Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18
LOOKING OVER LISTS
Preliminary Work Of the Miles Court
of Inquiry.
REPORTS OF OVER SIXTY OFFICERS
Functions of Col. Davis, the Re-
corder.
WHAT A MEMBER SAYS

The court Of inquiry to probe the army
beef scandal continued in executive session
today at the Lemon building The prepara-
ton of the list of witnesses and the outline
of the method of inquiry have not vet been
completed by the court, but the expectation
Is that the taking of testimony will begin
Monday next Already a number of officers
who are TO be called as witnesses have re-
ported in the city, awaiting summons
They are Colonel Powell and Major Jesse
NJ Lee of the 9th Infantry. Captain Dun
can of the 21st Infantry and Major Jack
son of the I'd Cavalry. Among these are
several who made reports complaining OF
the beef to General Miles. and which he
submitted to the war commission. Others
who will be called are Governor Roosevelt
of New York, DR.. Dale Of Pfttsburg and
Dr. Maxwell of Philadelphia. Fully sixty
hve officers will be called to establish Cen
eral Miles allegations and there will be a
most OF others called by the War Depart-
ment IN opposition, together with the beef
packers representatives.
What Gen. Mites Mus, Tell.
As the court is called to inquire into Ger
tain allegations made by G~n. Miles " Il ia
he'd that its scope embraces not only the
allegations he made before the war tnves-
ugating commission. but those he is alleped
10 nave made to newspaper men and others
elther IN interviews, conversations or let
ters. Gen. Miles will be put upon oath 10
ten the truth. and he must state everything
ne mas told in connection with the beef
scanoa1. Moreover, he is expected to prove
MS allegations. The court of inalIir-y will
rot he satisfied simply with his statement of
allegations. but ii expects him to provide
inc witnesses TO prove all that he NAV ad-
nut m ne mas said The court Is, in fact, pro-
cHGUlnR
conduct We're under investigation. and he
must defend himself as best he can
We look to him to prove his allega-
tons. said a member of the court to The
Star today. I'VE have no concern as to the
witnesses as to that side of the inquiry.
ara 1t Is incumbent upon Gen. Miles TO Sc
cure and produce before US those whom he
expects to establish his case
1t Will be proper for the court to Shozx-
mat charges have been made by Gen Miles
IN conversations and Interviews which he
may not admit or remember when he testi-
hes noHt week. This will be done when never
1t is possible for the court to obtain the
testimony of the witnesses. The attend
ance OF civilians can be compelled by the
court, but there is no law that can enforce
the effort 10 make them testify after being
brought into court. 1t is not expect ed that
this VIII be a serious handicap. and the
court believes that witnesses viii volunteer
TO testify upon every phase Of the case.
Gen. Miles Not Employing Counsel
Gen. Miles is acting now upon the as
sumption that he is not upon trial. and,
therefore, he has not, it is stated by per-
sons in his confidence, made any effort 10
employ counsel. What he may vet do in
this connection will depend upou future
developments and upon the degree Of at
tack made upon him by the beef concerns
lawyers. He will be rigidly examined by
these lawyers, and must respond TO all
proper questions. He cannot be asked with
% St11,f Fs.s,
all questions touching his allegations will
be pertinent The court will not allow any
effort to show that Gen. Miles was lniiu-
enced TO create scandal as has been
charged by his enemies by the refusal of
the Secretary of War and the President TO
adopt his plans Of campaign.
Gen. Miles Confident.
Gen. Miles is confident ne can prove that
no scandalous charges have been made by
him at any time, and that before the war
commission he testified only as to the al
legged facts in the reports and letters sent
to him. But the court Of inq-Iiry, it is evi-
dent, now expects to show that To news
paper men and others he made damaging
and improper staten ents before he went
before the commission.
Col. George b. Davis, the recorder of the
court, will, under the military regulations,
act as judge advocate, this being the case
with courts of inquiry. The impT ession
that he contemplates exceeding his authori-
ty as recorder, which has been spread by
certain newspapers, is erroneous. His duties
require him to secure all witnesses posSi-
bic TO present fully TO the court all phases
of the controversy essential to reaching
sound conclusions and it was wi.h his in
view that he recently visited some oc the
packing houses in the west. While there
he made a study of the methods employed
to the end that he might pass inJcligently
upon the matters of witness as and testi-
mcny offered by the beef interests.
Examining Reports.
The work of the court today was chiefly
ccnfired to examination of reports # Off
GERS furnished to Gen. Miles in order to de-
termine finally to whom it will he neces-
sary to summon, who's dispositions shall
be taken and WHOSE testimony is not essen
tial. The list of witnesses probably viii be
today: