Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-18
MEETING OF COURT OF INQUIRY.
PreIiminnrics and Line of Invcstiga-
ton Discussed in secret Session.

PreIiminnrics and Line of Invcstiga-
ton Discussed in secret Session.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE court Of in
quiry to investigate the allegations of the
major general of the army in respect to
the kind of beef furnished the army during
the war with Spain, met today at the rooms
formerly occupied by the War Investigating
commission in the Lemon building. The
full membership was present and the court
went into secret session to discuss the pre-
liminaries of the proceedings and endeavor
to sketch out the line of inquiry to be pur-
sued.
This afternoon Colonel Davis, the re-
corder, gave out a statement as to the court
and its work. Today and tomorrow, he
said, 1t would be occupied with an m
ton Of reports of regimental and other com
manders who participated in the Cuban and
Porto Rican campaigns, the object being
to select witnesses to be In
addition to these reports the proceedings Of
the War Investigating commission will be
looked to for suggestions of witnesses. The
taking of testimony will hardly begin be-
fore Monday. General Miles is expected to
testify first, presenting his charges and their
foundations.
The investigation will be limited strictly
to canned roast beef and refrigerated beef,
DuJ Ine scope Oh Tue inquiry Will De So
comprehensive as to follow the beef from
packer to private soldier, so that the action
of the packers and all War department
officials connected with the beef supply will
be investigated. Colonel Davis said the in
quiry would continue indefinitely. Speaking
further of investigation and probable testi-
mony, Colonel Davis laid the court was not
limited in its sittings to Washington, but
under the order 2Onyening ii, 1t could travel
from place to place. This statements is con-
sidered significant, for, while the court has
announced no determination to go elsewhere,
there is a possibility that it will visit the
Chicago and South Omaha packing houses,
where the beef in question was prepared.
The list of witnesses will include many civil
fans as we'll as army officers. Suggestions as
to witnesses from any quarter, Colonel
Davis said, would be considered and all will
be summoned who might seem likely to
throw any light upon the controversy.
1t was learned this afternoon that the
court has practically determined to visit
the packing houses in western cities from
which beef was furnished. The pilgrimage
will take in Chicago, South Omaha, Kansas
City and perhaps st. Louis.
Some of the officers whose reports Gen
eral Miles has placed with the court arc
now in the Philippines. Their testimony
will not be sought. OF course they could
not be ordered here and the taking Of their
dispositions would be attended with too
much delay and inconvenience, 1t was
pointed out by a member Of the court that
their testimony would be cumulative and
therefore really unnecessary, since it would
be in accord generally with what would
COM from officers who are accessible. The
dispositions of a number of officers now in
Cuba will be taken.
The court will meet at 1880 tomorrow
morning and resume behind closed doors
the work of mapping out the plan OF pro-
cedure and preparing a list of witnesses to
be summoned.