The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-17
ing about the meat. Making inquiries he


learned that the did not like the beef.
After arrival at Santiago the men COM
planned that they could not eat the meat
and did not like II. They said the meat
spoiled as soon as opened. He was not pre-
pared to say whether any sickness occurred
by reason of the use of canned beef Com
plants on refrigerator beef were that II
was spoiled and the quartermasters were
loath 10 take it. His command was INSULT
ciently rationed from July until il left
Cuba. The rations consisted of beef, hard
bread. coffee and sugar. and when the beef
was not used it left them short. insufficient
transportation caused part Of this short
age. On the voyage back from Cuba canned
beef was not eaten at all by the troops. on
the arrival at Montauk Point reports were
made on the beef on orders issued by the
adjutant general of the army. The cans of
beef he saw in Cuba had no labels on. They
came from the box in that condition.
Captain W. II. Beck. acting inspector
general of the Department of the Missouri
said the canned beef used on the voyage
to Cuba was a new ration to him. The men
said the beef nauseated them. They used
other things with IL in an attempt TO i'm
prove it. Some of the meat was soft and
men wanted to exchange it for bacon. but
could not do so becouse they were i'm ad-
vance of their supplies. The first supply of
refrigerator beef was remarked upon IA
vorably. Personally, he thought it fine.
Later a quantity OF it was found to be
spoiled. which was attributed to the ex-
posure. Because some of the meat was in
a bad condition companies did not get their
m r1f Isa cuf1 hot hn
tribute the health of the troops directly to
the use of the beef. On the return voyage
he had heard no complaints, but his men
were not the kind that complained. From
June 50 TO July Is there were times when
his command only received a portion of
their ration. This he attributed to the lack
of transportation. He had no reason to be-
leve that any Of the beef had been treated
chemically.
TRADED 1T FOR BACON
First Lieut.. Isaac Erwin, of the Sixteenth
Infantry, said that on the latter part of the
voyage to Santiago some of his men COM
planned that they could not eat the canned
beef because they were tired of it. After
the landing in Cuba whenever they could
do so the men traded their canned beef for
bacon. A part of the time the meat ap-
peared good when taken from the can. but
lacked seasoning. Later ii did not present
good appearance, but he thought the
troops used il all. He thought that the re-
frigerator beef was most delicious at first,
but afterward it was received in bad condi-
tion and had to be buried. His company
only received two three days good ra-
tions of beef while on the island and was
insufficiently subsisted.
Sergt. Albert L. Kase, of the Sixteenth In
fantry, testified that the men abandoned the
canned meat as a ration on the voyage to
Cuba. Many of the men attributed their
sickness TO the use Of this beef From the
time of landing until the refrigerator beef
was issued the complaints continued and
the beef was not used if there was anything
else TO take its place. The refrigerator beef
was good when issued early enough, but
several times when drawing rations he had
refused to accept the beef because il was
covered with green mold. About one-third
of the beef was spoiled. Returning from
Cuba the men refused to eat the canned beef
at all. He was of the opinion that canned
beef was unsuitable a ration at any time
Quartermaster Sergeant John A. Nc
Giffin, of the Sixteenth Infantry, said the
soldiers seemed to grow tired of the canned
beef after leaving Tampa. The complaints
after reaching Cuba were very numerous
The objection was to its quality, appear
ance and odor. After a few days they re-
fused to eat ii. Sometimes the refrigerator
beef was good and at other times it was
tainted. About one-third of the beef issued
could not be used. He was violently i'll at
Santiago and he attributes his sickness to
eating tainted beef.
Sergt. +. Delhi. of the Sixteenth In
fantry, substantially corroborated the state
ment of his fellow w-noncommissioned officers
He thought about one-fourth of the re-
frigerator beef issued was bad. Sickness be-
came more general the longer the troops re-
manned in Cuba. He said it was Armour's s
prime roast beef that was issued in Cuba.
After this witness had been excused the
board went into executive session TO out
line some work which 1t will have to do on
its return to Chicago and to prepare a list
of witnesses which it will call at the next
session in that city. This closed the work
the board had before it in Omaha and this
evening Il left for Kansas City.