The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-21
BEEF AGAIN CONDEMNED
CHICAGOANS GET ANOTHER CHANCE
TO TELL WHAT THEY KNOW.
Testimony of Volunteer Officers and
surgeons as to the Quality of
Meat Furnished to Soldiers.

CHICAGO, March 2.-The principal wit
ness on the list TO appear before the gov
eminent court Of inquiry to-day, Dr. Mich
olas Sem, was unable TO be in the city
whereupon the court recessed at noon until
o'clock tomorrow evening. when DR.. Sem
will be heard. During its short session to-
day the court received the evidence of four
witnesses who had been called upon request
of Major Lee, the representative of Major
General Miles. According to their testimony
the canned beef was always unpalatable
and distasteful and, in their Judgment, il
was contributory cause of sickness among
the soldiers and unfit for an army ration.
Critical reference to the refrigerated beef
was also made by tn. witnesses. II seems
probable that the court will be able to ter
inmate its Chicago work in time to leave
Wednesday evening for New York.
The first witness examined was Col. d.
Jack Foster, of the Sixth Illinois Infantry.
He testified that at Ponce he drew refriger-
ated meat once. When the meat reached
camp it was pronounced bad and a board of
inquiry condemned it. and it was buried. He
did not try ii again. The regiment was
about six miles from the port.
MUCH BAD MEAT.
Capt. Edward ]. Demmick. of the First
Illinois, testified that some of the canned
roast beef he saw Was spoiled and was
thrown overheard on the voyage to Cuba.
After the surrender at Santiago refrigerator
beef was issued. Their regiment about
three miles from port. One lot was buried
as soon as unloaded, and this occurred on
two other occasions. He thought the condi-
ton of the meat was due to failure TO re-
ceive 1t promptly. About % per cent. of the
amount received had TO be buried and about
20 per cent of the rest had TO be cut off
and thrown away. Some of the men thought
they discovered peculiar odor, but there
were no suspicious that the meat had been
canned roast beef was 'h Issued. but n they
would not touch it. "One day, at Santiago"
witness said, Il went into restaurant and
met a gentleman in citizens clothes. who
made himself known to me as Swift's repre-
sentative. He said he was in trouble; he
had just got cargo of beef in and the
refrigerator plant had stopped. He said he
was going TO General Shafter and get that
beef accepted. / told him L thought poor
beef came to our camp invariably, but he
said Ii was not poor beef-simply discolored
on the outside and by cutting away the
discolored parts the inside would be TO nd
perfectly good. L was in General Wood s
headquarters an hour later and saw him
there, waiting for an interview with Cen
eral Shafter. 1 did not learn whether he
succeeded in getting that beef accepted or
not, but / understood from outside persons
that they threw overheard several tons of
1t and accepted the rest.
Major Iee-What effect, If any, did the
canned roast beef have upon the health OF
the men?
The beef nauseated great many of the
men. / am satisfied that it caused diarrhoea
Also
WAS there any suggestion that it was
best TO discontinue the use of that meat?'
No, sir; we made the best of 1T.
You regard this canned roast beef as
wholesome or unwholesome as an army
ration?"
"Unwholesome."
CANNED ROAST BEEF NOT GOOD.
DIR. William G. Willard, surgeon major of
the First Illinois volunteers, testified that
in Cuba, the health of his command was
good up to July %; then the sick call began
to increase very rapidly and by the 18th or
18th 1t was as high three hundred per
day. In his judgment this sickness was due
to a combination of circumstances. of which
the condition of the canned roast beef was
| one He had no occasion TO believe that any
| of the beef had been treated with chemicals.
Canned roast beef, so-called, was never a
fit ration. in his opinion, and 1t was espe-
| cially unfit for men In the condition Oh the
troops coming back from Cuba
Replying to questions from Major Lee,
| DR.. Willard said: Ion opening can of beef
| there was usually some vacant space; the
meat was in strips or scraps, more or less
| covered with a layer OF granular 1at, unln-
viting in appearance. The meat itself mad a
| bleached appearance and was very tough
| and stringy. do not recall any otner pranu
except Armour's"
You used the term 'so-called' with refer
ence to this canned roast beef. In your
| judgment, as medical officer inspecting
this meat day after day. state whether or
| not il was roast beef and why you used the
| expression 'so-called roast beef"
From what i have heard of its prepara-
| ton and from its appearance. L should say
| ii was boiled beef. had one case OF scurvy.
| a man who had been eating bareback. sow
belly and canned roast beef regularly Tor
| thirty-three days. He was member OF the
| Seventh Infantry.
please state whether or not. in your
| opinion the so-called roast beef Of the kind
furnished the army Is wholesome or un-
wholesome ration for the American soldier.
Il don't think it is a good ration under
| any circumstances and totally unfit in a
| tropical climate"
oliver A Olsen, quartermaster and acting
| commissary of the First Illinois Volunteers.
| corroborated the testimony of DR.. Willard
regarding the appearance Of the canned
| roast beef when taken from the can. He
also did not regard 1t as roast beef. AS a
ration for a soldier he considered II inferior
and would place the meat In the third
| grade. The labels he saw were Armour *
| Co: Libby Mcneil & Libby, and a Kansas
| CITY firm whose name ne did not recollect.
| He also saw the Prairie State Packing
| Company's brand which, in his opinion,
| was the worst of all and should be placed in
| a grade lower than the lowest.
| A number OF witnesses, who had been
summoned were on hand at O'Clock. but
| none was examined, the court holding no