Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-27
sAeAn res1lFIEs.
CONTINUED from page ~

which Gen. Miles Is alleged to have Sc
yerely criticised the commissary gener
ais department, was authoritative
Extracts from the alleged interview
were also read and submitted as par
of the record.
Col. w. l.. Alexander, U. S. A., OF the
subsistence department. was tne mrs.
witness called by the defence. He saio
he returned to Washington from ia
maica on the morning Of the day Gen
Eagan gave his testimony before the
war investigating commission Gen
Eagan nervously handled the papers
and witness had rarely seen man In
such a nervous condition. His manner
was so exceptional that he asked Col
Davis, who was present. whether the
general was not i'll. He had been init.
mately connected with Gen. Eagan, but
never before had he seen him In such
condition. Gen. Merritt asked the
witness whether, to his knowledge.
Gen. Eagan had consulted any one DIS
to the substance Of his testimony to be
presented to the commission. Col. An
derson said that 80 far as he knew
Gen. Eagan had not.
Col. George 3. Davis. assistant to
Commissary General Eagan, was the
next witness. He testified that he had
been very closely associated with Gen
Eagan during the last several months.
He was in the office the day Gen. Miles
gave his testimony. He became con
siderably excited. Gen. Eagan had
written to Gen. Miles asking as to the
| truth Of all interview published with
Gen. Miles. AS time went on. his eX-
element increased to such an extent
that he did not apparently attend 10
the routine duties of his office. Later
on. Cen. Eagan reached such state
that he could not attend to any bus
mess. The day before Gen. Eagan ap-
peared before the commission he read
his statement over to the witness. who
urged him to modify 1t somewhat, but
he would not listen and said he would
not change word of it. He was then
in a very nervous state.
Newspaper clippings were constantly
being received criticising Gen. Eagan
and these greatly increased his excite
ment. Some of these clippings carried
the idea that Gen. Eagan was muir
derer and that he had acted corruptly
| in sending unfit food to the army. Dur
| ing these days the witness said Gen.
Eagan was wholly untitled to perform
the ordinary duties of his office. Up
to this time, the general had been n
| hard worker. In answer to a question
| Col. Davis said that Gen. Eagan's con-
duct of his office was perfectly hon
est and he had always had the good of
| the soldier at heart.
| The witness again referring to Gen
Eagans testimony before the war in
| vestigating commission. said that ne
had not been consulted in it's prepare
ton. but at the generals request had
supplied some of the records. The gen
eral had asked him at one time as 20
| his judgment concerning the argument
| he had prepared for the commission and
| the witness had replied that 1t was a
| somplete answer to the criticisms which
| had been made against him. but he had
| advised that some parts of it be omit
| ted Gen. Eagan, however, was greatly
| excited. and the witness thought he
would bring the matter 20 his attention
| more urgently the next morning. bu;
| witness did not then have a good OPP
| portunity.
] Gen. Eagan had told the witness he
| was prevented from proceeding in mill
| tdIN ldSHiDl against beIi. MILES ny Inc
| Presidents order of immunity to wit
| nesses. but that he hoped to be able
| to proceed in the matter in the civil
| courts.
| Miss Willard, Gen. Eagan's stenog.
| rapher. was then called She testified
! that she took the dictation of the gen.
erals statement before the war inves-
| tigating commission. Gen. Eagan was
| greatly excited, and while he was die
| tating his statement, he walked the
| floor in an excited state. 1t had never
| been his habit to walk the floor while
! iictating. The statement was not fully
] completed until the day it was present
| I'd to the commission. She saw Gen
| Eagan only few minutes before ne
| left to appear before the commission,
| and he was then in such a nervous
state that his hands trembled. The
! witness thought that the general had
| never been able to read the statement
through as a whole from the time l,
| was begun until it was read to the
| commission.
| Mr.. Rodgers. clerk in the office of
| 'ommissary general was the next wit
! less. He had been in the office since
| Ss1, and since General Eagan came To
he Office he had seen him frequently
| very day. After General Miles state-
nent had been made public. General
Iagan's appearance was greatly
hanged. He looked haggard and worm
| md at times was greatly excited. Wit
less thought that General Eagan had
,ome to believe that public sentiment
vas strongly against him and that the
public had accepted General Miles
statement as true, and this worried
linn greatly. AS the days passed. his
nervous disturbance greatly increased,
Until he appeared before the commas
sion. On one occasion. the witness
| went to General Eagan's desk and
| spoke to him on matter of office busi-
ness. AS he approached the desk, the
general said. apparently to himself:
Il am a murderer and for gain. l am
4 murderer and for gain" This he re-
peated several times in an absent
minded way. He did not appear to no.
tice the witness.
General Eagan himself was the next
witness. He briefly gave a history of
his campaigns against the Indians. He
received wound in the Modoc war.
for which he received a brevet Dur