The morning news., 1899-04-05

supplies to the army. and were pertinent
10 the inquiry.
II was also stated by Mai. Lee that Gen.
Miles had al yesterdays session of the
court submitted the names OF l23 officers
and enlisted men whom he desired 10 have
the court summon as witnesses, giving
at the same time a synopsis of their tesd-
mony. and he asked TO have the two re-
quests passed upon.
Neither of Gen. Niles requests were
acted upon.
Mai. Lee also presented, but did not
read. letter from Armour & Co, apropos
of the process for the preservation of beef
by artificial means. 1t is understood that
1t will be held until Mr.. Powell appears
to give his testimony, which will proba-
bly, be within a few days.
Both Were Unsatisfactory.
DR.. Edwin l. Nicedemus of Philadelphia,
who served in the capacity of surgeon
in the Porto Riean campaign, testified
that both the canned roast beef and the
refrigerated beef were very unsatisfac-
tory
He had returned to the United States
on the transport Mississippi and found
che refrigerated meat very unsatisfactory.
1t was, he said suggestive of a dissecting
room, the odor being characteristic of an
embalmed body. The beef had a sweetish
ing it, had manifested symptoms of
ptomaine poisoning. He inferred that the
beef had undergone chemical treatment,
because the taste and smell were differ
ent from the normal taste and smell of
meat
Was an Unwilling Witness.
DR. w. S. Devoe of Chicago was re-
called. He is an inspector of the agri-
cultural department, and In 1894 made an
inspection of the packing houses of Chi
cago on complaints and had made a re-
port to the department.. This, however.
could not be found and Dr. Devoe was
asked to give the best information he
could. He proved a very unwilling wit
ness, saying that he saw no reason why
statements concerning facts of four or
five years ago should be brought out here
to the detriment of the business of a firm
which had since, so far as he knew
obeyed the law.
The court insisted however, and he said
that the firm of Nelson, Morris & Co was
the one which had been especially invest-
gated. The testimony. had been given
mostly by discharged and disgruntled en-
ployes, and was to the effect that the car
casses of cattle had been taken from the
tanks and placed on the local markets.
The findings had not been conclusive
Dr. Devoe said he had at the time been
reasonably well satisfied that the law had
not been compiled with, and that he had
reported to the department that there was
liquidation for the complaint.
A Reply Sent to Miles.
During the day the board sent a reply
to Gen. Miles, saying it would take the
matter of his proposition to supply more
Witnesses under consideration, but inti-
mating that the board did not require
further testimony relating to the canned
roast beef
Gen. Miles had sent another letter, In
answer to this, in which he calls attention
TO the letter he wrote early in the pro-
ceedings of the board, saying that the in
quiry was not only of great Importance,
involving the health and life of the army,
but that the honor of the service was at
stake He adds that 25,0O0 men and no
doubt many more could give evidence sub
stantiating the assertion that the meat
was unfit to eat, and he expressed the
hope that out of this number 131 whose
names he had submitted would be allowed
to testify. Gen. Miles suggested that men
who had evidence to give might answer a
set of interrogatories prepared by the
board, If 1t was ufeHnd, d,simpraeticable to
hear them orally Hif d