The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29
The Trial of Gen. Eapan.


The court-martial proceedings in the
case of Commissary General Eagan
We're very brief and to the point The
specifications did not take the wide
range which was expected at the time
the offense was committed by Gen.
Eagan. He was held up on the simple
charges of conduct unbecoming an Of
flcer and a gentleman and of conduct
calculated to impair the discipline of
the army.
There is no doubt that. in his violent
assault upon Gen. Miles in his testi-
mony before the civil investigation
commission of the war department
Gen. Eagan violated the regulations of
the army. Unquestionably this officer
is an innocent man. so far as profiting
by the sale of ''embalmed beef for
government use is concerned. Probably
no reasoning. sensible. honest man in
| the United States believes that this Of
ficer received any pecuniary benefit
| from the contracts with the war de-
partment for its commissary supplies.
Gen. Miles had suffered much indignity
from the present administration of the
war department. AS an experienced
officer he no doubt realized the source
of the trouble: and in his statements
before the commission plunked the re-
sponsibility into the office of the COM
missary general. knowing that this Of
ficer was subject to the orders of Sec
rotary Alger, the head of the depart
! ment.
sympathy with Gen. Eagan in con-
| nection With his violent assault upon
Gen. Miles is a waste of sentiment I'M
less it shall come to be later proven
! that under the stress of the excitement
OF last summer, his brain became dis
eased. In such circumstances no one
would withhold from him the charity
due to an afflicted man whose mental
faculties We're deranged, any more than
they would condemn a commanding Of
! ficer for going to the rear when his leg
was shattered by the fire of an enemy in
battle. Diseases of the mind are en-
titled to just as much consideration as
diseases of, or injuries to, the body.
NO doubt the mental strain upon Gen.
Eagan during the campaign was ter
rifle. He was a subordinate bureau Of
hclal OF the war department, at the
head of which sat Russell A. Alger.
1t was Alger who Influenced the con-
tracts for 'embalmed beef" as well as
for anything else. 1t was Alger who
held the reins controlling every action
OF Commissary General Eagan. 1t was
Alger who whipped the whole army
into general shadow in which it has
been overwhelmed ever since the Cuban
that, as Alger testified before the COM
mission on Friday. he himself received
no pecuniary advantage from the con-
tracts with the government for any,
thing that entered into the list of army
supplies. But. as has been demonstrate
ed from the beginning and will con-
tlnue to be demonstrated to the end,
Secretary Alger is so pulled up with
ambition and with the desire to ingra-
tiate himself with every influence con-
trolling politics that, while he might
not seek to acquire money for himself
directly in the matter of contracts, he
would be very willing to cast his in
huence in favor Of his followers,
whereby they might gain some finan-
cial reward. Ayers whole record re-
just such thing. A contemplate self
seeker he has always been. purchas-
er of sentiment which he could not
otherwise control he has proven him.
self to be. The GOODNESS of his testi-
mony before the court-martial, by
which, with sweep Of his hand, he
left Gen. Eagan to his fate, estab-
fishes, in the judgment Of every decent
minded man, the meanness of his
nature.
Against this must stand the man
illness of Gen. Eagan in his awful hour
of distress. A victim of circumstances!
A pleading. weeping defender of his
honor. A brain-stricken, faithful serv-
ant of the government! A victim of
Algerism! A hero lying prone before
his country. which he has faithfully
served and for whose humiliation Nc
Kinleyism. in the conduct of the war, is
altogether responsible! But for his
main affront. except as man of dis
eased mind, there is no apology ac-
ceptable.