The Portland daily press., 1899-01-28
TESTIMONY ALL IN.
Gen. Eagan's Defence Was That Had
Been Driven To Insanity by Gen
Miles Charges.

Gen. Eagan's Defence Was That Had
Been Driven To Insanity by Gen.
Miles Charges.
Washington, January 27.-T he first wit
ness before the Eagan court martial
today was David X. Mckee of this city,
for many years the agent of tins Assoo
ated Press He had known General Eagan
for about 45 years. He thought the
change made by Gen. Miles had made
him insane.
Witness always had found him very
correct in his bearing and speech.
Secretary Alger said thnt shortly after
General Miles had given his testimony
General Eagan came into his Office in an
excited frame OF mind and said 1t was
his wish to prefer charges against General
Miles for what he had said.
AZ told him." testified Secretary Alger
that under the Presidents S order, grant
ing immunity tc officers who testified
| before the commission, he could not do
so.'
Colonel Alexander and Colonel Davis
| were recalled and said that never during
| their acquaintance with the accused ad
|
language
Dr. W. Z. Hopkins of California and
| New York, General Eagan's son-in-law
was called. He came to Washington after
| General Miles had given his testimony
and lived at the Generals house.
He said he then observed that General
| Eagan was very RESTLESS and nervous and
could not eat normally or sleep normally
| He was intensely nervous and showed
| signs of congestion of certain parts OF the
| brain.
Witness had told his wife that her
father must be carefully watched and
that they must be prepared for any thing.
General Eagan's mind was non receptive
| at this tiTe and the witness believed that
something very serious might happen.
Mrs Hopkins. the daughter OF General
Eagan. was the next witness. She told
,oming home one time and finding
Gen. Eagan standing in the doorway
with book In his hands. General Eagan
exclaimed: General Miles has oruciied
me. " She could never forget that scene
and said that since that time. her father
had been a greatly changed man.
The witness spoke with much feeling
in reference to her fathers changed con-
dition. and was given the closest atten-
tion of the court.
General Eagan's military record from the
army register. and also read an inter
view with General Miles printed in New
York newspaper soon after he had made
his statement before the war commission,
at the conclusion of which the defence
rested Its case.
At II. 10 a recess was taken.
MIR. Worthington after recess began the
argument for the accused, opening by
saying that he contended that by the law
Of this country. civil, criminal or mill
tary, the defendant could not be called to
account for what he said before the war
investigating commission. He quoted
from a number of high authorities to
show that IL the words spoken were peril
nent and material TO the cause in hand
and we've not objected to by the tribunal
hearing the same and were not malicious
In character the witness could not be held
responsible. The remedy, said MIR.
Worthington, lies with the tribunal be-
fore which General Eagan gave his tssti-
mony. II he had been told by that COM
mission that his language was exsgger-
ated and inadmissable he would have
withdrawn his words at once. but at this
late day to call him TO an account. was,
said Mr.. Worthington, unfair and unwar-
tanted by law. Counsel then called at
tention to the Presidents public state
ment that witnesses were given immunity
and declared that this guarantee was
claimed by the accused. His client had
been accused of heinous crime and In
his statement to the Investigating COM
mission had defended his honor and inno-
cence as he had perfect right to do,
using stronger language perhaps than he
should have used.
The endorsement of several high re-
viewing officers in the United States army
on the findings Of court martial We're
Continued on Second Page.