The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-21

-s ~ 49, D[[1 aAy AA1AAoO -
the standard ration. He again heard of it
aboard the Yale. when the men declared
spector to inquire into IT. Again he heard Of
1t in the trenches at Santiago, but he was
still largely occupied with the campaign,
and he thought nothing more of the COM
plants than he would of hearing that some
man was kicking" about his coffee or Of
his hanback,. What finally drew his atten-
ton seriously to the matter was the reports
OF officers that the whole Fifth Corps was
weak and Frustrated. This was in August
when the question of a parade through
New York was preached. General Bates at
that time reported that only about one
fifth Of the men at Montauk Point were in
condition to march through New York. Gen.
Miles said this seemed to him remarkable,
as there was no yellow fever at the point
and he thought the men certainly ought to
be over their malaria. He, therefore, or
dered an inquiry into the beef about which
there had been 50 much complaint.
Did you report this matter at the time to
the commissary generals officer asked Col.
General Miles leaned forward. drawing his
brows TO a furrow, and replied forcefully:
Il am not required, sir, to report to the
well. did you report it to the secretary
Of WARP asked Colonel Davis.
General Miles, in reply went at some length
into an explanation of the routine of the
army headquarters, showing why he pre-
ferred to conclude his inquiry so that he
might have something tangible to present
to the secretary.
Colonel Davis put a number of questions
as to why the commanding general hao
delayed definite action in the beef matter,
ana General Miles responded that he had de-
layed because he did not want to act until
he had secured the very best authority,
which was information from the most re-
liable sources. Finally he issued his order
to officers to report on the beef furnished.
He did not report directly TO the secre-
tary Of war because under a rule Of 1890 the
order should go from the adjutant general
to the secretary.
AN EXPERIMENT.
His attacks upon the canned and refriger-
ated beef before the war commenced was
taken up specifically, Colonel Davis reading
the testimony of the commissary general
in which General Miles was referred to as
calling refrigerated beef "embalmed beef"
and saying it had been sent as "a pretense
Of experiment"
General Miles was asked If he knew, when
the war began. that canned roast beef was a
part of the army ration. This question
brought out a partial explanation of his
using the phrase "pretense of experiment"
He said he did not know that canned roast
beef was a part of the army ration, though
in 1888 an order had been issued including
canned corned or fresh beef. He did not
understand the canned beef now in question
was meant. When his attention was finally
attracted to the canned roast beef recently
issued he assumed, he declared, that 1T
was being issued as an experiment" since
1t was not understood by him that canned
roast beef was a part of the regular ration.
Continuing, in answer to a question of Col.
Davis, General Miles said he thought his
use OF 'pretenSe of experiment" was UNI
fortunate and he disclaimed any intention
to impute fraud to any one. AS far as
indicating fraud" he said, Il wish to state
that no such inference was intended. 1t was,
perhaps, an unfortunate expression, and
had my attention been called to it l might
have amended it to say-well, 'on the theory
of an experiment As a matter of fact, it
was an experiment, and a very costly one"
with that disclaimer" remarked Colonel
Davis, of course, we will pass to the re-
frigerated beef
Then, replying to a question, General
Miles said he first heard complaints against
the beef at Ponce. The first direct statement
that 1t had been treated chemically came,
he believed, from DIR. DAILY, who presented
it late in September and appeared suisse
quently before the war committee. He said
he did not recOllect whether DIR. Days re-
port was volunteered or whether he had
been ordered to investigate and report on
the meat. 1t was general talk among the
officers at Ponce, General Miles continued,
that the refrigerator beef must have been
subjected to some chemical treatment to
make it keep seventy-two hours. DIR. Days,
however, was the first, official report.
TERMS USED BY SOLDIERS.
General Miles then read a long summary
of one hundred letters received by him at
army headquarters, giving the various terms
in which the army meat was characterized.
These included "embalmed,'' "decomposed,"
injected poisoned" Spoiled" and the
like. In addition he showed q. summary of
reports on refrigerator beef condemned and
thrown overheard from transports. c. c.
Yeamans, from the Yosemite, reported the
condemnation of 5000 pounds; Lieutenant
Colonel ONeil, of the steamship Chester,
4D0 pounds; Col. James Hamilton Lewis,
10,G00 pounds. General Miles said that he
should fix Sept. q (the date of DIR. Days
report) as about the earliest at which the
question Of chemically treated meat had
been brought to his notice so as TO command
his full attention.
Colonel Gillespie took a hand in the in
quiry when General Miles finished describing
the nauseating qualities OF the canned ana
refrigerated beef.
Ibid you, General, ever eat any of this
beef?' Colonel Gillespie asked.
Il presume l did, about the time we were
at Ponce" said General Miles with some
hesitation. Yes, 1 presume ] did"
Then" said Colonel Gillespie, 1T had not
such characteristic qualities as would permit
you to detect it offhand?"
mo, sir"
General Miles then left the witness chair,
and Lieutenant Colonel Van Horne, OF the
Thirteenth Infantry, was sworn. He said
he was, at the outbreak of the war, major
of the Twenty-second Infantry, and was
through the entire Cuban campaign. Wit
ness said he had used all kinds-canned,
corned, refrigerated and canned roast beef.
He said the criticisms of the canned roast
beef began early and were made otten; II
was objected TO on the score Of its lack Of
nutriment, its taste and its appearance.
After the men got cooking utensils they
steWed their canned beef. Before that they
ate it from the can. Either way of serving
it was bad enough, and though none or 1t
that witness remembered was, actually
spoiled. 1t was unpalatable and the ground
of constant complaint. witness did not
recollect that the large sick list OF his regl-
ment in Cuba had been laid at the time 10
the canned meat. The men were very de-
bilitated, but he could not say whether the
meat ought to be blamed or not. When the
refrigerator beef arrived a large part OF 1t
was spoiled and the men continued to use
the canned meat. The spoiled refrigerator
beef was laid out on the hill for the buzz
yards. Several issues were lost in this way.
beef, which arrived in camp untainted and
found ii good. The men ate 1t without
complaint, and he had no reason to believe
1t was any different from the beef he had
got at army posts in the States.
COL. MINORS TESTIMONY.
Lieut.. Col. Charles w. Minor, of the Sixth
Infantry, was the next witness. His regi-
ment was among the first TO leave Camp
Thomas and to camp at Tampa. They
reached Cuba and disembarked on June q.
Canned roast beef was issued as a travel
ration when they left Tampa and until the
end of the siege. 1t was replaced with
refrigerated beef after the surrender. Mean
time, he said, absolutely no other fresh meat
| could have been furnished during the siege.
Complaints against the canned beef became
general and marked about July z. He said
he was using il, and when he opened it it
was apparently fresh, but stringy and abb
SOlutely without nOurishment, and when cut
IL fell to pieces. The men could not and
"a Il aT haffaNraA fAnn anA hn1fGrrn