Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-01-26
WILL PLEAD GUILTY
Gen. Eagan Will Throw Himself on
the Mercy Of the Court.
The "EMBALMED BEEF" CHARGES.
Gen. Miies' Assertions Said to Be Supported
by Prof. Clarke-Chemlst Wiley Speaks
Well OF sample. OF Canned Beef
He Examined.

Washington, Jan. 3S.-Gen. Eagau
will plead guilty. His trial will not
last more than two days, If, indeed, it
lasts that long. In pleading guilty to
the charges Gen. Eagan will plead in
extenuation that he was so much ex-
asperated and mentally distressed by
the statements of Gen. Miles as to be
scarcely responsible for the language
he used in reply He will refer to the
newspaper criticisms resulting from
the 'embalmed beet" charges made
by Gen. Miles. rs the primary cause OF
his undue excitement He will prac.
tically throw himself on the mercy of
the court, which, he hopes, may result
in recommendation for executive
clemoncy, thus giving the president
an opportunity to mitigate a sentence
of dismissal to suspension.
Chemical analysis of the residuum
Of the beef tea made from the refrig-
orator beef supplied to the army in
Porto Rico bears out the charge made
by Gen. Miles that the beef was chemi.
cally preserved. Prof. F. w. Clarke,
chemist of the geological survey, the
expert selected by the war investiga-
ton commission. testified Saturday that
he found evidences of boracic acid and
salicylic acid in the residuum of the
tea submitted by Maj DAILY.
As the case now stands it is proved
by the testimony of government ex-
pert not connected with the army and
selected by the investigation commits
sion that the beef tea submitted by
Maj DAILY contained boracic and
salicylic acids, and If the beef tea was
made from refrigerated beef sent to
Porto Rico for the use Of the troops,
as Maj. DAILY swears it was, Gen. Miles
is indicated and his case is proven.
This has direct bearing on the case
Of Commissary General Eagan, whose
only defense is that he was driven to
the use of harsh language against
Gen. Miles by the generals criticism
Of his department and false statements
that chemically prepared beef had
been fed to the soldiers The testi-
mony Of Maj DAILY and Prof. Clarke
will go far toward justifying all that
Gen. Miles said and will thus break
down the only defense Gen. Eagan
has.
Paymaster T. H. Hicks, of the navy,
who had much to do with the purchase
Of supplies for the navy during the
war, testified as to the good quality of
the canned beef supplied to the navy.
1t was not shown, however, that the
navy beef was the same quality that
was bought for the army.
SAMPLES OF CANNED BEEF EXAMINED.
Washington, Jan. 3d. Chemist Wiley,
Of the department of agriculture, has
to Secretary Wilson that an
of samples Of canned
meats secured both in the open mar
ket and from the war department, to
determine the presence of any chem
zeal preservatives, failed to disclose
any traces of borax boric acid, sui
phites, sulphurous acid, salicylic or
benzoie acids. The presence OF salt.
peter was confirmed in all the samples
If corned beef and so-called luncheon
beef, but no trace Of it was discovered
n the roast beef, though common salt
vas present to a considerable ex tent.
The test was made under an order of
Secretary Wilson, and Is samples were
inspected. II purchased in the open
market and two obtained from the
war department