Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-25
BEEF HEARINGS END.
THE COURT OF INQUIRY HOLDS IT'S
LAST OPEN SESSION.
MORE NILES TESTIMONY RULED OUT.
Major Lees summing tp on Behalf
OF the Commanding Generai-His
Belief in Great Frauds Touching
Meat Matter.

WASHINGTON. April 2i-The Wade
court OF inquiry. appointed 10 investigate
the allegations made by Major-General
Miles. in his testimony before the War
Investigating Commission, concerning the
meat furnished the army during the late
war with Spain, held its last open ses-
sion to-day. and is now engaged upon the
preparation Of Us report. The court has
been I'm session almost ten weeks, and in
addition TO the daily hearings given in
this city for several weeks. sessions have
been held In Chicago. Omaha, and Kansas
City. % afford the members OF the court
an opportunity to personally inspect the
canning houses. Several hundred wit
nesses have been examined. most Of whom
have been officers and enlisted men in
the regular or volunteer service. and over
four hundred pages Of testimony have
been submitted.
MILES REPORT RULED OUT.
This morning. the court decided not to
accept report made by Leutenant-COl-
onel Darlington. of the Inspector-GcneraPs
Office This report had been transmitted
10 General Miles. through Inspector-Gen-
erai Breckenridge. The report Of Inspec-
tOr-General Darlington goes extensively
into the reports of officers and men OF
tho army. without drawing any general
conclusion. The board. I'm explanation OF
their refusal 20 accept this report in evil
dence. gave out tine following statement:
The report Of the investigation con-
Quoted by Lieu enant-COlonel Darlington.
Inspector general. under the order of the
major-general commanding. contains the
result o. an inquiry carried on, for the
most part. at the same time and in the
same places as this court. Colonel Car
lington submits the names Of witnesses
and subjects OF inquiry. all OF which have
been considered by this court. The re-
ports furnished by officers Of the army
have already been read and submitted in
evidence. In view OF these facts. and as
70 does not appear that Colonel CARING
ton had any other or better means Of in
formation than was accessible 10 the court
al every stage Of its inquiry II IS ordered
that the report be not received I'm evil
dcnce"
ANTI-BEEF OBSERVATIONS
At the afternoon session. before Major
Ice. who has been Major-General Miles's
representative, summed up for his side,
he read % brief statement from lnspec-
tor-General Breckenridge Major Reid
and Licutcnant-COionei darlington as TO
their individual observations. General
Brecburidge condemned the canned beef
and speaking generally. said that while
the army ration fulfilled AN scientific re-
quiremcuts its c0mponents should be
changed 10 meet the new conditions OF
service. As the ration was fixed by law,
this was "a matter for Congress TO rem
edy. lie also suggested that articles re-
quired by sick and c0nvalescent soldiers
be added Major Reds report was MAIN
ly devoted 10 the lack Of certain camp
equipment among certain regiments. and
that Of Colonel Darlington TO the result Of
his personal inspection OF TIM various
camps of the country. The court then
decided that If any reports for which
General Miles had called should be re-
ceiyed prior % the completion Of the
boards report. the5 should be admitted
as evidence subject 10 the boards limit
atoms.
LEES SUMMING Up.
Major Lee then summed up the case.
discaiminY ~ the outset that he was
acting as counsel for Major-Gencral
Miles I'm a technical sense. but saying he
had simply been there TO present and
elicit evidence. He read his argument
from carefully prepared manuscript. and
was given careful attention by the three
members of the court and the recorder,
no one being present except representa-
tives of the press His statement con-
sumed about an hour. and when he con-
Guided with the statement that the mem
bers of the board must decide whether a
great fraud and a great crime which he |
believed had been committed should be
carried before the courts. Recorder Davis |
arose and said simply: 81 submit the |
case 10 the board without argument"