The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-21
THE COURT OF INQUIRY.
AIT The Witnesses Testified that the Beef
Was UnpaIatabIe.
REFRIGERATED BEEF WAS CONDEMNED
Troops Were Made Sick Eating the
Meat furnished--one Case of
Scuryy Reported.

Chicago, March Gothic principal Wit
ness on the list to appear before the gov
eminent court Of inquiry today Dr. Mich
oiss Sem, was unable to bo in the city.
whcreupou the court recessed at noon until
o'clock tomorrow evening. when Or.
Sem VIII be heard. During It's short Sos
sion today the court received the evidence
OF four witnesses who had been called upon
request Of Major Lee, the representative
OF Major General Miles According TO
their testimony the canned beef was al
ways unpalatsbIe and dstasteful and in
their judgment It was contributory cause
of the sickness and was unit for an army
ration. Critical reference to the refriyer
ated beef was also made by the witnesses.
The first witness examined was Colonel
JACK Foster OF the Sixth Illinois infantry
de testified that at Ponce he drew re-
iigerated beef once. When the meat
reached camp It was pronounced bad and
board OF inquiry condemned II and 1t
was buried. He did not try It again.
captain Edward j. Dommick OF the First
Illinois testified that some of the canned
roast beef he saw was spoiled and thrown
overheard lie thought .the condition OF
the meat was due to failure to receive It
promptly.
DR.. William G. Willard, surgeon major
Of the First Illinois volunteers. testified
that in Cuba the health OF his command
was good up to July % that the sick call
began to increase very rapidly and by the
2Sth or 29th II was as high as 300 per day.
In his Judgment the sickness was due TO a
combination OF circumstances, of which the
condition OF canned roast beef was one.
| He had no occasion TO believe that any
Of the beef had been treated with chemi-
| Gals Canned roast b6ef. socalled was
never ut rations in his opinion and Il was
| especially undt for men in the condition
Of troops coming back from Cuba Reply
/ ing to question from Major Lee Or WI
| lard said ON opening a can OF beef there
| was usually some vacant space; the meat
was in strips or scraps more o? less covered
| with a layer Of granular fat, uninviting in
| appearance The meat had bleached an
! pearance and was very fought and striney.
| do not recall any other brand except Ar
mour's.'
"You used the term 'socalled' in CON
nection With this canned beef? In your
Judgment, inspecting this meat day after
day, state whether or not Il was roast beef
and why YOU used the expression So
called roast beefs''
From what have heard OF It's prepara-
tion and appearance, should say Il was
boiled beef had one case of scuryy. A
man who had been eating hard tack. sow
belly and canned roast beef regularly for
thlrty-three days. He was a member of
the seventh infantry"
please state whether or not, In your
opinion. the socalled roast beef furnished
by the army is wholesome ration for tbs
American SOLDIER"
II don't think II is q good ratloa under
any circumstances and totally uaRt In a
tropical climate"
oliver A. Olsen. unartermaster and act.
ing commissary OF the First Illinois volun-
teers, corroborated the testimony of DR.
willard regarding the condition OF Inc
canned roast beef when taken from the can
He also did not regard Il as roast beef
As a ration for a soldier Il was inferior
and would place the meat 10 the third
grade. The labels he saw We're Armour &
Co., Libby, McNelll & Libby and Kan.
sas City Arm, whose name he aid dol re
collect. He also saw the Prairie STAT,
Packing company's brand which. In nj.
opinion. was the worst OF all aud should b,
placed In lower grade than the others.