The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-17
THEY HADN' T ENOUGH ICE
HUMPHREYS BLANIES THE MEDI.
CAL DEPARTMENT.
RESPONSIBLE FOR coECHAS CONDITION
The Same was True, he Claimed, as to The
Seneca, Breakwater and the City cf
Washington. Too Much Re-
figerated Beef.

ffgerated Beef.
Washington. Jan. 1G-General Chas.
j. Humphreys, who was in charge of
the water transportation at Tampa for
Santiago, was chief quartermaster ON
General Miles staff, and was with Gen
eral Shafter prior to General Miles ar
rival, was the main witness before the
war investigating commission to-day.
Prior to his appearance Frank e. Vogel.
representing the Nelson Morris Packing
Company, testified that his concern had
sold about $150,000 worth of canned
roast beef to the Government which
was used at Chickamauga, and said it
was all good quality. No complaints
ever had been made to him, nor had any
beef products Of his concern been chemi-
cally treated.
Captain r. ]. C. Irvine, Eleventh
United States Infantry, commissary
quartermaster at the time the Panama
was in charge of Surgeon DAILY, who
wrote letter c0ndemning the beef,
testified that the vessel sailed from
Ponce on September LIST or 2nd, and on
the Ith there was well marked odor as
of some thing that had been ''closed
up" He was not prepared to say the
odor was like that emanating from a
dead human body injected with chemi-
cal preservatives, as Surgeon DAILY re-
ported. As soon as complaint was made
of the beef. he said it was examined
and found to be very odorous. The beef
was thrown overheard. The men were
then put ON the rest of the rations, liv-
ing without fresh beef. The witness
said the lack of it was not felt by the
men. All the beef carried was refriger-
ated beef. The ice taken aboard had
not been sufficient to preserve the beef,
even" as the commission asked "if it
had been received in good condition"
1t was received in fairly good condition,
however. witness said. After the beef
was thrown overheard, he had thought
it must have undergone some change be-
fore it was brought aboard. or while
aboard before it was put on ice.
General Humphreys said the conges-
ton at Tampa was due to the inability
of the roads to handle the cars.
Did you assign the troops in advance
of their arrival at Tampa to the different
yessels?" asked General Wilson.
mo, sir"
when the troops came to you were
they then assigned for the first time?"
Yes, sir, because that was necessary"
He said that under the circumstances
the transports at Tampa were as well
fitted out as they could have been.
Each vessel carried its full compliment
of ordnance, quartermaster's and com
missary stores; in fact all that could be
taken. There were Ia mule wagons
and seven ambulances taken.
why were no more wagons and am
balances taken?" quried General Wilson
Because the vessels were full,' was
the answer.
Would your reply then be lack of
transportation"
Il would not like to say that"
All the wagons said the witness, were
landed at Santiago. but all were not set
up.
When asked as to serious complaints
that had been made of improper condition
of the Seneca, Concho, Breakwater and
the City of Washington, witness insist
ed the responsibility rested with the
Medical Department. When the Seneca,
Iroquois and the City of Washington
sailed for home with the sick. he SAID
they had no ice, unless the Red Cross
had had little. The first ice schooner,
he said, reached Santiago July Both.
''If the Concho," asked Ex-Governor
Woodbury.. "was overcrowded, was it
because the Government had not provid-
ed sufficient transportation or through an
error of Judgment of the Medical De
partmentW
why, the Medical Department, GER
ta:nly." replied General Humphreys en-
phatically, "because there were two
more ships, each as good as the Con-
cho. available"
Speaking of the Santiago expedition,
General Humphreys said there was, III
his opinion. no reason why the medical
stores should not have reached the front
"1 he medical corps We're" he said,
denied nothing when it was possible to
give it to them" General Humphreys
said medicine chests belonging to sur
geons were not landed with the troops,
as they should have been. Asked if
all the supplies were landed by July
10th. General Humphreys said he could
not say.
Il don't know what was taken with the
expedition" said he, "and / don't think
anyone knows. This was the result of
the confusion when everything went by
the board"
He said he had seen only one order
directing a single division hospital to join
the expedition.
CONTINUED on Sixth Page.)