The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-13

some other point. Gen Eagan replied
in the usual way, though at times the
railroad tracks at Tampa were piled
with millions of rations.
Gen. Eagan said he was astounded
the following morning to see in the
report Of certain papers that Gen.
Miles had severely reprimanded the
commissary general, the chief Of ord
nance and the quartermaster general
for the unprepared condition of their
respective departments. Ger Mites had
no right in law to deliver such a rep
rimand and witness at once had en-
closed the clipping to the adiutant gen
erals office, requesting an inquiry as
to the authenticity Of the report. No
such reprimand was ever received by
him and the general commanding had
taken no notice of his inquiry nor even
taken the trouble since then to declare
the unauthorized character of the
press statements.
1t was such indifference as that which
had given license to yellow Journals
tic knaves who had misrepresented and
bounded government officials through
out the war. Gen. Eagan subsequent
ly had tried to get his letter Of inquiry
and press clipping from the adJutant
generals office, but it had disappeared
and was nowhere to be found Wit
ness charged Gen. Miles directly with
dlsarranging and hsmpering the adj
ministration Of the war department by
calling off Of officers from duty where
their presence was absolutely neces-
sary. This was in the case in taking
Col. John Weston away from Cuba to
serve with the Porto Rican expedition
and in putting Maj. A. L. Smith, an
efficient officer assigned as depot COM
missary in Porto Rico, TO work on some
transport duty when his services We're
demanded on shore.
Gen. Eagan referred to Gem Miles
testimony that he had telegraphed the
department. from Porto Rico for COM
plete and proper rations, and said that
| If the commfssary generals office had
received any such message he should
have considered 1t the request of a very
ignorant and ill-informed person. Con-
tinuing, Gen. Eagan, referring to Gen.
Miles expressed preference for native
beef, of which he (Gen. Miles, said
there was plenty, asserted there was
no cattle whatever in the neighbor-
hood of Santiago. The native beef
Gen. Miles referred to Gen. Eagan
characterized as stays runts, bulls and
overworked cattle.
Gen. Eagan. quoting Gen. Miles al
legation that in his judgment there
was some serious defect in the refrig-
Grated and canned beef, said Gen
Miles would not say this was anything
more than his Judgment.
Whoever" said Gen. Eagan, "calls
it embalmed beef Is "a liar"
Newspaper statements emanating
from Gen. Miles that 100000 pounds Of
the beef were condemned at Porto Rico,
is am absolute falsehood" said wit
ness. mo such quantity was con-
demned there or elsewhere"
Witness said Surgeon Days report
that the beef apparently was infected
with chemicals to aid in preservation,
was falsehood, and he made it
out of whole cloth"
He denounced the assertion that
chemicals We're used In the prepared
beef, and he did not believe Sturgeon
DAILY had had that belief then, since or
now.
Gen Miles, in his testimony, refers
TO the beef az under pretense Of ex-
pertinent said Gen. Eagan. "The
implies corruption. a serious charge not
to be made lightly. Already the press
almost wholly has accepted this view
and some have demanded my dismissal
It was not an experiment nor pretense
thereof. Gen. Niles lies in his throat,
in his heart, In every part Of his body
He should be drummed out of the SER
vice and imprisoned"
II wish to force the lie back in his
face. Unless he should prove his state
ments, he should be avoided by every
body, should be barred out of every
club"
Gen. Eagan, in the course of his tes-
timony, said
Gen. Miles was asked by your com
mittee how timed fresh beef became
a part of the army ration. His answer
Is: You had better ask the secre-
tary OF war or the commissary general.
l think they can tell you. know It
was sent to the army as food, and the