The age-herald., 1899-03-21
THE "BEEP BOARD' AGAIN AT CHICAGO Dr. Senn Unable to Be Present Yes
 terday. THE INQUIRY ADJOURNED Until This Evening to Accord Him a
 Hearing. OTHER WITNESSES TESTIFIED All Declared That in Their Judgment the Canned Beef Was Responsi- ble for Much of the Sickness
 Among the Troops.
THE INQUIRY ADJOURNED
OTHER WITNESSES TESTIFIED

Chicago, March 2O-The principal witt ness on the list to appear before the goY- ernment court of inquiry today, pr. Nicho- las Senn., was unable to be in the city, whereupon the court recessed at noon un- til 6 o'clock tomorrow evening, when pr. Senn will be heard.
 During it's short session today the court received the evidence of four witnesses, who had been called on request of Major Lee, the representative of Major General Miles. According to their testimony, the canned beef was always unpalatable and distasteful, and, In thir judgmnt, it was a contributory cause of sickness among the soldiers and unfit for army ration. Critical reference to the refrigerated beef was also made by the witnesses.
 Cause of the sickness
 pr. William G. Willard, surgeon major of the First Illinois volunteers, testified that in Cuba the health of his command was good up to July 22; then the sickness began to increase very rapidly, and by the 2Sth or 29th it was as high as 300 per day In his judgment, this sickness was due to a combination of circumstances, Of which 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 fit for ra- tions, in his opinion, and it was especially unfit for the men in the condition Of the troops coming back from Cuba.
 Replying to questions from Major Lee, Dr. Willard said:
 "On opening a can of beef there was usu- ally some vacant space; the meat was Tn strips or scraps; more or less covered with a layer of granular fat, uninviting in ap- pearance. The meat itself had bleached appearance and was very tough and stringy. I do not recall any other brand except Armours."
 You used the term 'so-called' with re- ference to this canned roat beef In your judgment, as a medical officer inspecting this meat day after day, state whether or not it was roast beef, and why you used the expression 'so-called roast beef
 One Case of scurvy
 ss-rrom what have heard of its prepara- ton and from it's appearance l should say 1t was boiled beef. I had one case of scurvy, a man who had been eating hard tack, SOW belly and canned roast beef regu- arly for thirty-three days. He was mem- Der 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 unwholesome ration for the American sol dier."
 "I don't think it is a good ration under any circumstances, and totally unfit in a tropical climate"
 Oliver A. Olson, quartermaster and act ing commissary of the First Illinois volun- teers, corroberated 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 ration for a soldier he consid- cred it inferior and would place the meat in the third grade. The labels he saw were Armour & Co.,, Libby, McNeill Libby, and Kansas City firm whose name he did not recollect. He. also saw the Prairie State Packing Co.'S brand, which, in his opinion, was the worst of all and should be placed in a grade lower than the others.