roast beef, except
for few days before leaving for home,
when we had refrigerated beef.
Col. Davis-Wnat did you have on
the transport coming home?
| Witness-Canned roast beef.
Col. Davis-What satisfaction did II
give?
Witness said it did not give any sat
isfaction at all.
Did you eat any of the refrigerated
meat yourself?"
| "Once-that was enough for me-
Witness explained that the beef had
been shut up In rooms and it turned
him against the meat. so he took bacon
in preference. He was in good health
| at the time, but many of his men were
sick.
Replying to Col. Gillespie he said he
had no reason to believe that other Of
ficers in his mess did not use the meat
He said the refrigerated beef at San
tiago had a yellow appearance on the
outside that he had never noticed upor
| the refrigerated beef formerly furnish
ed at Fort Riley, Kan where he was
stationed. When he ate 1t at Santiago
he was inclined to nausea. Referring
to the canned roast beef he said il
seemed to be Of scraps and the mer
would not eat it.
| Responding to request from Col
Davis for his opinion as to the com
parative desirability of beef on the
hoof and refrigerated beef, he thought
| the former would have been preferable
because the cattle could have beer
driven to the camps. slaughtered. is.
sued and cooked.
Brigadier General H. S. Hawkins was
| then called At the outbreak of the
war he was colonel Of the Twentieth
infantry, but was made brigadier gen
eral while in Mobile, in May and ther
his connection was severed and h.
finally commanded a brigade in tht
First division of the Fifth corps sail
ing on June 13 for Santiago. He TOLD
the story of the Journey. debarkatioI
and fight. in which he was wounded
when he left his command He saiC
complaints against canned roast an(
canned corned beef were filed on uh,
transport. He heard no complaints af
ter landing. and knew little of the bee
question.
Following Gen. Hawkins, Capt. J. W
Duncan, of the Twenty first infantry
was introduced. His regiment was a
Tampa from April % until about Jun
20, when it sailed for Cuba. He review
ed the course Of his regiment Canned
roast beef, according to his recollection
was issued as travel ration at Tam
pa for the ocean trip, and at Sibone,
as a component of the fresh meat ra
ton. 1t was replaced about July
by refrigerated beef. and was issued a
a travel ration on the home voyage. l
did not. he said. give general salts
faction. the men generally complain
ing. He saw much of it opened and |
appeared corase, unseasoned. taste,
fiat, was in long strips and the grease
''or whatever it was was in gIobules
Apparently it was preserved wel1
Complaints brought to him, he said
were that the beef was repugnant. un
palpatable. 1t was first eaten out o