The record-union., 1899-03-30

Also Testify.
WASHINGTON, March 29-The
army beef court of inquiry had former
Commissary General Eagan before ii
to-day ON recall, and also heard the tes-
timony of Rear Admiral Stewart and
Paymaster Colby of the navy and Major
Black and Captain Pomeroy, volunteer
officers, who were engaged in the COM
missary service at Ponce during Gen
eral Miles Porto Rican, campaign.
General Eagan's testimony was not
startling. He stated that Messrs. Ar
mour & Co. had put in a bid to sup
ply beef to be preserved by process
of their own, but that he had not con-
sidered it.
There was an apparent effort on the
part of Major Lee, representing General
Miles, to show that Senator Hanna had
sought to influence the contracts, but
General Eagan asserted that he did
not know the Senator, and no explana-
ton Of the Introduction of his name.
Captain Poneroy stated that of 21,-
600 pounds of beef receipted for at
Ponce, Porto Rico, 5000 pounds had
been condemned.
Major Black told of a conversation
with General Eagan in regard to the
refrigerator beef, in which he quoted
the latter as saying with an oath that
he would have compelled the men to
take the beef.
TESTIMONY AT Yesterday
HEARING.
WASHINGTON March 29.-Rear
A d,v,{ pa1 n c
the Navy, was the first witness before
the Army Beef Inquiry Board to-day
He stated that canned roast beef was
one of the articles of food used by the
navy. and explained in detail the care
full inspection that was demanded by
the department regulations. Occasion
ally the beef, when delivered would he
found to be unsatisfactory, and would
then be rejected. He stated the aver
age purchases cf food of this character
Tor the navy to be 10000 pounds per
year, the purchases being made through
the New York representatives of Ar
mour & Co., Nelson, Morris & Co.. and
other firms. The canned beef was a
portion of the regular navy ration, and
very little of it was ever condemned
Major Lee asked the Admiral for
specifications in the matter of rejec-
tions, but these facts he was unable to
give at the time, but thought he would
later. Reflections were always due to
the fact that the grade Of the beef Of
fered was not up to the requirements
the specifications requiring the best of
beef. The marines ait Guantanamo
We're supplied with this beef There had
been no complaint concerning it to his
knowledge, either from the marines or
from the navy.
Paymaster Henry G. Colburn. Assist
ant Chief of the Bureau of Supplies of
the Navy Department, also testified
concerning the use of canned roast beef
in the navy. He stated that where any
questions arose as to the quality of
beef it was submitted to chemical
analysis. The navy had found that the
canned beef kept well at sea, and in
some cases it was held from year to
year.
Mr.. Colburn had personally inspected
cans opened in the tropics. but the
quality did not appear to be affected by
the heat. The meat was used, for max
ing soups and hash, and was well re-
garded by the men in the navy Re-
frigerated beef had been used by the
navy only since the beginning of the
Spanish war. There had been few
losses of this beef. AS an illustration,
he stated that the Celtic had recently
arrived at San Francisco with beef in
good condition that had been in refrig-
orators for eight months. He did not
understand that the canned roast beef
was actually roasted, but that it was
simply cooked SO as to lose none of lis
qualities.
Major John D. Black of the S11bsisr
enoe Department. of the volunteer army
who was a member of General Miles
staff in Porto Rico, followed the naval
officers. 1t had been part of his du;v
to superintend the landing of stores at
Ponce. He said that many of the YES
sells had no manifests when thew ar
rived. 1t was difficult to locate the
various stores
He was questioned especially concern
ing the appearance in the harbor of
Ponce of the steamer Manitoba ON the
10th of August with 100000 pounds of
fresh beef.
The vessel remained there for several
days, he said, but no effort was made
to have the beef issued beyond inform
ing the commands that the beef was
there. This was due to the fact that
there was no refrigerator on shore and
no ice could be procured. Further
more, the vessel was on a reef for fo1r
days, and the sea was running So high
that it was dangerous to approach il.
Major Black said he was aware that
a telegram had been sent from General
Miles on the 22d of August requesting
that no more fresh beef be shipped.
When the Manitoba eturned after an
absence of ten days at other points
the troops were supplying themselves in
the interior with beef on the hoof.
Moreover, there had been no notice that
the Manitoba was'tu bring the beef. The
vessel was sent on by General Miles to
other points, where the stores could be
more easily issued to the troops. The
officer in charge of the w ssel had stated
that he had the beef aboard. and was
fearful that it would spoil because e,f
some damage to the refrigerating plant
while the vessel was ON the reef.
Major Black stated that the engineer
volunteers brought their fresh beef
with them, but it was spelling when