The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-30
.EAGAN ON THE STAND
Much Excited About the Refusal
to Take His Beef.
A BIT OF BILLINGSGATE
Asserted That He Had No Dealings With
Hanna-Armour Made q Bid
for Processed
Beee

Washington, March 29.-The army
beef court of inquiry had former Com
missary General Eagan before it to-day
on recall and also heard the testimony
of Rear Admiral Stewart and Paymas-
and Captain Pomeroy, volunteer Off
GERS, who We're engaged in the commits
sary service at Ponce during General
Miles Porto Rican campaign.
General Eagan's testimony was not
startling. He stated that Messrs. Ar
mour & Co. had put in bid to supply
beef to be preserved by process of
their own, but that he had not consider
ed 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 explanation
of the Introduction of his name was
made
Captain Pomeroy stated that of 21000
pounds of beef receipted for at Ponce,
Porto Rico 5000 pounds had been con-
demned. Major Black told of a CONVEX
sation with General Eagan in regard
TO refrigerator beef, in which he quoted
The latter as saying with an oath that
he would have compelled the men to
take the beef
Rear Admiral Edwin Stewart pay
master of the navy, was the first wit
ness. He stated that the canned roast
beef was one of the articles used by the
navy Very little was ever condemned.
Paymaster H. G. Colby of the navy
said that canned roast beef had been
used only since the beginning of the
late war; very little of it was rejected
as unfit for use.
Major Black. who was chief commits
sary on Miles staff during the Porto
Rican campaign. was asked by Major
Lee to detail a conversation he had with
General Eagan. at that time commis=ary
general, after his (Black's) return to
Washington late last fall. The state
ment he made proved somewhat sensa-
tional.
Il called upon Eagan," Black began
by saying, ito confer with him con-
corning the conduct of our affairs al
Ponce. He asked me why refrigerated
beef was not issued at Ponce and I re
piled it was because issue commissaries
did not want it, as they were getting
native beef. Thereupon Eagan became
very excited and exclaimed, God damn
them, they have no right to refuse it.
consider it the best beef in the United
States, and God damn them, I'd have
have made them take it,
Black also stated at the time the
Manitoba was on the reef he had some
conversation with Miles about the YES
sci, and while there was casual refer
ence to the beef on board, the general
seemed principally concerned to get the
troops and horses Off
Black also testified regarding the
beef issued to the soldiers. Native beef
was preferred. Captain F. H. Ponce
roy. who was for some time Blacks as
sistant at Ponce, related particulars of
the return of the transport Manitoba to
Ponce after visiting ether departments.
He was at that time depot commissary
and receipted for 1000 pounds of beef,
of which 5000 pounds was destroyed.
Pomeroy stated he had handled proba
bly, $4,000 pounds of roast beef, but had
great difficulty in getting the men to
take it. When the men did take it they
threw it away. The afternoon session
began with Eagan on the stand.
He was recalled to take cognizance
of points which have developed since he
gave his first testimony. General Ea-
gan said that he had had conversa-
lloiiS Will tlle REPRESENTATIVES. I'll S"ill
& Co. prior to the letting of the beef
contracts, but as he had also talked
with others on the same subject he
could not recall the details of his re-
marks. He remembered that Mr.. Swift
had taken exception to come of the
terms of the first draf of the contract
as being very harsh.
Explaining his plans in general, Gen
eral Eagan said it was his first inten-
tion to take refrigerated beef, then in
case of failure, to take beef on the
have its own herd. Everybody. he
thought, understood that his preference
was not refrigerated beef Swift & Co.,
being the lowest bidders for refrigerat-
ed beef, naturally received the award
of I.he contract.
Referring to the terms of the con-
tract, General Eagan said that the mat
ter of supplying the army with beef
was considered from the beginning a
very serious problem.
He had first thought of having ships
ply up and down the Cuban shore. and
it was with rhis view that he decided 20
ask for beef that would keep for ~
hours. He had also felt that there
would be difficulty in landing at Santa
go. His principal reason for insert
ing the clause stipula ting that the beef
should be good "A hours after leaving
the refrigerator was that he did net
wish the troops to know that the con-
tract called for beef that would keep
70 hours for fear that it would not keep
so long.
When s-eXamined by Major Lee.
General Eagan said he exercised his
own discretion in the letting of con-
tracts without suggestions from the
secretary of war. When the lowest bid
was ascertained he had been in the hab-
it of making an abstract of the facts
and submitting 1t to the secretary. just
as when he was commissary in the
army he would furnish such an alb
stract to his commanding officer. The
general said that in providing for the
soldiers in the tropics he had acted up
on his experience at Fort Mojave. ARR.
He was convinced from this experience
that beef cooked before the animal heat
was out of it was positively injurious.
He recalled his conversation with Mr..
Gardner of the firm of Swift & Co.
who. he said, had assured him that
with proper care, refrigerated beef
would keep 70 hours. He was howev-
er. doubtful of the care the army would
give it if If was known the beef would