Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-13

~ deny such base falsehoods as are ~
10 found I'm the article l refer TO- IL 'iV'
were not made by him. ..,,,,.,o>-
TIN, INTERVIEWS IN QUEST ION.
rhis interview was headed as follows
.Nflles makes grave charges aBdlii'e ~,
characterization: poisons used in beer mace
the soldiers Ill; tons Of bad meat sent u
troops in Porto Rico , .o.o-
Referring to another puphsueu
ment that General Miles had seht VI
had found il necessary to sehu sei
reprimand to the Quarterinast'el
The Commissary-G General. and Commlssaty
~ ordnance for conditions he found III
Tampa.' General Eagan said mat 10
such reprimand was sent, ana yet NC
story WIS allowed to go unconrauicteu'
"Tbis uncontradicted story OF repri-
r,and 70 the heads of three or the most
| imnortant departments OF the army ne
| continued. aided as much as any 'n.nS
I'm exciting the yellow journal press 'ne
knayes OF so-caled Journalism 10 haiaa9
and villify and libel the consclehtl s''.,
| able. and Woodworking officers on uutS
I'm Washington"
rIrsTIJ,ADE AGAINST EDITORS.
General Eagan. referring to newspaper
| attacks, asserted that the oeSI A.,
| yvar had nothing whatever TO DO WIN the
Furnishing Of refrigerated meats OF
tined meats. nor had he attempt
al "a control the contracts, awards
ar purchases, and In TINS cohieO,
lion I'm heated language, he attackeu
three New York newspapers thelr eui,
tors and proprietors, whom ne saiu sIoulu
| he indicted and tried for treason 10 the
United States during this war, as giNlis
aid. comfort. and information 10 the pun
lie enemy for the sole purpose Vi SUI y, .
-
orotasted at would take this subject UP
myself / would put journalistic knaves'
nrrIofners of the secrets OF the govern
,nent behind the bars, where they De-
long" ,,,, o.,oct
General Eagas made a vigorous a''ach
on the Inspector-Generars Department III
connection with this investigation.
peferring TO Inspector-General BrecKin
ridoe,e Investigation, General Eagat
nointed out various reports OF oihcers ina
have not been published, and quoted
telegram he received on January lst IRON
IJeutenant-C Colonel A. L. Smith Depo
Commissary at Habana. as follows
"Commissary-Gene Washinstoh'
Guild. Inspector Seventh '-orps, oiueI
4 al nv Rreckinridge TO inspect and repor
I on all meat, and request sahlples' W..
: without further instructions, decline
, recognize Brecknridge's authority, pu
will personally show all stores desired un
' officially. (SigneO SMITH
l. COLONEL. SMITHS POSITION.
"c,oloraI Smith IS an old, experience
officer" said General Eagan, "and nc
% knowing there was anything like gam
a IN progress. he stood upon the reguia'ioh
= and from a strict military point OF we
4 pronerly refused this improper course VI
less he had evidence that II was autnol
lied as IL should have been by the Se'
retary Of War. For II can be readily see
= that II this sort Of ex-parte examlnatiO
u il made and ex-parte reports soIclte'
= no mans reputation is safe. every man
- character may be put In JEOPARDY uesls,
=. ing people might ruin christ even II
IL we're here to-day. But, as / believed IN
4 course not only improper and not conten
Mated by the regulations. and furthe
y that II was trap TO produce just such
10 rsfusal as Colonel Smith made, reph'
ie "a Colonel Smith the same day sayin
ie Won will not stand on S6S Army Regui
lions but you will allow meats ana evel
article of subsistence stores TO be ihspec
ed by Guild, and. II necessary, 10 De
: spected twenty times a day. ihIor
!, Guild. inspector, OF this decision urn
"a copy Of this dispatch TO every comm
iu sary in Cuba for their guidance ana col
III plIance in similar cases
IS BRECKENRIDGE ALSO AssAILED
81 had no right" General Eagan
os planned. 'to send that dispatch, but 10
rs IL upon myself 10 send out this authori
rs fearing a refusal would be interpreted
re. the world at large that the departing
TO was afraid of any and every kind OF
N yestigation.
When / Informed the Secretary OF
the following day and he understood
realized that the inspector-general, dou
re- less at the instigation of the senior maj
n general Of the army, was inauguratin,
ng system OF inspection not contempla
by the regulations nor authorized
al. nroper authority. he promptly inform
m me he would not have approved
re. course. although he thought perhaps
nd right. This Inspector-General Breck
ridge has recently addressed letters OH
10 officers Of my department. calling
reports TO him about the various arti'
rt OF food furnished during the past
b" 10 the army. He does this without
authority OF the Secretary or war.
erect. we have two officers OK the arm