The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-22

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-The court of in
quiry engaged in investigating the beef
charges preferred by General Miles con-
tinued to-day the hearing of testimony
bearing on the controversy. A number OF
army officers who participated in the San
tiago campaign We're heard Practically
without exception the officers condemned
the canned roast beef furnished as travel
ration and reviewed complaints about IL
which the men very generally made, declar-
ing it unpalatable and wanting in nutri-
ment. On the other hand, the refrigerated
beef suffered but little at the hands of to-
days witnesses, it being generally con-
ceded that it was good when delivered from
the transports, and when it escaped the de-
composing effect of the tropical sun en-
route to the several commands, it was
found to be satisfactory. General commits
sary methods in Cuba were inquired into.
Difficulty in preventing taint before cooking
was experienced generally.
There was very little in to-days evidence
pointing to any use of chemicals on this
beef. The contention of General Miles that
the army in Cuba and Porto Rico should
have been supplied with herds of cattle. or
beef, was supported by every witness who
to-day gave his opinion upon this question.
A feature of to-day's examinations was the
general assertion of witnesses that they
would not have felt it their duty to the men
or the army reorganization to have made
any special report on the beef had ii not
been for the special orders calling for such
reports, but rather would have permitted
the unsatisfactory ration to pass without
further notice an incident to warfare
and to the peculiarly trying conditions with
which the army was confronted at the OUT
break of the war. A number of officers testi-
fled t '''e belief that a very small propor-
ton ickness in Cuba was due to the
beet wholesome rations, but, rather,
to mate
c l-JNBL POWELLS TESTIMONY.
Col. William H. Powell. of the Seventh In
fantry, who was stationed at Madison bar
racks at the outbreak Of the war, was the
first witness to-day. He said he started for
Tampa on April 10 with a months rations
and did not come In contact with the food
from the commissary department at Tampa
till about ready to start for Cuba. The
regiment went through the Santiago cam
paign and after the city was captured and
the regiment quartered in the city he re-
ceived requests from his men for money to
buy stuff to eat He investigated the So
called canned roast beef and had some Of
it served at his own table Il could not
eat it, he continued. 1t was a stringy, un-
wholesome looking mass more like wet sea
V eed than anything else / can think Of The
men were sick and debiltated and could
not keep it on their stomachs. We had at
times 152 sick. Soon after that the fresh
beef began to arrive and the men ate readily
and began to pick up in health Afterward
we were moved out of camp near the San
Juan battlefield Here much of our meat
spoiled before we could get it,"
Colonel Davis inquired IL any other COM
plants had been received?'
II would like to emphasize" said Colonel
Powell, that the enlisted men Of the army
are not In the habit of complaining They
seem to feel on campaign that the officers
are doing all that can be done for them, and
l can't say that / received anything that
could be termed complaints. The officers dis
cussed the matter freely and the quality OF
the canned beef was matter of common
talk"
Regarding the refrigerated beef Colonel
Powell said there was little to be said
against it except that some of it spoiled be-
cooking while in the city except fire in
the gutter, and all food had to be boiled.
The regiment was very hard worked while
in the city, eghty-nine being on guard
auty daily Some of these were so sick
that they fell down at their posts and had
70 be brought in Witness thought the men
would be better off in the country and he
directed his energies toward getting them
out of town rather than to reporting on the
quality Of rations He had tried 20 get
better quarters and failed and tried to get
medical assistance to help his one contract
surgeon, but this failed also.
NO REPORT UNTIL ORDERED.
''You made no official report at the time
then?" said Colonel Davis, nor any effort
to ameliorate the condition of the men as to
their meat rations?'
.'No. sir: I made no official report till after
returning to the States when ] was ordered
by the War Department to report on the
canned roast beef
..Yes. / understand" said the recorder.
Colonel Davis then produced report from
witness made from Governors island on
Sept %. in which he condemned the canned
roast beef. saying 1t produced dirorders Of
the stomach.
Colonel Powell said he had made the report
on an order from the adjutant geUeral's
office, and it was based on personal knowl-
eldge and reports from his company COM
manders. Colonel Powell concluded by re-
viewing the decrease in the sickness after
the issue Of fresh beef and removal of the
camp TO the hills. Replying to a question
he said he attributed the sickness more 10
hygienc cause than to The food His COM
mand was overworked aud badly quartered
and clothed. and appeared a complete
wreck. The Inability to estimate the per