The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-24
EAGAN WAS SMILING.
Ex.Commissary General ltfore The
Beef Court.
WORE FULL DRESS UNIF0RM OF
DRIGADIER GENERAL

He Told How Contracts Were Made
with tho Beef missa-
~ General Weston Defends Hts De-
partment.
Washington. February 9s.-The testi-
mony Of General J. y. Weston who was,
at the outbreak of the war, assistant
commissary general and who now b the
successor Of Commissary Eagan and the
appearance OF Gen. EsgAn were the feat
ures of today's proceedings Of the court Of
inquiry Investigating the char ges of Con.
Miles rs 10 the beef supply 70 the Army
while In Cuba and Porto Rico. zach
contended that the canned roast beef was
a wholesome and nutritious component Of
the army ration, which was Furnished In
the Santiago and Porto Rican expeditions
and took Issue with the regular army
officers who have criticised It. Regarding
the refrigerated beef, the testimony Of to-
day tended to show that IL was satisfactory.
General Eagan entered into the clrcum-
stances ate Dding the entry into contra OTIS
with the beef concerns and will conclue
HE testimony tomorrow. General Eagnn
appeared In full dress uniform Of q
DTIRhIleI 2tINtdl, WcaIAuA HWoAds
greeted the court smilingly nndkproceeded
TO testify. he took issue with General
Miles In regard to the beef on the boot be.
Ing the best supply of fresh beef to the
army, insisting that such source OF supply
was impraoticsble in Cuba and especially
undesirable In any country where the
animal heat In the beef could nos disap-
pear before cooking.
Washington, February % The work Of
ka NJ tnnntrv N WashfVnfnn will
bel finished for the time being. about the
middle Of next week when the court will
ad iourn 70 Chicago to Look over the pack
Ing industry in that city and examine
such witnesses as may be most con-
venisntly reached at that point From
Whether their duties will carry the MEM
bers elsewhere before returning to Wash
ington win depend on further devslope.
ments.
|. Captain Alexander r. Piper of the SUBJ
sistence department OF volunteers was
called. He was assigned as commissary
of the second brigade first army corps,
emtarking with General Brooke's ex-
petition for Porto Rico. He said that in
Porto Rico beef on the hoof, native cattle,
In connection with canned corned and
roast beef was issued. Native bsef was
issued. he thought, i've days out OF ten
until August IL, after which, under In
sbEuCblDub vi wi. puotps
ssry. he draw refrigerated beef from the
Massachusetts
Some complaint against the canned
reast beef, he said. was made but IL
amounted to little. The men had deteri-
grated In condition and were In mood
to complain of nearly everything. The
men com planned OF the native beef being
too fresh. There were no complaints
against the beef issued from the Msssachu-
setts but on the contrary the men were
delighted with 1t and rs . captain de-
ciared, "the men did not leave even the
bones"
Only one complaint against the refris-
oausa of some having spoiled. Captain
Piper detailed the method of slaughter
ana issue Of native hesf He said that the
animal heat never left II as y rule, and he
never saw 10 In condition that he would
care TO eat 1t He knew the majority Of
sentiment Of the men was favorable to
refrigerated rather than to native beef.
There was great diversity OF opinion
among offios and men as to the cause OF
sickness in Porto kico. Personally he
thought a large proportion of sickness
was due TO the native fruits, cheap rum
and oocoanut candy with which the men
stuffed themselves.
General J. +. Weston. successor to
General Eagan As commissary general
was then called. Gen. Weston was as
sistant commissary general just prior to
tho war and told Of some problems OF she
war that were discussed and settled In
the oflice before the fighting actually
com menoed He said the whole question
of fresh meat was thoroughly gone over
canned roast beef was the best thing OBJ
tainable He said the war department
had made an honest and thorough In
vestigation of the subject and took the
only course open TO 1t.
General Weston said the refrigerator
beef furnished the troops In camp at
Tampa was as fine as he had ever seen
anywhere. Regarding the use of canned
roat beef In Cuba, he snid there WAS al
ways both canned roast beef and bacon
on hand and the men got whatever they
asked for. Col. Davis asked what ar
engagements were made for exchan ging
the meat ration when 1t was spoiled.
General Weston replied that at that time
there WAS never any question about
whether the stun was spoiled or not. As
fast AS trains or pack trains could come
in to get rations they were supplied. Cen
Shafter understood the situation and the
regimental commissary officers were noti-
led thas there would be no quibbiing over
REQ uisitions. The hrst business was to
feed the troops.
General Weston said he received no
complaints as to the meat ration while he
was in charge at Sibonsy. III any prsser-
vative had ever been used on any of the
beef, the fellow that used 1t ought to be
whipped for stupidity. for It would spoil
within twelve bours replied Col. Weston
to another question.
Recurring to Tampa, ne said three or
four boxes Of frozen beef we're sent and
he sent it out to Ripley to experiment to
see If frozen beef would be satisfactory.
Frozen beef. he said, was failure.
Speaking of the Powell preventative
process experiment. Col. Weston said the
oommissary department had nothing
whatever officially to do with 1t. MIR.
EDWARDS. he said, representing Armour
81 Co., came to him and said some beef
was coming that would b. treated and he
asked witness II he would not put 1t on
ship and see how long 1t would keep. The
beef arrived and witness asked Mr..
Powell what had been done to the besf,
and the latter replied that nothing in
furious was In the treatment, and be be-
lievsd the bsef in question would keep 70
hours and II SO and the government