The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-18
Eagan Will Be Court
Martialed.
M'KINLEY'S ACTION.
He Announces His Determi-
nation to the Cabinet.

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE president
today announced to the cabinet short
ly after it assembled for its regular
Tuesday session, that he had decided
to order a court martial to try Commits
sary General Eagan for the abusive
and violent language he had used re-
specting Maj. Gen. Nelson A. Miles
while on the witness stand before the
war investigating commission last
Thursday.
Ever since the sensational event the
president has been carefully deliberat-
ing over the matter, and has had fire.
quent consultations with army officers
and others regarding the steps that
should be taken, for he was convinced
from the outset that the question for
consideration was what action should
be taken, and not whether any discip-
linary measures at all should be had.
A determination to take some action
was expected at the last cabinet meet
ing, but the president reserved final de-
cision.
Today, just before the cabinet ses-
sion, he held a conference with the sec
rotary of war and Adjt. Gen. Corbin. 1t
was not long in duration, but the action
to follow Gen. Eagan's utterances was
decided, and when the cabinet met the
president announced that he had
reached his decision in the matter.
He said he had determined that there
was only one course to adopt, and that
was to order court martial, to be con-
vened at once to try Gen. Eagan The
decision, which was reached only this
morning, Notwithstanding reports that
court martial had been decided on
yesterday, met the unanimous approval
of the members of the cabinet.
Three of the presidents official adj
visers, Secretary Alger, Secretary Will
son and Postmaster General Smith,
were absent, but in each instance their
views are known to coincide thoroughly
with the presidents decision. There was
some discussion following the presi-
dents announcement in which the case
was threshed over to some extent,
though the president himself took little
part in this discussion.
The details of the action were left to
the secretary of war, who had with
drawn just prior to the session to return
to the war department to put in motion
the machinery for converting the court.
While it was not definitely stated
after the cabinet meeting what speci-
fication would be made against Gen.
Eagan, it is understood that the spe-
cific charge on which he will be tried
will be conduct unbecoming an officer
and q gentleman. The personnel of the
| court was not taken up, that phase of
the action being held to be not a cabinet
matter but one that rested between
| the president and the secretary of war.
The understanding, however was that
the orders for the court would be is
sued within a few hours, probably be-
fore the close of the department this
afternoon.
! Gen Wesley Merritt, formerly COM
mander in chief of the Philippines, has
been mentioned as likely to preside oveg
the court and a cabinet official said to-
| day he would not be surprised at Gen
MeTitt's designation.
Advices were received from Manila
that the situation in the islands is quiet
The dispatch was to the war depart
ment and proved the most gratifying
official news from that quarter received
since the state Of affairs in the arcnl-
! pelago recently assumed a serious
phase. 1t announced that the people
who had moved out of the city of Ma
Mia owing to alarming but unfounded
reports We're quietly returning to theil
| homes.
At Iloilo, affairs the progressing salts
factorily and a gratifying fact reciteG
in the ca'blegram was that the officers
aboard our ships and the individual in.
Surgents We're fraterniZing freely an(
that there was no sign of trouble.
President Mckinley announced during
the session that he had finally passed
on the personnel of the commission Il
visit the Philippines, as follows: Messrs
Schurman, Dewey, Otis, DENLY anC
Worcester. Their selection already haC
become known and official announce
ment shortly will follow.