Evening star., 1899-01-04
BEEF FOR THE ARMY
Captain Hutchins Testifss to Its Excellent
Quality a
uig
JuG
Gen. Miles Refers GenSEagan to the
II
Inspector Generals Inyestiga-
ton of the Matter.

In addition to the correspondence pub
llshed in yesterdays Star In regard to the
controversy over the quality of the beef
supplied to the army during the Spanish
war, several other letters have been made
public by Cofnmissaryg General Eagan.
First in order is a letter from Mai. Black
who was Gen Miles, chief commissary of
t1cer during the Porto Rican campaign. In
view of the regulations forbIdGing the de-
struction or condemnation of any supplies
except upon the finding of :. properly con-
sttuted board of survey, he was asked as
TO the correctness of statement attributed
to Gen. Miles that $4,000 pounds of canned
beef had been condemned in Porto Rico
His reply was follows:
Replying to your communication OF De-
cember II relative to Boards of Survey l
nave the honor TO state that l lind no re-
port OF boards of survey on refriserat ed
b=ef or timed roast beef among my pa
pers."
Following up the inquiry into the alIega-
uons against the quality of the roast beef
1ufnlsned the army. Gen. Eagan says he
directed special examination TO be made
of all the meat the minute he heard the
Hrst complaint The first report TO come
to hand was the following:
OHlce purchasing and Depot CornmlSsary,
TAMPA, Fla, December ii, 1885
CCmnlSSary General Eagan, Washington,
d. G.
Sir: 1t has just occurred to me that, with
the intensely unjust things that have been
said about the beef business connected
with the commissary generals department,
IL might be gratifying to you To remember
that, under your direction, l examined
very large number of cans OF beef both
roast and cofHed, representing hundreds of
thousands of cans, and found none cad.
You will remember that l diu this with
n nd Grad
that, lnasmuch as | went through the war
OF '6l-o from beginning to end, and issued
this kind of beef to both brisades that l
was connected with in this war, and hav-
ing made this examination as referred TO,
that it would be gratifying to you to know
personally that l have never seen in this
somewhat extended experience better beef
in cans that you have furnished, L trust
you will pardon this seeming intrusion, but
l cannot refrain from testifying, from per-
sonal knowledge, to the good quality of
this beef.
l am very respectfully yours,
(Signed E. X. RUTCHINS,
Captain and c. s., U. S. ", Pur. and
Depot Commissary.
Gen. Miles Replies.
The last Of the letters relate to the issue
raised between Gen. Miles and Gen. Eagan
as to the authorship of a certain news
paper criticism upon the army supplies.
and includes Gen. Eagan's letter and Gen.
Miles reply as follows:
The Adjutant General Of the Army.
General: l incose herewith an article
flcm the New York Journal, dated New
York, Friday, December 23, 1898, headed
Miles makes grave charges against the
administration; poisons Used in beef made
the soldiers i'll; tons of bad meat sent to
troops in Porto Rico, etc."l4
In view of the grave charges" made in
this purported interview with Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, have the honor TO ask that this
article be referred to GenstMiles to ascer-
tain If the statements'theretn made and at
tributed to him are correct; or to what ex
tent they are correct and that he may be
directed to state in detail whether he is
correctly quoted and i'm what particular he
is correctly incorrectly quoted.
Very respectfully,
(Signed CHARLES. p. EAGAN,
Commissary GeAeraliof Subsistence.
Second indorsementto-t y
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY.
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
Deeember q, 1898.
Respectfully returnSd IIhave repeatedly
refused to be interviAWed,p or to comment
upon or discuss my testimony. When
proof is furnished ma andbHorrected or ex-
amined, l presume the coramissary general
can obtain copy. This Subject has been
referred to the inspector general of the
army, with directions to make thorough
and rigid investigation of the whole mat
ter, and the commissary general will have
an opportunity of being heard.
(Signed) NELSON A. MILES,
Major General, Commanding.