From 1911:
Seed and cut the tops from 6 large bell peppers.
Get 2/3 of a pound of round steak and put through a meat grinder; add 1/3 as much breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly and fill the peppers with the forcemeat.
Replace the caps of the peppers and pin them on with straws or toothpicks. Arrange in a baking pan, the caps uppermost.
Cover the bottom of the pan with uncooked rice. Put in more if the pan be small. Strain into the rice a can of tomatoes, season with salt and a little sugar and bake at least one hour, adding hot water as the tomatoes cook dry and the rice absorbs the liquid.