The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-30
Eagan On the Wit
mess Stand.
ABOUT CONTRACTS.
Language Exemplary as He
Tells About Beef.

Npbl appointed " lllduiIe 4iLLV NiNlls
Miles charges concerning the beef sup
piled to the army during the Spanish
war had Former Commissioner General
Eagan before it today to recall and al
so heard the testimony of Rear Admit
raj Stewart and Paymaster Colbq Of
the navy, and Major Black and Capt
Pomeroy, volunteer officers who We're
engaged in the commissary service at
Ponce during Gen. Miles Porto Rican
campaign. Gen. Eagan's testimony
was not startling. He stated that
Messrs. Armour & Co had put in a
bid to supply beef to be preserved by
process of their own, but that he had
former statement to the effect that the
not considered 1t. He also modified
"a hour clause in the beef contract had
crept In as a clerical error, saying that
in the multitude of matters which had
been under his attention at that time
he had forgotten its insertion.
There was an apparent effort on the
part of Maj. Lee, representing Gen.
Miles. to show that Mark Hanna had
sought to influence the contracts, but
Gen. Fasan asserted that he did not
know the senator and no explanation
was made of the introduction of his
name. Gen. Eagan made frequent re-
ference during the giving of his testl-
mony to the numerous demands upon
his time during the war, making this
condition an explanation for not re-
membering details
Mai. Lee asked the admiral for speci-
fications in the matter of reflections,
but these facts he was unable to give
at the time. Reflections, he said, were
always due to the fact that the grade
Of the beef offered was not up to the
requirements. The marines at Guam
tanamo were supplied with this beef.
There had been no complaint concern
ing it to his knowledge.
Paymaster Henry q. Colby, chief of
the bureau of supplies Of the navy de-
partment, also testified concerning the
use of canned roast beef in the navy.
He stated that where any question
arose as to the quality OF beef it was
submitted to chemical analysis. The
navy had found that the canned beef
kept well at sea, and in some cases
it was held from year to year. Mr.
Colby had personally inspected cans
opened in the tropics but the quality
did not appear to be affected by the
heat.
The meat was used for making soups
and hash and was well regarded by the
men. in the navy. Refrigerated beef
had been used by the navy only since
the beginning of the Spanish war
There had been few losses of this beef
The Celtic had recently arrived at Sar
Francisco with beef in good condition
that had been in refrigerator for eight
months.
Maj. John D. Black of the subsistence
department of the volunteer army, who
was member of Gen, Miles staff II
Porto Rico. testified that it had beer
part of his duty to superintend tht
landing of stores at Ponce. He sait
that many of the vessels had no mani,
tests. and it was difficult to locate thu
various stores. He waS questioned
concerning the appearance in the har'
Dor Of Ponce of the steamer Manitoba
on Aug 10, with S00,0 900 pounds of fresf
beef. The vessel remained there FOL
several days, he said, but no effort wa
made to have the beef issued. This
was due to the fact that there was NJ
refrigerator on shore and no ice coulC
be procured. Furthermore, the vesse
was on a reef for four days and the
sea was running SO high that it wal
dangerous to approach it. Maj. Black
said he was aware that telegram haC
been sent from Gen. Miles on Aug. 2
requesting that no more fresh beef bt
shipped.
When the Manitoba returned after az
absence Of ten days at other points, the
troops were supplying themselves In
the interior with beef on the hoof
Moreover. there had been no notice
that the Manitoba was to bring the
beef. The vessel was sent bp Gen
Miles TO other points where the stores
could be more easily issued to the
troops. The officer in charge Of the yes
sci had stated that he had the beef
aboard. and that he was fearful that II
would spoil because Of some damage
to the refrigerating plant while the
vessel was on the reef.
Major Black stated that the engineer
volunteers brought fresh beef with
them. but it was spoiled when they ar
rived. so that it became necessary to
corn the beef.
Capt. Frederick H. Pomeroy, also OF
the volunteers subsistence department
who was for a time Major Blacks as
sistant at Ponce, gave testimony along
the same line.
He also told of the return of the Man
itoba to Ponce after visiting other de-
partments. He was then depot COM
missary, and he had receipted for 21O0C
pounds, of which 5000 pounds was de-
stroyed. Much Of the beef was covered
with a greenish Aim. but some Of the
men ate 1t each meal. Still they gener-
ally complained of the beef. Much Of
1t was found to be tainted decomposed
and spoiled. The beef in this condition
was condemned and buried or thrown
into the harbor.
At this time fresh native beef was
being received on the hoof, and at
many points inland native beef was,
Capt Pomeroy said, still being deliv-
cred
At Major Lees request, Capt. Pom
crop related a conversation with Col
Smith. who was for time chief COM
missary. and who had told him that the
beef was guaranteed to keep ~ hours
on shore, because Of a process for pre-
serving 1t. The colonel had, however
stated that he die not know what the
process was. Capt. Pomeroy said he
had handled 100000 pounds Of canned
roast beef while depot commissary
but had great difficulty in getting the
men to take IT. They complained" he
said. that this beef was repulsiye in
appearance, unappetizing, tasteless and
not nutritious.
Not to exceed 10 per cent. of it was
taken, and when the men did take II
they generally threw it away. They
tried to sell this canned beef to the ma
tives and succeeded for q time, but no
long. AS a matter of fact the canned
beef and also the canned boiled beef
sent to Ponce was of veryl title value.
The men complained that the meat
made them sick. He also mentioned a
preserved meat received from Kansas
City which, he said the troops liked.
This meat was not cooked, but he did
not know the process Of Its preserva-
ton. Capt. Pomeroy said that the ma
tive beef only gave fair satisfaction
and that 1t was not as good as refrig-
Grated beef under the most favorable
circumstances. Mai. Black was recall
ed at the instance Of Maj Lee and ask
ed to give the details Of o conversation
hA badbud with Con TTnoun