The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-11
ENDED In A FARCE
so SAYS ATTORNEY II. II. PROBAS-
co OF THE WORK OF THE
ARMY BEEF BOARD
AMUSED At ITS FINDINGS.
TESTIMONY WAS OVERWHELMING
LY ADVERSE TO THE DECIS-
ION OF THE COURT
BORDERS ON sTULTIF1CATIoN

Finding of the Court That No Meat
icaIIy Treated - Government Of
fciaIs Made Tests of the Chemical
Preparations to Preserve Meats
DIR. DaIy's Testimony Undisputed.
CINCINNATI, O., May .10,-In an. in
terview H. r. Probasco, ex-United States
district attorney here, a relative of ex-
Senator Sherman, and recently counsel
for Gen. Miles, said:
When the court convened, having pre-
viously served Gen. Miles as counsel in
other matters, was asked to go to Wash
ington and confer with him regarding
the proceedings before the court of in
quiry 1t was determined that inasmuch
as Gen. Miles was not in the attitude of
one accused, that it would be ill-advised
to introduce a lawyer, and Maj. ]. M.
Lee was selected by Gen. Miles to aid the
court and the recorder"
Did you take any active part before
the court?'
MY only connection with the case was
Sonferring with Gen. Miles and Maj Lee
regarding the summoning of witnesses
md the examination of the most import
ant ones"
What is your opinion as to the report
of the court of inquiry?''
II have not read the full report, but
have seen the synopsis of 1t. I was
amused that three intelligent army Off
GERS, sitting as court for weeks, and
examining several hundred witnesses,
should have rendered such an illogical
and uncertain decision. The decision
amounts to the court finding that the
beef packers We're saints, and sent to our
soldiers mama from heaven, and that
Gen. Miles was careless because he did
not report the first vague rumor which
came to his ears that this food was bad.
Every witness condemned, in unstinted
terms, the so-called canned roast beef
as unfit ration: The chief clerk of the
commissary general also testified that
canned roast beeef in 1878 was an expert
mental ration, and was adversely re-
ported on after a short trial. The court
was evidently so well satisfied as to the
proof of the truth of Gen. Miles allega-
cations as to canned roast beef that
when, shortly before the testimony clos
ed, they were asked to subpoena 1874 ad-
ditional witnesses. They declined to sub
poena all except ten, for the reason that
the 124 would give cumulative testimony
only against the canned roast beef"
AS TO EMBALMED BEEF
What about the embalmed beef?"
Before bids were received by the com
missary general he was advised by ex-
pert cattle and beef men that fresh beef
would not hold up twenty-four hours af-
ter delivery from the refrigerator in the
climate that prevailed in Florida and the
West Indies, and that the best course to
pursue would be the purchase of beef on
the block, or beef on the hoof He told
these gentlemen that the parties who de-
sired to furnish the fresh beef had a
process which they said would enable
them to deliver meat which would keen
sound and fresh for seventy-two hours
after delivery from the refrigerator. The
day after the bids were opened attorneys
In Washington addressed ccmmunica-
ton to the secretary of war making the
argument that Notwithstanding their
clients bids being somewhat higher than
the others, that they ought to be awarded
the contract because of their ability to
perform their contract by means Of the
Powell process for the preservation of
meat which they controlled, and which
had been satisfactorily tested under the
auspices of the government. This letter
was referred by the secretary of war to
to the commissary general for his con-
Sluerauon, who returned it to the Secre-
tary with his Endorsement, in which he
said: These tests are not the only tests
Which have been made leaving the plain
Inference that the other bidders also had
processes for the preservation of meat
which had been tested.
PRACTICAL sTULIFICATION.
This letter was returned by the Sec
retary Of war. DIR. Daly's testimony. that
he had found by chemical ANALYSIS Of
meat furnished the soldiers that 1t con-
tanned chemicals; was in nowise contra
dicted. Three witnesses Sergeant Mason.
Lieut.. Gampher and DR.. Castle testified
that the agent at Lakeland, Fla, had
told them that they had found it impos-
slble to comply with their contract to de-
liver fresh meat which would remain
sound and sweet for seVenty-two hours
after delivery from the refrigerator, with
out the means of chemical process,
Wlllch. process was secret even to him
If the court found in the face of this tes-
tirnony that no meat delivered was chem
ically treated 1t amounts almost to stultf-
fication."
Has there been any change In the
manner OF supplying troops with fresh
meat since this criticism was first nader
Indeed, there has. Cattle on the hoof
are now being delivered in Cuba, slaugh
tered on the island, and delivered to the
troops the following day, and no COM
plant has been made. Furthermore, So
called canned roast beef was dropped as
meat ration some tirne think during
last August or September; all of which
shows that Gen. Miles reference to the
method of supplying the troops with meat
as an experiment was correct, and that
his opinion that beef on the block or on
the hoof is the only suitable fresh meat
ration for troops was we'll founded
Is there anything else In connection
with this matter?'
Yes. the great majority of the papers
and of the people, including the presi-
dent q know this from Il conversation
with him about three weeks since) believe
that Gen. Miles would not make a state
ment concerning any person or circum-
stance which he did not honestly believe
to be Well-founded and true. Gen. Miles
has no political ambition, whatever, and
no more thinks Of being a candidate for
president or any other Office than 1 do u
Mr.. Probasco blames the secretary OF
war and adjutant general with opposing
the general commanding the army.