The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-01-17
EAGAN'S NOTE
h 4
The C0mmissary General Revises
His Testimony and Re-
turns It.
To the War Investigation Com
mission, Together With
q Letter
In Which He Apologies for the
Language Used in the
First Copy.
He Had Been Accused of q Great
Crime and Had No Means
of Redress.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Commissafy
General Eagan has sent to the war in
vestigating commission revised state
ment in place Of that originally made
in response to General Miles charges.
The revised statement is about Is per
cent shorter than that which was or
dered withdrawn because Of its violent
and abusive character. The commission
after its receipt, went into secret ses-
sion to read the document and decide
whether in its present form it had been
expurgated sufficiently to permit it to
bc made 4 part of the commissions
records
Thia the Letter.
Following is the text of the letter sent
by General Eagan to the war investiga-
ting commission with an amended state
ment in reply to the charges made by
General Miles concerning the beef fur
nshed the army:
Office Of Commissary General Of Sub
sistence. Washington. Jan. IA. 1899. To
the Commission Appointed by the Presi-
dent To Investigate the Conduct of the
War With Spain. Gentlemen: l have
the honor to hand you herewith my tes-
timony. which is now resubmitted and
revised in accordance with your views
expressed in your letter to me of Jan. IA.
1899. The Objectionable features and
what is considered irrelevant matter BY
you. in which opinion entirely agree.
II: Hrl To-, H.
desire to state that there was never a
thought or intention on my part Of any
disrespect whatever to your commission.
but in explanation of the language used
by me heretofore, beg to invite the at
tention Of the commission to the
fact that have been accused practically
Of feeding the soldiers with poisoned
beef. which made them 'embalmed
beef so-called: that have furnished
meat to the army under the pretense OF
experiment" which charge, in effect
is corruption and worse. because it jeop
arlizes the lives OF the soldiers sent to
| the front in tropical climates, and who
were dependent upon such food as was
sent them: that these statements have
gone to the whole country uncontra
dicted: that they have been published
and have been rilloried in the press ol
the country rs man who has fed thu
army OH poisoned meat, and corrupt,
so: that for about three weeks time
have kept silent for the reason that,
was debarred after talking with the hon
orable secretary of war from preferrin.
| charges. because Of the immunity grant
cd by the president to witnesses befor,
Your commission, Notwithstanding tn,
gravity Of the accusations; that it /
unreasonable to believe that sucl
monstrous charges could have any othe
effect than to work upon an honorabl
man in such way as to goad him to
species Of desperation, and that it wa
but natural. when the proper opportu
nifty was given him. to meet and refut
the charges. that he should characters
them in harsh language and in term
that are deemed improper. no matte
what the provocation. therefore with
draw the language and matter SO obje<
tionable, and resubmit to you now m
sworn statement, with the abiding fait
that your commission, having all tn
facts before yon, will decide the point
at issue Justly. Very respectfully,
| CHARLES P. EAGAN,
!; Commissary General II Subsistence.
! The commission, after brief sessios
decided for the present to make publ
only General Eagan's letter and not th
! statement accompanying 1t. :
l