Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-26
a. line officer. in command of soldiers in the

a line officer, in command of soldiers in the
field.
Have you ever fought in an Indian cam
paign, general?" was asked by his counsel.
Il served in the Modoc war and was
wounded in action. l was then heuten-
ant but was brevetted a captain.
when were you appointed commissary
general?'
Il entered upon the duties of the office
the 4th of last May
General Eagan was now speaking calmly
and slowly letting his every word have Its
effect upon the members of the court.
Prior to this duty, where were you sta
tioned?'
Il was on the Pacific coast when HOSTILE
ties were declared. When Gen. Shafter
was selected to command the army of in
vaSion into Cuba he sent word to me that
/ was the first officer selected for his staff.
l proceeded with Gen. Shafter to New Or
leans, ard was making preparations for
going to Tampa. when l was ordered to
Washington as commissary general"
Have You been on duty constantly since
that timer
Il have only missed one day, when ] was
at home, sick in bed. i nave been at my
office constantly" continued Gen. Easan,
with some show of feeling in his voice,
and have worked early and late to see
that everything connected with my depart
ment should go along all right
What is the extent of the financial obli-
cations placed upon your"
up to December 81 last was $4,000, 900. We
have disbursed between 100000 and $40,
100000 of that amount. L was very happy
to be able to give these figures to Mr.. Can
ron of the House appropriations committee
some days ago.
Testimony Before the Commission.
when did you first testify before the
commission appointed by the President to
inquire into the conduct of the war;?
Il do not remember the first time
Did you volunteer your testimony"
No sir. | was summoned before the
commission
This was the first time Gen. Eagan tes-
tilied-some time before Gen. Miles made
the charges against him.
Did you give your testimony under
oath?''
Yes, sir. Preferably so.''
when did you first hear of Gen. Miles
charges against you before the war COM
mission?"
Il read his testimony first in The Wash
ington Evening Star, and afterward in the
morning papers. l inclosed the clippings
from these papers to the commission, and
asked permission to again appear before
the body to refute the grave charges made
against me-
Proceeding Against Gen. Miles.
What steps did you ever take looking to
the adjudication before court-martial-of
the differences between yourself ana 1en-
eral Miles?'
Il went to see Secretary Alger one day
and told him l desired to meet the grave
charges made against me-charges that l
was wholesale murderer and a thief. l
do not remember what the Secretary's reply
was but it impressed me that General
Miles was covered by the immunity guaran-
teed by the President to all witnesses APP
pearing before the commission appointed
by him for an investigation into the con-
duct of the war;
General Eagan continued, apparently
growing more excited as he progressed and
suppressing himself with effort:
1T nearly drove ME crazy when | read
an interview in which General Miles EN-
ders timed beef under the pretense OF an
experiment This timed beef is "A regular
army ration, and its issuance Is provided
for in a special act of Congress of some
years standing. He emphasized the fact
that | was willing TO feed and had been
guilty of feeding to the soldiers poisoned
beef-for gain. 1t was an awful blow To
me.
Il wrote and asked General Miles If he
was the author of the statements made in
this purported interview. l knew he was
protected in his testimony before the con-
mission, but l knew the immunity did not
extend to interviews in the newspapers.
And here l want to say that think the
appointment of a commission to inquire
into the conduct of the war was wise
one. The public sentiment was, as far as
we could see from the tone of the news
Papers, demanding such an investigation.
General Miles responded to my note,
sent through the adsutaAt general of the