The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-17
Charge WIN Be Conduct Uabecsnlng u
Officer and Gentlemen.
AlCfR WANTED 4 COURT Of INQUIRY.
The War Secretary Asxlsus tePut General
Miles o. the Defensive

Especial Dispatch q Tho Post. !,

Especial Dispatch 70 Tho Post.) e
Washington, January i6.---What shall be
done with Major General Miles? What
charges shall be preferred against Commits
sary General G.. p. Eagan? How shall the
beef controversy be satisfactorily settledr
These questions will be considered at
the meeting of the cabinet tomorrow. Incl
dentaily they will lead to discussion of
the reorganization OF the war department
and the policy to be adopted Is expected
to be OF great Importance to the country
and army.
The question to be Immediately settled
Will be that arising from the violent Ian
guage employed by General Eagan in his
statement before the war investigating
commission.
Contrary to expectations the president
has ordered the secretary OF war TO APP
point court martial for the trial OF GEN
eral Eagan. Secretary Alger did not favor
a court martial but tried to persuade the
president to order court OF inquiry. This
was for the purpose of dragging General
Miles further into the net and of presup-
posing General EaRan's innocence In the
matter unless something was found to me-
cesBltate II court martial. 1t would also
have put General Miles on the defensive
and he lis considered the real plaintiff In
this case
General Wesley Merritt will be the prssi-
dent OF the court according to the detail
prepared today, and Colonel John w.
clous deputy judge advocate general and
secretary OF the Cuban evacuation commits
sion, will be judge adyocats.
Il AS 30 far determined the charges upon
which General EqsAn VII be tried are
conduct unbccomlng an officer and gen
tleman' and conduct nreiudicial TO good
order and military discipline. :,
General Eagan has already begun to out
line his defense. He would like to bring
In the beef charges made by General Miles.
In order to prove they. were without foun-
dation and having proved General Miles
guilty OF falsehood he could plead he was
justified in calling him liar. General
Eagan will admit that he made the state
ments attributed to him and plead In ex-
tenuation his condition as result OF the
comments of the press and people upon
General Miles charges.
Determined efforts are being made, as
hitherto stated. to secure General Miles
relief as commanding general OF the army.
and. falling to do this, to bring about his
transfer from Washington.
Behind these efforts is tho influence OF
several members of congress and the beef
packers whose vast interests are affected
by the charges General Miles preferred.
General Miles is aware Of this movement.
but has not appeared to be anxious over
the situation.
The war investigating commission will.
In its forthcoming report. criticise Major
General Miles for his conduct before, DUR
Ing and since the war. Tho report Will y
show that 1t was he who recommended tho
location OF the camps at Miami and Chick
lmaugn; that 1t was one OF his aids who
selected tho camp site At Camp Alger; that
before the war he recommended the con
OF the regulars st Chickarnauga.
and that Secretary Alger strongly obtsctea
% the location OF camp 81 MIAMI put Il
was ovcrruled.
Il viii show that General Miles was
directed by the secretary to make An IN
,pection trip OF all.thc camps, but informed
lin that he was Ia the habit Of making
tut his own orders. II II also statco thet
he secretary should never AVE yssmlxtsa
sation OF this kind may not ~ included ~
he report, These instauces 4ytnoe4 ~
,ommission that tho secyetaFy seoula NAye
aiken steps 70 haye cqpDatI QeAsyns
Niles TO comply with BY inotyte tiQp9
Coming down % ~ heef consfeyefSys
ai III chsrgss rsrs nnfaand5l: ut ~
irIrt aen rofdoeFs Whooo Yop3rfs 0onorDl t