The leader., 1899-01-04
THE ARMY BEEF SCANDAL.
Gen. Miles Assertions In Relation
to "Embalmed Beef" Finds
Numerous Supporters.
SEVERAL ARMY OFFICERS HEARD FROM.
Mass OF Shiny, Black stun" that Lacked
Nutrition aud sickened Those Who Ate
The Refrigerated Beef Had an Odor
Similar to q Human Corpsc.

| Washington, lee. 3O.-Ihe war 1n-
vestigation commission has made pub
lie a synopsis OF the reports of officers
to Gen. Miles "of the results obtained
from the use of canned fresh beef, in
campaigns in Cuba and Porto Rico"
These reports were submitted by
Gen. Miles when he gave his testimony
last week and were presented in sub
sanitation of his vigorous denunciation
| of the canned beef. Gen. Miles stated
at the time that he had started an in
Nestigation of the matter of the canned
beef supplies and the reports sub
mitted follow his official inquiry along
/ this line. The statement given out in
| cludes Il statement from Maj. John ID.
Black chief commissary officer, L. 5.
v. and commissary at headquarters of
| the army in the field during the Porto
Rico expedition. dated December 10.
on the canned fresh roast beef re-
| ceived. issued and transferred by him.
| II shows the totals received from all
sources were 12.60+ ope-pound cans.
S6.a9. two-pound cans and EGO six
| pound cans. Totals issued and trans
| ferred follow:
One pound cans issued. 1+4; one
| pound cans transferred. 12.460: two
pound cans issued. 42,16S; two-pound
| cans transferred, 44.l2i; six-pound
cans issued. none; siH-pound cans
| transferred. 800.
4 synopsis Of the reports furnished
| follows
Commanding Officer, Fourth infan-
| try. Maj. Baker: "'The beef seemd to
| he of inferior quality, and was any
| thing but palatable. Quite a number
| of men could not and did not eat it,"
Commanding Officer. Sixth infantry,
| Lieut. Col. Minor: THE meat was ut
| tcrly unfit as an article Of diet for
| either sick or well. II had no nutri-
| mcnt in it, and turned the stomachs of
| the men who tried to eat it"
Commanding Officer, Ninth infantry,
| Col. Powell: The meat produced dis
| orderd Stomachs; is not nutritious.
soon became putrid, and " many of
| he cans was found in course Of putri-
| fication when opened
Commanding Officer, Twelfth infan-
try. Mai. Humphreys: 'Thc meat pre-
| scented such a repulsiye appearance
| that men turned from ii in disgust.
Nasty is the only term that will fifty
| describe its appearance. Its use pro-
| duced diarrhea and dysentery.
Commanding Officer. Thirteenth in
| fantrv, Col. \. r. Smith: Many com
plants were made concerning the meat.
1t was found unpalatable, and is unfit
| for isue TO troops.
Commanding Officer. Seventeenth i'll
fantry. Maj. O'Brien: The nutritious
| Juices having been cooked out of the
meat. il was neither nourishing nor
| palatable. 1t was unfit for use. 1t
should no longer be issued"
| Commanding Officer, Second battal-
| ion. Twenty-frst infantry, Capt. j. W.
| Duncan: THE meat soon spoiled after
| opening the cans: the men soon tire
| of it, and it is not proper food. 1t is
not equal in any way to canned corned
| beef"
Commanding Officer, Twenty-second
| infantry. Maj. Van Horn: THE meat
issued was nothing more than refuse.
after various kinds of soups had been
| tNiIdtltb IiblIi 1t. L VI tilNi IHSuto vi u
| should not he made
Commanding Officer. Third cavalry.
| Mai. jackson: THE meat for canning
was too fat. and as an article of diet
! soon became nauseating to a larg" ma
| ioritv of the men. If made of good beef
and properly seasoned it might be sat
| isfactory."
| Commanding Officer. Second artil
lcry. Col. IIaSkin: The meat was gen
orally disliked. was soft, watery and
| insipid agreea bic to neither eye nor
| taste The men could be induced to
| eat it only when prepared as a stew"
Commanding Officer, Fifth artillery.
| Lieut. Col. McCrea: The meat was I'M
| palatable because of the excess of fat
| III it; its appearance was black and
| stringy and none OF the men liked it.
| When prepared as a stew, il was more
| palatable. Ii less fat and mixed with
vegetables, it would deserve ii further
| trial"
Commanding Officer Light Battery
| A. First artillery, Capt. Best: "The APP
| pearancc of the meat was not inviting.
| The men soon tired of it,"
| Commanding Officer First cavalry.
Brighten. Niele: THE meat was mis-
| cradle apology for food in hot eli
| mate. a slmy-loolling mass of beef
scraps. unpalatable to the taste and
repulsive to the sight. Competition for
| the contracts placed the price so low
that only tailings and scraps were
used for canning"
| Officers. Ninth cavalry: Very I'M
| satisfactory: men soon tired of it. and
will only eat it when they have moth
| ing else"
Commanding Officer, Twcnty-fourth
| infantry, Maj. Thompson: After u
| few days the meat became unpalata-
BILE: the men become Disguised with it
| and will not eat it"
| Gen. GarretsoD Says That the Beef Was
| Unfit for Use
Cleveland. o.. Dee. 30.-Gen. George
| A. Garretson of this city, VINO com
| manded division in Porto Rico.
| agrees with Gen. Miles that the canned
beef furnished the army was. to a
| large extent, unfit for use.
| The general said that a large
| amount OF meat had TO be thrown
away by the commissary officers of
his division.
| THE condition of affairs said Gen
Garretson, was every bit as bad as is
| reported. Considerable canned beef to-
tally unfit for use of human beings
was discovered by the commissary Of
| ficers of the division I commanded.
l .Nhpn tho t1lattar nd m
me ordered all meat unfit for use to
be destroyed.
| Il had previously seen to it that a
large number of beeves had been tax
| en- with the division. These were
slaughtered as they were needed. In
that way we had as much fresh meat
| as possible and used as little of
i canned stuff as we cOuld nOSsihlY get