Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-02-16
A COURT OF INQUIRY
The Charges Concerning the Army
Meat to Be Examined.
The OFFICERS COMPOSING The COURT
should tho Court Find the Statements Of
Gen. Miles Concerning tbs Meat I'm
founded He May Be court
MlartlsIed.

dent has appointed court OF inquiry
to examine into the charges touching
the meat furnished the American army
during the wsf with Spain and other
matters involved In the charges made
by Gen. Miles against the administrs-
ton of war affairs. The court will
consist OF Maj Gen. Wade, COL George
W. Davis, Ninth infantry, and Col.
gillespie, corps of engineers, now sta
toned in New York. Soon after re.
ceiving the order from the president
as to the converting Of this court Adjt
Gen. Corbin took immediate steps for
Its execution, notifying each of the
members Of the court by telegraph Of
their appointment and instructinr
them to be in Washington on or b.
fore the date fixed for the citing Of
the court, namely, the 18th inst. N.
The court has no power to compel
testimony of civilian witnesses ana, In
ordinary cases, would be limited an Ills,
report to mere statement of facts de.
veloped, though the regulations per-
init the converting authority to add to
the instruction direction to express
an opinion on the merits OF the case
and to fix responsibility. This priyi-
lege has been availed Of, it appears, mi
the present instance. Therefore, She
court OF inquiry, should it find that
Gen. Miles charges are not sufficiently
established, may express an opinion hs
to what course should be pursued TO-
ward him; In other words, it may rec
ommend his trial by court.,uartial for
making baseless charges
lnasmuch as the court Of inquiry
will have to take up the whole subject
of the meat furnished to the army and
ascertain the exact state Of this meat
as it left the packers hands, as We'll
as look into the preliminary opera
tions of Strengthening, packing, can
ming and refrigerating, a good deal Of
time will probably be consumed in the |
inquiry. 1t may be. necessary also 10
call personally before the court all Of
the officers cited in the criticism Of
the meat by Gen. Miles, numbering
between 60 and 10, in which case
good deal of expense will be incurred
and still more time consumed. The
administration takes the position that
.hese charges as to the character OF
he meat supply shall be thoroughly
lifted and, If wrong has been done,
hat it shall be corrected. 1t Is not
egarded as any reflection upon
he commission to investigate the
onduct of the war that another
tribunal is now to undertake the in.
estigation OF subject that was in
uired into by that commission. The
act is that the commission had no
egal power in its proceedings and its
ndings have no legal weight 1t was
1tended to satisfy the president him.
elf and the American public concern
az the conduct of the war depart.
rent, and the quality of the food
lpply was only an incidental branch
the investigation. On the other
and, the court of inquiry has as
luch power legally to get at the
xact truth as can be conferred by the
xecutive, and can initiate proceed
lgs which will lead to the punish
tent of any persons guilty of wrong
Ding in connection with the subject
hich it is specially charged to in.
estigate.
Gen. Miles, when seen. had nothing
} say respecting the appointment of
le court. He has been accommodating
large amount of evidence along the
mes of the inquiry, but he has not .
,osen any counsel and large part Of "
Is evidence has been already trans.
tilted to the war investigation com
ission.