The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
PROOF THAT VILE
CANNED BEEF WAS
FED TO SOLDIERS

What is generally termed Gamers are
! a very inferior class of cattle; think
one-third of them, would be condemned
| times meat scraped off the plates are used
! for canning.
About what per cent of nutriment
would be left in the meat that goes in
the can?"
William II. Replogle testified that he
served in the hospital corps at Porto Rico
and that canned roast beef was frequent
ly served to the corps. He had seen three
or four cans open with maggotS running
out of them. Witness stated that at
| Guayamo he saw piece of cooked fresh
beef which had maggots in it.
In reply to Major Lee the witness told
Of the sickness of one Thompson who had
nothing to eat the first day after land
ing. The second day he was given corned
beef and hardtack, but had no way of
making coffee. The man became very
sick and died within a week
After considering in executive session
the matter of calling more witnesses the
court took recess until o clock.
At the afternoon session First Sergeant
Albert -Salavin of the Seventh United
States Infantry testified that some OF the
men complained that the canned roast
beef was not palatable. AS, to, refriger-
at ated d beef @ some Of it spoiled-about half
Captain D. H. Boughton, Third Cavalry,
! testified that in his command the officers
drew the same ration as the men while
in Cuba.
THE complaint about the canned beef"
| he said, was that the men could not
eat the meat and would not eat 1t unless
absolutely compelled to do so to appease
hunger. When the cans were opened the
first thing that struck the observer was
! the repulsive, uninviting appearance of
the contents. Diarrhea broke out in nv
| company some time after the surrender
| and in general conversation among the
oflcers We attributed it in part to the
meat"
What complaints were there as to the
oil hot tNol
| of the quarter of refrigerated beef fur
| nished would be unfit for use. Subse-
| quent to the surrender our command did
| not receive a SUFFICIENT allowance of food. .
In reply TO Major Lee the witness said
that canned roast beef was absolutely un-
| fit for a ration.
DO you consider canned roast beef
wholesome for the American soldier?"
ct Is ,s exGSe;eding1X seed unWhOlesome It
and the fat and grease are absolutely re-
pulsive."
Cuba in command of the First Illinois
| Infantry and became a brigadier general,
was the next witness. He said that on
! the way to Cuba there was good deal of
unofficial complaint about the canned
roast beef, and the result of an official
! complaint was that the surgeon con-
! demned a lot of it and it was thrown
! overheard. The cans had swollen and the
meat was very bad.
In reply to Major Lee the witness stated
| that he tried to eat some of the canned
! beef, but ii nauseated him and he could
| not do it. 1t was certainly unfit for ra-
| ton in the warm climate He regarded
! it as contributing cause of the sickness
of the men. He had also tried to eat the
refrigerated beef, but could not, as it
gave him diarrhea.
| First Lieutenant NJ. F. Davis of the
| First Cavalry was called upon request of
| Major Lee. He said that in Cuba the men
| opened all the cans of roast beef issued
| to them. but only consumed half of the
| thrown away because it was unfit to eat.
! The contents of the can, he said, would
| be about three-quarterS Suet, not what
| you would call meat Perhaps one
| quarter or one-6fth of the can would be
good fiber meat; the rest appeared to be
would be entirely spoiled. Witness said
he once opened can which smelled bad
he examined it and found maggots in 1t.
Major Lee: How did the maggots get
| in there?"
"Are you aware that in the process of
canning this meat undergoes such an in
tense heat that no animal life could sur
! ViVe in it?'
II don't mean to say they were alive;
they were dead"
you are positive about the identity of
! the animal?'
| yes, sir; quite positive"
| In consequence of the canned roast beef
! not being sufficiently sustaining and not
having nutriment in it, did your men lack
for food?"
''They did"
What was the name of this brand that
you found with maggots in it?''
'It was Swift & Co.'S brand"
Are you certain of that?'
Il am certain
The court adjourned to meet in Omaha
| tomorrow.