The Saint Paul globe., 1899-01-18
GEN. EAGAN'S TRADE
MAY COST HIM HIS SHOULDER
STRAPS, FOR THE PRESIDENT
IS ANGRY
OFFENDER is IN DISGRACE
Charge OF Conduct UnbecominG e
an Officer and a Gentleman-
Hinted That Secretary of War
AIger Is Not EnthusiasticalIy In
Favor of Furnishing Him.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 17-The presi-
dent today announced, at the cabinet
meeting, shortly after it assembled for
It's session, that he had decided to or
der a court martial to try Commissary
Gen. Eagan for the abusive and violent
language he had used respecting Nal
Gen. Nelson A. Miles, while en- the wit
ness stand before the war investigat-
ing commission, last Thursday. Ever
since the sensational event the presi-
dent has been carefully considering the
matter and has had frequent consulta-
tions with army officers and others re-
gard1ng the steps that should be TAX
ell, for he was convinced from the out
set that the question for consideration
was what action should be had. A de-
termination to take some action was
vigorously expressed at the last cab1-
net meeting, but the president reserved
final decision. Today, just before the
cabinet session, he held a conference
with the secretary OF war and Adjt.
Gen. Corbin. 1t was not long IN dura-
tion, but the action to follow Gen. Ea-
gans utterances was decided and
when the cabinet met the president an
Rounced that he had reached his de-
cision in the matter. He said he had
determined that there was only one
course TO adopt and that was to order
a court martial to be convened at once
to try Gen. Eagan. The decision,
which was reached only this morning,
notwithstanding reports that a court
martial had been decided on yesterday,
net the unanimous approval of the
members of the cabinet. Three Of the
presidents official advisers. Secretary
Al"er, Secretary Wilson and Postmas-
ter General Emory Smith, we're ab-
sent, but In each instance their views
are known to coincide thoroughly with
the presidents decision.
There was some discussion following
the presidents announcement, in which
the case was thTeshed over to some
extent, though the president himself
took little part in this discussion. The
details of the action were left to the
secretary Of war, who had withdrawn
just prior to the session to return to
the war department from the president
to place the machinery in motion for
the convening of the court martial.
While it was not definitely stated
after the cabinet meeting what Specifi-
cations would be made against Gen.
E.a gan. 1t is understood that the spe-
cific charge on which he will be tried
viii be conduct unbeooning an officer
and a gentleman. The personnel OF
the court was not taken up, that phase
of the action being held to be not a
cabinet matter, but one that rested
between the president and secretary Of
war The understanding, however, was
that the orders for the court would be
issued within a few hours, probably
before the close of the department this
afternoon. Gen. Wesley R. Merritt,
former commander-in-chief of the
Philippines, has been mentioned as
likely to preside over the court and
a cabinet official said today he would
not be surprised at Gen. Merritt's
designation.
SITUATION AT MANILA.
The session Of the cabinet occupied
about an hour and a half Advices
were received that the situation at Ma
Mia was very quiet and proved the
most gratifying news from that quar-
ter since the state of affairs in the
archipelago recently assumed a seri-
GUS phase. 1t announced that the peo-
pie who had moved out of the city of
Manila owing TO alarming but unfound-
ed reports were quietly returning to
their homes. At Iloilo affairs are pro-
crossing satisfactorily, and a crafty
ing fact reported in the cablegram was
that the officers aboard our ships and
the individual insurgents were frater-
nizing freely on shore and that there
were no signs of trouble
President Mckinley announced dur
ed on the personnel Of the commission
to visit and report on the Philippine
islands as follows: MessTs. Schurman,
Dewey, Otis, DENLY and Worcester
Their selection already had become
known, and official announcement
shortly will follow.
The remainder of the cabinet ses-
sion was taken up with matters of ad-
ministrative detail.
Contrary to the general expectation.
no announcement of the personnel of
the Eagan court martial was made at
the war department up to the close
of business this afternoon. Adjt Gen.
Corbin at the last moment, in reply
to question, said that he had nothing
whatever to make public touching the
Eagan case
Secretary A1ger was absent from the
war department all the afternoon, and
just before the cabinet meeting said
he would not return to his office that
day. He spent the morning at the
White house, and, leaving there just
before the cabinet met went to his
house with Adjt. Gen Corb;n and re-
naained there. 1t was supposed he
was arranging some Of the details of
the court martial, but this is only a
guess. The secretary is going to New
York at midnight, 50 that unless he
acts upon this matter before his de-
parture there may be a delay until
his return
The fact that Secretary Alger was
not present at the cabinet meeting was
seized upon at once as a sign of trou-
bic in the cabinet, and soon the usual
rumor of dissensions and an intention
upon the part of the war secretary to
resign was afioat. There was no foun-
darion for these in fact, and Secretary
Algef's colleagues promptly and en-
phaticslly denied them as soon as their
attention was drawn to them
The penalty for the offense with
which Gen. Esgan probably will be
tried. conduct unbecoming an officer
and gentleman, is one of the most
severe known in the army, being dis
missal. Article 81 reads as follows:
ANY officer who is convicted of conduct
unbecoming an officer and a gentleman snail
be dismissed from the SERVICE
If the court martial find Gen. Ea9an
guilty, even with extenuating circum-
stances. they must attach this SEN
tence, and then the only hope for the
officer would be in the exercise of
clemency by the president, based per
haps, upon the courts recommends