Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-02-23
THE BEEF CHARGES.
The Court Continues Its Investiga-
ton Into the Matter.
REGULAR ARMY OFFICERS TESTIFY.
The Canned Roast Beef Condemned ~
being of Poor Quality - Rsfriger-
ated Beef Spoken OF as Being
Z Satisfactory.

Washington, Feb. ~. The sexton
OF the Miles court Of inquiry began
yesterday with Col. William II. Powell
Of the Seventh infantry, who was sta
toned at Madison barracks at the
outbreak Of the war He said that be
started for Tampa on April 80 with a
months rations and did not come in
contract with the food from the com
missary department at Tampa till
about ready to start for Cuba. The
regiment went through the Santiago
campaign and after the city was cap.
tured and the regiment stationed In
the city he received requests from his
men for money to buy stuff toeat. He
investigated the canned roast beef
and had some Of it served at his own
table. ~ could not eat It," he con-
timed. ut was a stringy, unwhole-
some looking mass, more like wet sea-
weed than anything can think OF.
The men we're sick and debiitated and
could not keep it on their stomachs.
We had at that time l52 sick. Soon
after that the fresh beef began to ar.
rive and the men ate readily and began
to pick up in health Afterwards we
were moved out OF camp near the San
Juan battlefield. Here much of our
meats spoiled before we could get it"
Replying to another question he said
he had declared to fellow-o officers,
either at Santiago or Montauk, that
the refrigerated beef tasted az though
1T had come in contact with chlorO.
form or kerosene In reply to direct
question OF Col Davis the witness said
he had never entertained an idea at
Santiago or Montauk that the beef
had been treated chemically to pre-.
serve IT.
Col, Albert Smith, of the Fifteenth
infantry, followed. lie said he had
reason to believe very little canned
roast beef had been eaten except in
soup. Investigation made in Septem-
Der showed that it had given prac-
tically no satisfaction in either soup
or when eaten from the can. He had
never heard OF its being received prior
to the Spanish war. Replying to Col.
Davis, he said he had no suspicion
while using either the canned or re.
frigerated beef that it had been treat
ed with chemicals, but he had not
thought particularly about the ques.
tlon at the time,
Brig. Gen. Hawkins was next called,
He said complaints against canned
corned beef were filed on the trans
port. lie heard no complaints after
landing and knew little of the beef
question, Following Gen. Hawkins,
Capt j. w. Duncan, OF the Twenty
first infantry, was introduced. Canned
roast beef, according to his recollec-
ton, was issued us travel ration at
Tampa for the ocean trip and at
Siboney as component of the fresh
meat ration. 1t was replaced about
July 30 by refrigerated beef and was
issued as a travel ration on the home
voyage 1t did not, he said, give gem
eral satisfaction, the men generally
lie saw much OF IL
OPP, n I'd and it appeared coarse, unsea-
soned, tasted fiat, was in long strips
and the grease, "or whatever it was,"
was in globules Apparently it was
preserved well. Complaints brought
to him, he said, were that the beef
was repugnant and unpalatable. Re-
ferring to refrigerated beef he said 1t
was very satisfactory, He ate it, saw
no difference between it and beef is
sued at stations in this country and
never suspected It's treatment with
chemicals,
Capt William Ennis, Fourth artil-
|ery, was with the Shaftcr expedition
md remained at Santiago until August
a. He said the canned roast beef
was used on the transport and more or
less throughout the stay of his com
mand in Cuba. None of the men COM
planned while there, but personally he
had taken it AS stew and was
often nauseated, Since his return /
he had inquired OF the men as to its
effect and complaints were made. Re-
beef was furnished after
The surrender and was satisfactory. IA
great many Of the men would eat the
canned roast beef and turn about
quickly and vomit,' Capt Eonis said,
''and finally they refused to eat it at
all."