New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-05
"EMBALMED" ARMY BEEF.
DR.. DAILY REPEATS HIS CHARGES Be
FORE THE COURT OF INQUIRY.
RoRrc AND sAIICYLIC ACID FOUND BY HIM
WITNESSES AND REPORTS OFFERED
BY GENERAL MILES.

WITNESSES AND REPORTS OFFERED
BY GENERAL MILES
Washington April 4.--The Court OF Inquiry to-
day again heard DR. William II. DAILY In reGoru
20 the character of beef furnished for the Arm!
IN the war He reiterated his former statements
paid his respects 20 the War Investigating Com
mission and declared that the refrigerator heei
smelled like r body after it had been cmoaiheu
DR. Nieodemus. of Philadelphia. who saw service
IN Porto Rico corroborated this testimony, COM
pairing the smell OF the beef TO the door ABOUT
dissectinc- DR.. DAILY was accompanied ny
his attorney James Hamilton Lewis seVcrai
other witnesses were also examined
Major Lee presented letter from Armour q
Co. or Chicago. which had been filed in connec-
ton with their bid TO supply beef for the san
,,ago campaign. bur il was not read. The letter
explained the bid. and said that the firm wouio
be able 20 preserve beef for seventy-two hours
the time required. by the use Of the Powell pre-
sentative process.
Major Lee also presented n proposition ro"
General Miles TO supply the names of large
number Of witnesses, and snying that he nad IN
Rebruarv offered the official reports Of l4I OIL
= e~rs as testimony but that the court had no.
Indicated its acceptance Of them. Following IS
the text Of General Miles's proposition:
aavc tic honor to enclose list Of wtn? .ss,
ali OF whom Will give material and pertinent tesii;
oay N tho fT ny So,e eel rth may be arrived
Q; l respectfully bat urgently reQueHt thot M =,
whl"S Sbcir names appesS' or II It is found ir-
possible to secure their presence 1na1 dn'
As far be now determined IN nt view a6 UI
the facts h!i haze af;aey pen bopTh that any
sdditional testimony will be :sauireo reS Nos
howfyH the psw cb seth o. witnesses as may be
necessary hereafter IN case o. neE deVsiop'rWeII!S
Major Lees remarks IN presenting the i-''eI
were as follows
The Najor-Gene-al commanding the Army on
soraar{ ,ns, N o,scia1 rnnSrfs o. II; officers rep
rcSenting ;wenty-six. REGIMENTS ana some 10y 80
s ToGFs e 81 me iGr r n sepem5er e. @ rbr
y 2 S tfe M Ss str 10 you of that dac
sdd!iional reports and original communications
Voluntarily sent 10 the headQusrters OF the ArWS
arranged as per said letter of February z 1882:
nov offer as evidence IN his cage the Tepon's S o.,
Secre'ary Of War. and tho additional reports Of
of;iccrs now in YOUR custody i need Mot DC
msde them upon their honor and IN the dischSrge
OF their otcial duties. and that the same cTecence
sbove reports as though their contents had been
sworn TO- It Is an Xom tnat the ,rt Sc'a o'
The Court sent a reply to General Miles say
witnesses under consideration, but ntimating
that II did not require further testimony reat-
ing 10 canned roast beef
General Miles has sent another letter In an
swer TO this in which he calls attention to the
letter he wrote early in the proceedings Of the
court saying that the Inquiry not only Of
great Importance. involving the health and life
Of the Army. but that the honor Of the service
was at stake. He adds that % 600 men and no
doubt many more. could give evidence substan-
tatinc the assertion that the meat was unfit TO
eat. and he expresses the hope that out OF this
number 1871 whose names he had submitted
would he allowed to testifs~--The General sug-
gests that men who had evidence to give might
answer a set Of interrogat!ons prepared by the
court If it should be found impractcable TO hear
them orally
DIR. DAYS. TESTIMONY. ~.---
Or. DAILY was the first witness. After relating
the extent of his service with General Miles he
said in response to questions from Major Lee
that he had been made president OF various
medical societies Of the United States and a
number Of foreign societies in recognition Of his
scientific Investigations and without any soci-
tation on his part. He had. he said made suiTl-
cient observations TO warrant him in submit
made an analysis which had confirmed his gus
picions His first observations had been made
on a transport at Tampa before the sailing of
the expedition to Santiago when Colonel Weston
invited his attention to a quarter of beef hang
ing on the deck Colonel Weston's only remark
was: Here's a quarter OF beef which has been
hanging here for sixty hours in the sun: we are
going to what IT will do" No reference was
made TO preservatives, Dr. Days attention had
Immediately been aroused Il was rather
pleased" he said. Il felt that if the beef could
be preserved 60 long IT a good thing" He
then cut off piece o. the beef and cooked and
ate il next day. After that he became sick at
the stomach. but ne had rot felt convinced that
toe meat had caused the sickness
After some reference to his stay in Porto Rico
DR.. DAILY gave the particulars OF the trip north
on the transport Panama, last September which
was IN his charge. The vessel had been provided
on setting out with the best obtainabe refrig-
orator beef but II had not gone far before It be-
came evident that the meat was not good. He
did all that ne could to quiet the complaints but
they increased. and the stencil soon grew so
strong tEat 1t peryadcd the whole ship. The
odor was indescribable He al last suggested a
board Of survey. and. one being ordered. it hac
condemned the meat renaining--about fifteen
hu1ureu ppuHoS-and IT hdu Hdn IL thrown over
boarc.
RESPECTS TO WAR COMMISSION
Here DR.. DAILY took occasion to pay his re-
epects to the War investigating Commission. be-
fore which he had appeared. lie said tho Com
mission had given out the impression that the
deterioration Of the beef on the Panama was
due to want Of ice. This was contrary to hi.
testimony. and the truth could easily have been
aaeertained As a matter of :act the Panama
Rad an excellent refrigerator. and it carried ten
tons OF ice 10 one Of beef. lie also referred to
tho criticism in tho War Commission of his use
G. the expression In his report that the smell
about the beef was like the odor Of borc acG.