Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-06
TO CHICAGO. THIS WEEK.
Beef Inquiry May Have Few Witnesses. Today,
Will Then Go West.


Washington, March 5.-The army
beef court of inquiry concluded its
weeks work with half-day's session.
Saturday, having exhausted its list of
witnesses now on hand There may be
some witnesses at Mondays hearing,
hut the court will start for Chicago,
probably Tuesday of Wednesday.
Just before the close of the session a
volunteer witness presented himself,
but was not accepted. He said his
name was Frank Rundas. late of the
Bird Nebraska Organs regiment), and
that he had been recently honOrably
discharged. and one on his way home.
His story was, in brief. that he had
served in the company kitchen with his
command in Jacksonville. and that
during long period. when the men
We're living on refrigerator beef. there
was so much intestinal trouble among
the men that the issue of this meat
was stopped.
At another time he got hold of some
refrigerator meat in the Kitchen that
was of such peculiar color that the at
tention of the company officers was
so Rundas alleged, and remarked that
the 'meat was all right, but had been
prepared to send to Porto Rico, and.
since it had been issued. the men had
as well use it." The meat was cooked,
said Rundas. but all the men who ate
it were made sick.
The inference drawn was that this
meat was some of the same Porto Rico
beef which DIR. Daily had analysed and
alleged to be chemically treated.
On being asked afterward whether
Rundas had been rejected, Col. Davis
said: IF the court directs me to call
him. will do it, The counsel for Gen.
Miles will inquire into his antecedents.
and, if he appears to be what he repre-
sents. he will be called"
At the opening of the hearing, Col.
Gallagher. who was recalled. in answer
to a question from Maj. Lee as to
whether he had issued canned beef to
the Cuban refugees because our SOL
diers would not eat it. replied:
I'VE issued canned beef to the Gu
bans because they preferred it, and the
bacon to our men because they prefer
red that. We were trying our best to
give every one what they most prefer
red
Lieut. Lewis d. Hunter of the 9th
Massachusetts, and regimental COM
missary while in Porto Rico, said his
experience with both the canned and
refrigerated beef, on the whole. had
been quite satisfactory. Some of the
canned beef was condemned. The men
ate large amount of native fruit.
ohah Of no Oh
was due to that. l.iai .~ .~Fs
| On DISCRIMINATION the witness
said that the men did not use over 5
per cent. of the canned beef after
| reaching Porto Rico: they traded the
rest to the native stOrekeepers. AS to
the short rations on board the Yale on
her trip south. which had been noted
by several other witnesses, Lieut..
Hunter said it was not due to lack of
provisions, but of cooking facilities.
| Mai. George W. Ruthers of the commits
sary department, who had supplied the
7th Army Corps with refrigerated beef
while at Jacksonville. said he had never
received a complaint. The meat had been
rigidly inspected, and showed no evil
else that might give rise to the suspicion
that it had been chemically treated.
Mai Lee took up the cross-examinatiOn
and developed the fact that at times
and that In one case S0O pounds OF beer
had been condemned:
Lieut.. Col. Curtis Guild Of Boston who
was attached to Gen; Fitzhugh Lees stan
as inspector general of Inc 1th Army
Corps, said that at Jacksonville he had
personally inspected many cars, finding
very few sides of beef of the whole
amount to which any exception could be
| taken.
| OF the canned roast beef he had unofii-
| cially condemned 1900 pounds at jack
sonville, which had been trans shipped
from New Orleans before IL Vas aehaened
I that a large shipment of canned roast
! beef had arrived at Jacksonvilie in very
| offensive condition. He had picked out
offensive smelling cases amounting 10 &,
600 mounds. and callea in the Jacksonville
health officer, who condemned 1t as a
nuhiic nuisance, thus giving him the right
| 70 dastroy II at once in the public crema-
. tory. =. ,.,os on the
ground. asked leave to telegraph his home
office. and quickly received woro from H.,
arm that It would be very glad to take take
pack the whole shipment ana D.. ! .u dnna'
The fHou beef had been sent to New Orleans
hv Mai. West, the commissary omcer
there. but there was no stamp or u D..,,e !,
means on the, packages 70 s zen ,nsnecsei
ana . ccen.cd II was stamped by the bu-
reau of animal industry. ..;o., an
Witness said that from cnemic ~, a." ~
alyss and meteorological exam n ma io nnm.
narisons between refrigerator beef nat We y,
Cuban cattle and Texas beef k ..nsa g =.
Cnba which had not been IN clla slo.a M,
which ne had made. It was ~" co,,ld &c,
that the syb best ,n meas S %as american cattle
n;,,ad ard rafrigerated in Cuba, as hea'