The San Francisco call., 1899-05-11
PROBASCO SCORES
THE WADE BEEF COURT

CINCINNATI. May 1O.-The En-
quirer tomorrow will print the follow
ing interview with Hon. H. R. Pro-
basco, eX-United States Attorney here,
a relative of ex-Secretary Sherman,
and recently counsel for General Miles:
When the court convened having pre-
Wously served General Miles as counsel
In other matters, / was asked to go TO
Washington and confer with him as re-
garding the proceedings before the Court
OF Inquiry. l was determined that, mas
much as General Miles was not in the
attitude of one accused, that 1t would be
ill-adVised to introduce lawyer and
Major j. A. Lee was selected by General
Miles, the court and the recorder.
Did you take any active part before the
court?
My only connection with the case was
the comforting with General Miles and
Major Lee regarding the summOning of
witnesses and the examination of the
most important ones.
What is your opinion as TO the report
of the Court of Inquiry?
have not read the full report, but I've
seen the synopsis Of it. l was amused
that so intelligent an array of officers
Sltung as court for several weeks and
examining several hundred witnesses
should have rendered such an illogical
and uncertain decision. The decision
amounts TO the court finding that the beef
packers We're saints sent 10 our soldiers
with mamma from heaven, and that Cen
eral Miles was careless because he did
not report the first vague rumor which
came to his ears that this food was bad
Every witness condemned in unstinted
terms the sO-called canned roast beef as
an unit ration. The chief clerk Of the
commissary generals Office testified that
canned roast beet in 1873 was used as an
experimental ration. and was adversely
reported on after a short trial. The court
was evidently so well satisfied as to the
proof OF the truth Of General Miles allie
cations as to canned roast beef that
when, shortly before the testimony closed
they We're asked TO subpoena a list of 49,
additional witnesses, they declined to sub.
pena all except ten, for the reason thai
the l24 would give cumulative testimony
only against the canned roast beef.
what was the embalmed beef?
Before bids were received by the com.
miSsary general, he was advised by ex.
pert cattle and beef men that fresh beef
would not hold up twenty-four hours
after delivered from the refrigerator In
the climate that prevailed in Florida anC
the West Indies, and that the best course
to pursue would be the purchase of beei
on the block or beef on the hoof He
told these gentlemen that the parties whC
desired to furnish the beef had a pro
cess which they said would enable then
and fresh for seventy-two hours aftel
delivery from the refrigerator The day
after the bids We're opened attorneys il
Washington addressed a communication
to the Secretary of War. making the ar
gument that Notwithstanding theil
clients bid was somewhat higher thar
ed the contract because of their abilit1
10 perform their contract by means o.
the Powell process for the preservation
Of meat, which they controlled and which
had been satisfactorily tested under tht
auspices of the Government. This latte
S. as referred by the Secretary of Wa
20 the commissary general for his con
sideraton. who returned it to the Secre
tary with his Endorsement, in which h,
Said These tests are not the only test,
which have been made leaving the plai1
inference that the other bidders also haC
processes for the preservation of meat
which had been tested.
This letter was returned by the Secre
tary of War DR.. Daly's testimony tina
he had found by chemical analysis o.
meat furnished the soldiers that 1t con
tained chemicals, was in no wise con
Mason. Lieutenant Gampher and DR. Cas-
tie testified that the agent at Lakeland
Fla, had told them that they had found
ii impossible to comply with their con
tract TO deliver fresh meat which woulC
remain sound and sweet for seventy-twC
hours after delivery from the refrigera.
tor without the means of a chemical pro
cess, which process was a secret. ever
TO him. If the court found in the face o1
this testimony that no meat delivered was
chemically treated, it amounts almost Il
qualification.
Has there been any change in the man.
ner of supplying troops with fresh meal
since this criticism was first made?
Indeed there has. Cattle on the hoot
are now being delivered in Cuba, slaugh-
tered on the island and delivered to the
troops the following day and no complaint