Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-20
REFRIGERATED BEEF
Maj. Daily Testifes Before the War
Commission.
CHEMICAL TEST MADE BY Him
Boracic and SaIyciIic Acids Found
to Have Been Used.
!, TEST MADE BY HIM
OFFER TO DEMON STRATE

geon on General Miles staff during the
Porto Rican campaign, and who wrote the
now famous report to General Miles, stat
ing that the government refrigerated beef
had the odor of an "emba med dead hu-
man body" was before the war investigat-
ing commission today.
The commission evidently was cooked and
primed for this witness, for the examina-
ton was most exhaustive and penetrating.
Contrary to custom, it was participated in
by every member of the commission
From time to time General Beaver, who
conducted chiefly the examination, was
supplied with questions whispered to him
by his colleagues, who had explored the
pages of other evidence bearing on the
subject.
Maj Daily, a tall, large, fine-looking man,
with grayish beard and Irish cast of coun-
tenance, was most excellent witness. He
spoke quietly, without any nervousness, and
his answers We're prompt and to the point.
1t did not appear that the examination or
cross-eXaminatlo lessened IN any degree
the weight of has condemnation of the beef
served 10 the troops IN Porto kIco.
Gen. Miles prlva.e stenosrapner accom-
PANIED Maj. Daily and shortnaGued his les
tlmony. his action was The cause of no
little comment ana criticism by The com
mission, VINO employ stenographer for
the purpose
Mai. Days Testimony.
Gen. Beaverton were at Tampa during
the time the Shatter expedition was being
prepared for service?'
Maj. Daly-"Yes, SIR
Gen. Beavel-"You made a report Sep
tember II last to the major general COM
manding the army concerning the beef
used. We have a copy of 1t, and l wish
you would read it over to see if it cores
ponds with yOur reCOllect tiOn -
Maj. Daly-'1 can't say that every word
Is just as L used 1t. A mistake has been
made as to the date. 1t should have peen
dated October 81 instead of September.
Gen. Beaver-"Then it was made after
your active service ended?''
Maj. Daly-'1I a way; yes, sir"
Gen. Beaver-"Was it voluntary, or was
1t called forth by request, or by circular
from anybody?"
Maj. Daly-'I am not aware of any one
speaking or communicating with me upon
the subject"
Gen. Beaver-"Were you aware of a cir
cular issued by the major general com
handing the army upon the suriect?"
Maj. DaIy-"No, SIR
Gen. Beaver-''rhe report. then was not
suggested to you by any one. but was of
your own volition?
Maj Daly-'1 assure you that it was
Previously, at Ponce, about August 1 to II,
l wrote to Gen. Miles about it."
process Beer at Tampa
Gen. Beaver then asked the witness if
there had been shown him by Col Weston
at Tampa during the embarkation of the
Shafter expedition a quantity of beef
known as process beef" The witness said
that Col. Weston had done so, but he
thought that the beef was part of the army
ration.
Gen. Beaver-"Were you aware that the
process was claimed by one Powen?"
Maj. Daly-'i only understood that it was
an experiment and one that awakened my
interest
Gen. Beaver-"What was the position of
the quarter that was exhibited?"
Maj: Daly-'It was hung up full in the
sun. L observed that flies, while they lit on
mems face3 and hands, cid not light on the
beef or if they did they quickly left it.
TEat struck me as peculiar"
Gen. Beaver-'Did you see more than that
one quarter"
Maj. Daly-"No, sir. l cut off a piece of
1t and put it in my pocket. Later | cooked
and tasted it. 1t did not have a natural
smell or taste. 1t made me vomit and gave
burning sensation in my stomach"
Gen. Beaver-"Do you know if anybody
else cut and ate from this quarter?'
Maj. Daly-"No, SIR
Some Men Were Sick.
The witness then stated that about that
time some of the men who had been corrall-
ing horses became sick with stomach troI-
Bile. AT first he thought it was due to over
exercise, but afterward their symptoms re-
minded him of an experience he had had
some Years before with a beef-preserving
process. AT that time he was preparing for
hunting trip in the Rocky mountains
and the man from whom he bought his
supplies recommended TO him a powder for
preserving elk. 1t was to be used exterior
lly The witness said he had tested it and
eaten the meat, which made him sick
Later he made a chemical analysis. He
found that it contained salycylic acid
boraX and other ingredients
Gen. Beaver questioned him closely as to
the basis and effect of these ingredients
Major Daily declared that they certainly
destroy digestion, cause nausea and debil-
itate any person eating meat SO preserved
Maj. DAILY declared that the meat eaten
at Tampa gave him symptoms identical
with those from eating the meat on his
hunting trip. This fact led him to believe
that the government beef was treated by a
preSerVatiVe.
Experiences at Porto Rico.
Gen. Beaver-"Now tell US of your ex-
periences in Porto Rico?'
Maj. Daly-"At Ponce I observed the re-
frigerated beef as it was taken from the
transports. 1t had a peculiar odor 1 OBJ
served the examination of spoiled beef on
one transport. 1t was done by a butcher,
in apron, who was in the hold. He thrust
his arm in every direction into the putrid
meat had the same peculiar odor l tried
10 describe it in my report by using plain
English. As nearly l can describe it,
the odor was like that from dead human
body treated by preservatives."
Gen. BeaVer-"Give US the name of the
transport on which you saw the meat ex-
amined by the butcher, and if you can, the
name of the transport that brought the
meat from the United States"
Major DAILY said he could not positively
answer, but he believed the meat was on
the City of Chester.
Gen. Beaver then asked the witness if he
did not think his examinations were pure
ly superficial in character and without any
knowledge of all the facts.
Major Daly-'I would not like to say
that"
The witness then declared his belief that
attempts TO preserve beef by chemicals
were not and could not be successful This
was his opinion based upon his experiences
on the Panama which carried beef that
had been treated, he was sure by chemi-
Gals 1t was very foul, to say the least
He thought the government unreasonable
in requiring contractors to guarantee the
preservation of meat from twenty-four to
'seventy-two hours after leaving the trans
ports. Such period of time was very ex-
hA rrl,t