The times., 1899-04-11
DAMAGING EVIDENCE HEARD.
An Eyentfni Session of the Arm,
Reef Court.

Reef Court.
The Beef Court held an eventful session
yesterday. DR.. Charles II. Castle, of Gin
cinnati, late assistant surgeon Of the First
Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, testified that the
Tampa agent of the Armour Company ad-
mitted to him at Lakeland, Fla, that the
army meat was chemically treated.
Sidney Reid. of Brooklyn, n. Y, ie-
porter for the Associated Press, testified
that he interviewed General Miles at the
Waldorf Astoria on January 81. and that
General Miles made the statements ac-
credited to him in the interview published
in the New York Herald and other
papers on the morning of February l.
Rear Admiral John G. Walker testified
as to the results OF the use OF canned roast
beef by field parties in Nicaragua in con-
nection with the work of the Nicaragua
Canal Commission. General Shafter, ac-
companied by his aide, Captain Plummer,
reported to the Court yesterday, and Will
go on the stand today.
The first witness was Rear Admiral
Walker. He testified that he was presi-
dent of the Nicaragua Canal Commission.
He went TO Central America in 1897. The
field parties were fed by the Government
and part of the rations consisted of canned
roast beef. He had never heard any very
loud complaint against the use OF this
article of food, but was well aware that
the men did not like it. and would not eat
it when there was any other meat to be
had. In fact, they would not eat canned
meats at all when they could get the
native beef. Like all tropical meat this
was rather tough when served as roasts
or steaks, but when made into stews or
hash was very acceptable. He had never
heard that any harmful results followed
its use. The witness said that he had no
knowledge as to the use of canned roast
beef in the navy.
DR.. Charles II. Castle was the next wit
ness. He was in charge of the brigade
hospital at Lakeland Fla, in August, 1895.
At the suggestion of Captain Carmichael.
brigade commissary, he had inspected
several shipments of so-called refrigerated
meat sent from Tampa. Much of 1t had
to be rejected On one occasion he had
called the attention of Armour's agent to
the meat, and was assured that the dis
coloration of the beef was not due to putri-
faction, but to the chemical treatment
through which the beef had passed. There
were present at this conversation Captain
Carmichael now dead; Lieutenant Camp
fer, of the First Ohio Cavalry, and the
Armour agent.
DIR. Castle said that he had not reported
on this phase of the subject. because the
beef representative was SO frank and can
did in his admission that he (the witness)
took It for granted that the Decentralization
of the beef was with the consent and
knowledge of the Medical and Commissary
Departments of the army.
Those who have followed the beef en-
quiry will recall that Lieutenant CAMPER
testified to the conversation between DR..
Castle and the beef agent Mr.. More
house, >Armour's agent at Tampa, and who
furnished the meat to the troops at Lake
land was called to the stand and con-
tradicted Lieutenant Camper. He denied
that any such conversation had taken
place.
Dr. Castle testified that. being very
busy. and supposing that the Commissary
and Medical Departments were cognizant OF
the treatment of the meat. he didn't think
any more about it. He recalled that the
meat he inspected at Lakeland had an
acrid, sour, and aromatic odor. He had
come to the conclusion that it had been
treated with formaldehyde. 1t was his i'm
preston that it had been subjected to the
fumes of this gas, though it might have
been immersed in a solution, as anatomical
specimens were preserved in this way.
The last witness OF the session was Sid
ney Reid. He testified that he called to see
General Miles at the Warldorf- Astoria At
first General Miles declined to be interview
ed, but finally talked quite freely. He de-
clared that General Miles did speak as he
was quoted. The witness read from man.
fold sheet of his original copy. General
Miles said ~ t-51pe
Never before in the history Of our wars has
the Army been refused fresh beef delivered on
the ho0f. Under Sherman, Grant. and Sheridan
cattle were delivered at the front and were driven
along with the army, 10. be slaughtered from
day to day at the points where fresh beef was
needed for food.
The embalmed beef for our army in the Spanish
war. and said TO be an experiment was never
heard of before in any war or any country
The ordinary beef sold for home consumption
Is not always 50 treated, except when the pack.
ing-house finds a larger supply on hand than can
be kept.
But the beef sent to our soldiers was loaded
and saturated with chemicals various acids
which made them sick. filed the mems systems
with poison, uniting them for fighting or cam
paign work. Those who in camp relieved
OF the hardslips and exposures of marching under
the tropical sun suffered even more than the men
in the field.
| have no interests 10 serve but the Army Of
the country. Wien found that il was chemicals
in the beef that had made the soldiers sick. then
| ordered an investigation and reports to be sent
in. So widespread is the evil that all the re-
ports not yet in. They coming every
"s' 'htN 'hc o'ti VI tit sde tiIdI-
acter-all showing that the beef had been en-
balmed and was otherwise unfit for use by men
or does
Half million pounds Of this beef came to
Porto Rico in ship. The beef was 20 bad
that it would have caused a pestilence had it
been taken ashore from the ship. SO it had 10 he
thrown overheard What else could be done with
it? Nothing alive could eat it.
have overwhelming evidence that The en-
balmed beef was treated with chemicals in order
to preserve it. | have afiidayits from the men
who the beef undergoing the process.
The Court spent the afternoon in oxecu-
tive session.