Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-20
Forecast of the Report Now Being
Prepared.
GENERAL MILES NOT VINlICATED
No Stronger Evidence Than in the
Former Investigation.
OTHER MATTERS TOUCHED ON

The report of the beef court OF inquiry
will be unfavorable to Mai. Gen. Miles
whose allegations were the cause of pres
idential action impelling the Investigation
into the army meat ration.
1t VIII not "vindicate," or "eXonerate," or
sustain" hi n, as has been predicted by
many prophets, but will be distinctly thu
contrary in its report and recommenda-
ton.
The findings will state, in substance, that
no evidence has been offered for and by
Gen. Miles which in any way changes the
verdict of the late war investigation COM
mission. The criticism of Gen. Miles con-
tained in the commissions report will
therefore, be permitted to stand, together
with any new matter OF this character for
muated by the existing court
So far as departmental action against
Gen. Miles is concerned, IN the way of
court-martial, 1t is not likely that there
VIII be any recommendation. IN yle,v OF his
disclaimer, on the first day of the beef in
curry, OF any intent 70 impute fraud on the
part Of army officials. or Of airy personal
knowledSe OF the alleged cm5alming OF the
fresh beef.
The court Of inquiry viii rc7or, that the
canned roast beef "as un!nVitng and un-
pa!atable In the open can in the Cuban
climate, but that il was more nuirftious
and musclc-prcducing, pound for pound
Than the refrigerated beef
1t Will report that the refriGerated beef
was not chemically preserved, e.tEer during
or after the process of rcirigoratiug in the
usual way by the use of ammonia
From Authoritative Information.
This forecast of the result Of the inquiry
| is reliable as far as it goes, because il is
| based upon authoritative Information The
report is progressing rapidly toward COM
| pletion, but no member of the court is will
ing to fix the date OF its presentation to the
Secretary Of War. II is hardly likely. how
| ever, that 1t viii occur this week
No open session of the court was he'd
| today owing To the nor-arrival Of Witness
! es summoned for Gen. Miles. Mai. Lee is
making every effort to secure their pres
ence, but so far has been uusuCcessf in
| the past two days No more Witnesses will
| he called or recalled by the court on the
! government side of the case. and, hut for
| the desire to accommodate Gen. Miles, and
/ his counsel in the fullest particular, the
| inquiry would now be closed.
The report will exhaustiyely discuss tn.
question OF the army ration, The alleged
! necessity for the use of canned roast beef
and refrigerated beef; the various "endur-
ance" clauses in the contracts: the method
| OF transporting ana preserving the meat:
the health OF the army as related TO the
food. and the multitude of other issues
brought out by the Miles allegations and
subsequent evidence.
VIII Provoke Criticism.
Undoubtedly the courts findings will pro-
woke considerable public criticism, as the
general verdict seems to be that Gen. Miles
| assertions have been abundanuy proved by
his witnesses, even as to the probable chem
icaliZation of the beef. But the court will
endeavor to show in its report that no d.
rect evidence has been offered To establish
any allegation not already sustained by The
war commissions report. 1t will be stated
that the greater part of Gen. Miles evil
dence has been simply cumulative, and that
there is no positive and corroborated proof
that the beef chemicalized or that the
sickness in the army was caused by tho
meat or other parts of the ration.