The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-20


away. In some cans there was an APP
pearance OF geIatine, while in others it
was liquid and stringy- There was no
sickness in the transports except sea
sickness. We began using refrigerated
beeE soon after landing. About one
third of this was spoiled I observed an
odor about this beef that was new in
connection with beef It was something
like chlOroform. noticed it had the
odOr of a drug, but knew nothing
about chemicals being used to prepare
II at that time In my opinion the men
would have stood up better during the
Santiago campaign if a more satisfac
tory meat ration could have been sup
piled. This canned roast beef seemed
TO disorder their stomachs. There was
too much hard tack. 1t could not be
avoided. but the bareback was often
nOuldy- The canned roast beef was
the most unsa tisfactory part OF the raL-
tons
There was a difference in the appar-
ent freshness of the cans and of the
kind Of meat. The meat was tough and
Strlngy and lacking In nourlShment.
When the cans were opened they con-
tanned about rs per cent meat and the
rest liquid or gelatine- After the cans
were opened the meat would not keep
from one meal to the next. The meat
was in one-pound cans and it was to be
a days ration The troops had canned
roast beef from June % to July IL
Capt. Gilbreath said, in his opinion,
beef cattle could have been landed with
little loss near Santiago. There was
little loss in landing horses and mules
While in the trenches near Santiago
the officers of his squadron asked him
to protest against the quality and guam
tity Of the rations and he did so in
writing. While at MOntauk Point he
made another report about ratiOnS, and
he made a third report in January of
this year on the rations furnished dur
ing the Spanish campaign.
Capt. Gilbreath said he had not re-
tanned a copy of the first report, but as
nearly as he could recOllect it was to
the effect that the ration was mean
and unpalatable- The report was read
to the other officers of the squadron
and they approved it. Capt. Gilbreath
was asked if he made a report that
fresh meat was treated with chloroform.
He answered that he did not
Capt William Stanton, Sixth cavalry,
was the second witness examined He
was in command of a company during
the Santiago campaign He said: THE
principal meat ration was canned roast
beef and it looked as though it had been
meat cut out of the TANKS. There was
much complaint about the canned beef,
but not so much with the refrigerated
beef. The refrigerated beef was red
like corned beef, but I did not suspect
that it was caused by the use of chem
icals- On the return trip from SANTA
go the men were furnished corned beef
was not called on to make a report
about rations, and did not do So"
Capt. Ethan c. Allen. Sixteenth in
fantry. was the third witness. He was
campaign He said: The first time
we gave the men canned roast beef
they said they could not eat it They
made no complaints a bout tomatoes or
other ratiens. The men did not seem to
be favorable to beef, but very much
preferred pork There was considerable
waste. They would open a can and eat
some and the remainder would be
thrown away. Most OF the cans had no
la beIs and / could not remember the
brands. In some cans there was an
appearance OF gelatine. while in others
the contents were liquid and Str1ngy-
Capt Allen said on cross examination:
The canned roast beef was not fit.
to eat. The men would throw il on the
ground and refuse to eat unless they
were watched. On arrival at Huntsville,
Ala, the canned meat was traded off
al the rate of two cents a can for other
supplies
cavalry, said: 4 heard of complaint
about the roast beef. We had canned
roast beef and bacon while in the
trenches. The only way the canned
roast beef could be eaten was by cook
ing it. We received refrigerated beef at
Camp Hamilton, and it was funny look
ing on the outside. but tasted all right.
1t was greenish looking along the edges,
but only remember throwing away one
front quarter. On the way back TO
MOntauk Point we had canned roast
beef, but ate little Of it. 1 could not
eat any of il after looking at il. It did
not taste palatable, and was notnourish-
ing
Sergeant Charles Boone. troop K.
Sixth cavalry, said: During the voy-
age to Santiago the men all complain
ed that the canned roast beef was not
fit to eat. The men ate only little of
il. The meat was Shiny and tastelesS-
We receiver refrigerated beef at Camp
Hamilton At first ii was in good con-
dition, but after eating a short time the
men complained Of dysentery- Much OF
It was spoiled and thrown in sink holes.
Fully a third of it was spoiled On the
voyage back to Montauk Point the men
could not eat the canned roast beef and
they did not I regard canned roast
beef as unfit for men for food"
Sergeant Richard Cochran, Company
B. Sixteenth infantry, testified: Dur
ing the voyage from Tampa to Cuba
the men complained that they could not
eat canned roast beef and they lived
mostly on bread and coffee. The men
complained OF the refrigerated beef. 1t
looked all right. but when IL was cook
ed the men could not eat it. The men
would throw away seventy-five and a
hundred pounds at a time There was
only a small part Of the refrigerated
beef eaten
On cross-examination Sergeant Coch-
ran said the canned roast beef made the
men sick. After eating it they would
go and lie down in the brush.
Lieutenant Colonel James Beck Twen-
ty-third Kansas volunteers. negro, said:
THE men in my command had canned
roast beef for travel ratiOnS and there
was no complaint On the voyage over
to Cuba we had refrigerated beef on
board also, and this was as good as
could be. Most of US preferred the
canned beef to the refrigerated beef
There was very little meat that was
spoiled. There was some meat and the
boys called it mule but we didn't take
much of it. We condemned it and when
we could not get anything else ate it,
Sergeant John Hannigan, Sixteenth in
fantTy. said: The canned roast beef
was bad all through. 1t was stringy and
after being open a short time would
stink and it was eaten only after moth