The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-17
n BEKF CoURT


Ii Has . Busy Day In Chfcago-8ee
Packers DENY Uslnx.any CAemiesls II
Refrigerated Beef-Ev1denes as Z.
Canned Reef Contracts
Chicago, March 1A-Coionel o. N
Smith, purchasing agent OF the govern
ment at Chicago since 1895, testified to-
day before the government cour OF
inquiry that the stores OF came
roast beef, bought by him during the
Spanish war were all Upon the direct
order OF General Eagan. the commits
sary general. He also stated that
some puchase OF canned beef were
made without his knowledge by the
commissary general. Another Of the
| days important witnesses was GustA-
vus F. Swift, head Of the packing firm
of Swift & Co. Mr.. Swift said:
w agreed 10 be responsible for the
/ beef keeping t~wenty-four hours from
! issuing and if in a refrigerator house,
| seventy-two hours from h steamer
issue. L supposed there would be rea-
| sonable protection as for any other
commodity. When we deal in beef We
deal in a p~erishable article. 1t GER
tainly should be protected from the
tropical sun"
I'm the preparation Of your refrig-
| Grated beef, what agent do you rely
upon as preservative?"
REFRIGERATED air; nothing else"
Have you used at any time in con-
nection with the preservation Of refrig-
Grated beef any chemical preservative
Of any kind?"l
mo, Sir"
Major Lee read h following clause
of the contract:
1.-The beef is to be properly clothed
for its protection and proper handling
| and so preserved by the refrigeration
on shipboard and at the refrigerator
building that it shall be perfectly good
! n fit for use seventy-two hours after
being issued from the ships refrigera-
tor, or twenty-four hours after being
issued from the refrigerator to build
ing On shore"
IF there were no refrigeratoring
building on Shore" he asked. and a
ship should get in at that place, under
this contract, it seems to me there is
! a guaranty here that the beef will keep
seventy-two hours after being issued
from the ship. Am 1 correct?"
mo, sir. My version of that clause
is different. Starting with our pro-
posal to the government n leading
on to that clause in the contract, my
version is that, having used diligence
the request of the government and with
their aid as agreed, twenty-four hours
is all that We are liable"
Major Lee then read the clause in
question a second time and left the dis
pute as to the time to the consideration
of the court.
Two of the witnesses testified that
General Eagan was mistaken in saying
that the limit was seventy-two hours.
They also denied the use Of chemicals.
George E. Van Norman, a com1uis-
sion merchant with offices at Milwau-
kee and Chicago, testified in detail as
to the governmental, state and NUM-
cipal inspection Of cattle slaughtered
at the stock yards.
Major Lee asked that if, as a rule q
portion Of the poorest class Of cattle
/ killed are not used for canning.
Yes, sir. But people have a wrong
idea about emaciated COWS going II
for canned; they would not be econom'
ical for that purpose; they are all bones
and no flesh"
Colonel O.. M. Smith, who a beer
purchasing commissary of the govern
ment at Chicago since 1895 testified
that he purchased between May It'll
and July 9th, 1898, 2,75S,272 pounds o
canned roast beef. The orders TO
purchase came from the commissar!
general in every case. He said the or
ders were all rush orders.
What inspection were these pur
chases subject to-" asked Colone
Davis.
"They were only inspected by sam
pie"
I'm some cases, I see the price Of de
liveries on the same day varies one o
two cents q pound. What is the rea
son for that?"
"Those were not my purchases? The,
were made from Washington
Did you make any purchases o
Libby, Mcneil & Libby's second grade
known as the Emery brandt"
II myself never bought any OF tn
[ second grade of Libby's meat; this wa
| purchased direct from Washington
2 did you buy any canned meat c
the second grader"
"Well, the Hammond Company sub
I mitted to me some samples whic
seemed good and, I bought them, Nc
knowing until afterward hat it we
: what they call their second grade,
+ On cross examination Major LIE
said: l..
you speak of purchasing this h
5 sample, under these rush orders tn;
you received. What course, or metl
: cd, was pursued as to comparing the:
samples brought to you with the t
n purchaser"
= None. I took it for granted TIL
they supplied the same stores tn
were represented by the samples"
Colonel Gillespie: what reason w
there for the commissary gener
making purchases in this market wit
out your knowledge" -
ST am sure I don't know"
General Davis: Did he ask you
send any samples of the Emery bra
to him."
HE simply notified me that he h
q purchased it and asked me to ship i
u Major Lee: THAT purchase was n
y subjected to Inspection"
le mo, 1 was simply ordered to ST
p it,"
IA