The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-07
PLOT TO GUST MILES
ERAL IN COMMAND OFF THE
ARMY
Miles to Be Suspended Pending a
Court OF Inquiry. and Then to Be
Relocated to Some Obscure Sta
tiOn-MiIes' Friends on Guard.

NEW YORK. Feb. s.-A dispatch from
Washington says:
Your correspondent is enabled to present
the details of a plot Matching in the war de-
partment having for it's object the degrada-
ton of Maj. Gen. Miles and the ultimate ele-
walton of Adjt. Gen. Corbin to be lieutenant
general of the army.
= The successive steps in the plot are:
1. The calling up by Hull of the bill max
ing Corbin major general and its passage.
= q The re-establishment in the Hull army
reorganization bill of the clause providing
for a lieutenant general
3. The suspension of Miles during the pro-
ceedings of the proposed court of inquiry.
4. The detail of Gen. Corbin as commander
of the army pending a settlement by the
court of inquiry.
5. The detail of Gen. Miles either to wait
ing orders or to- the command of some mill
tary- department >: .e-.
6. The nomination of Corbin to the lieu
tenant generally @ ..- 3D.. c.
Step 3 Is purely Incidental and not essen.
tial to the success of the plot With Corbin
made a major general and the rank Of lieu
tenant general revived, the president, without
particular impropriety. could nominate Cor
-bin' to the high rank, because of his pre-
sumptive familiarity with the details of the
war department and the needs Of the army
With Corbin in this position, the result Of
the court of inquiry. would be matter Of
no great Importance. If Miles were complete,
ly yindicated he would find himself a mere
major general with a superior military Of
fcer giving him directions and he could be
detailed to any duty the lieutenant general
might choose.
1t cannot be said with certainty President
Mckinley either favored the plan outlined CT
was aware of its formation.
The president thinks highly of Corbfn. and
the latter enjoys unusual privileges as a
frequent and welcome caller at the White
house In all probability Gen. Corbin's friends
believed that If congress would do it's share
making Corbin major general and reviv,
ing the rank of lieutenant general the presd-
dent could be induced to take the remaining
steps.
The story Is in<circu.ation in limited army
and congressional quarters. The friends of
Gen. Miles are cognizant of it and declare
that no such piece Of chicanery can be put
through Some say the president, when he
once learns of the plot. will defeat 1t, while
others assert that congress, by failing to
make Corbin a major general, will stop It,
But whether or no the entire plans were
carried out, even if a storm of indignation
prevented the president from attempting to
make Corbin the lieutenant general, Corbins
elevation to a major general and his detail
to the place made temporarily vacant by
Miles suspension would undoubtedly throttle
the inspector generals report on beef This
will be the regular military report on this
subject, called forth officially by the COM
manding general through the proper chan
mel.
The first development of the plot occurred
when Corbin appeared before a sub
committee of the senate committee on
military affairs and remained two hours
Subsequently it was given out probably by
Corbin, that the senate committee would re-
insert in the Hull bill the clause providing fer
a lieutenant general.
The second development occurred when
Senator Hawley and Representative Hull,
chairman of the two military committees
were closeted with Corbin for several hours.