Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-02-21

authority. which was information from the
most reliable sources. Finally. he issued
his order to officers to report on the quail
ity of beef furnished. He did not report
directly to the secretary of war, because
under q rule of 1880 the order should go
from the adjutant general to the secre-
tary.
His attacks upon the canned and refrig-
Grated beef before the war commission
were then taken up specifically. Coionei
Davis reading, the testimony of the COM
manding general. which referred to the
meat as .'embalmed beef" and said 1t
had been sent as "a pretense OF expert
ment."
General Miles was asked II he knew.
when the war began, that canned roast
beef was a part of the army ration. This
question brought out partial explanation
of his using the phrase "a pretense OF
experiment" He said he did not know
that canned roast beef was a part Of tho
army ration, though in 1888 an order had
been issued including canned corn or fresh
beef. He did not understand the canned
beef now in question was meant. When
his attention was finally attracted to the
canned roast beef recently issued, he as.
sumed, he declared. that it was being Is
sued as an experiment, since 1t was not
understood by him that canned roast beef
was part of the regular ration.
Continuing this explanation in answer to
Colonel Davis, General Miles said he
thought his use of ''pretense of expert
ment' was unfortunate, and he disclaimed
any intention to impute fraud to any one.
las far as indicating fraud" he said
'and wish to state that no such inference
was intended, 1t was perhaps an nnfortu-
nate expression, and had my attention been
called to it ! might have amended 1t to
say-well, on the theory of an experiment
As a matter of fact, 1t was an experiment.
and a very costly one"
with that disclaimer" remarked Colonel
Davis. "of course. we will pass to the re-
frigerated beef
Then. replying to question, General
Miles said he first heard complaints
against the beef at Ponce. The first direct
statement that 1t had been treated chem
ically came, he believed, from DR.. DAILY.
who presented it late in September and ap-
peared subsequently before the war COM
mittee. He said he did not recollect wheth-
er DIR. Daly's report was volunteered, or
whether he had been ordered to investigate
and report on the meat.
1t was general talk among the officers at
Ponce, General Miles continued. that the
refrigerator beef must have been subjected
" some cheHicdI treatment u mdhe IL
keep for seventy-two hours. DR.. Daly's,
however, was the first official report.
General Miles then read a long summary
OF 100 letters received by him at army
which the army meat-was characterized;
These included "embalmed." 'decomposed."
injected" poisoned" Spoiled" and the
Der q the date of DR.. Daly's reporD as
about the earliest at which the question of
chemically treated meat had been brought
| to his notice so as to command his full
Colonel Gillespie took a hand in the in
qury when General Miles had finished de-
e he assea
beef?" Colonel Gillespie asked.
.. 7 rsS presume e did about the time we were
Then" said Colonel Gillespie, % ut has
not such CHARACTERISTIC qualities as would
mo, Sir" - ' - '"h''
General Miles then left the witness chair
ana Lieutenant Colonel Evan Horne, of the
he was at the outbreak of the war major
| OF the Twenty-second infantry and was
through aso ls 3, the entire Cuban campaign. Wit
| refrigerated and canned roast beef He
said the criticisms Of the canned roast beef
sated 70 tSs seo9e ofn o IT, aek t
nutriment, Its taste and its appearance.
| AFTER the men got cooking utensils, they
ate It from the can. Either way OF serv.
| Ing 1t was bad enough, and, though none
OF 1t that witness remembered was actual
ground OF constant complaint. Witness did
not recollect that the large sick list Of
this this regiment in Cuba had been laid at the
time 10 the canned meat. The men were
very debiiitated. but he could not say
whether the meat ought to be blamed or
a large part of it was spoiled and the men
continued to use the canned meat The
spoiled Refrigerator beef was laid out on
wera sns mn H. for the buzzards. Several issues
Witness had eaten some of the refrige.
sator sa nd beef w which arrived in camp untaint.
without complaint and he had no reason
to believe it was any different from the
5eef he had gotten at army posts in the
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Minor, of the
skin infantry. was the next witness. His
camn fcss,meE. Tboua. was among % the first to leave
They reached Cuba and disembarked on
June q Canned roast beef was issued as
and ane tbe end %feh Uf the they left Tampa
placed with refrigerator beef after the sur.
render. IN. Meantime. he said, absolutely nc
nished during the siege.
Complaints against the canned beef be.
came general and marked about July 2
He said he was using 1t and when opened
1t was apparently fresh, but stringy and
absolutely without nourishment, ana wher
cut It fell to pieces. The men could no,
| and did not eat It.
II believed then and believe now" he
said, that that beef had been used fol
making extract and the nutriment taker
out It appeared to have been boiled tc
pieces"
Colonel Minor said he knew nothing Of
the method of canned beef's preparation
His regiment was in good condition until
about July 8 after which It deterioratet
suddenly and generally. When they be
came sick: the men did not want meat.
an effort to get other meat, he said he ha6
not; that there was not a piece of paper IL
the command, and they merely waited fo
what was brought up from behind, a dis
discretion-no choice in the matter of ra
| tions.
Examined as to refrigerator beef, he de
clared 1t was excellent and satisfactory
Only one quarter was spoiled. He was un
able, he said, to detect any difference be
tween the refrigerated beef issued in Cub;
and that which had been issued at tn,
posts In this country at which he had beel
stationed.
Major Henry jackson, Third cavalry. VIII,
| was with his regiment throughout the San
tiago regiment, was called. He said his ex
aboard the transport en- route for Cuba
| and continued till his return to Montauk
Complaints commenced on the way dow,
and continued without intermission. Th
tasteless and unpalatable. The officers ha
remarked the same thing to him, and h
, agreed with them fully.
Colonel Davis asked II witness had mad
He replied that there was nothing to d
but take what was issued,
, There was no requisition or other formal
ity All the rations that could be sent 4
! | xxrift fhn cd