The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-26
EAGAN PUT On TRIAL
Pleads Not Guilty, With an
Ample Qualification.
ADMITS LANGUAGE USED
But Puts in the Plea of
Justification.

Of Brigadier General Charles p. Edgan,
commissary general Of subsistence. q avg
ed with conduct unbecom ng an officer and
gentleman and conduct to the pt+lu-
dice of good order and military dlsclDlne'
in connection with his testimony pefore
the war investigating committee, met IN
the red par.or OF the Ebbitt House at u
O'Clock this morning and almost imme-
diately proceeded to the business in hand.
The court consisted of Major General
James S. Wade, U. s. ", Major General
NJ c. Butler, L. s. V, Major General 5.
B. " Young, Z. S. v, Brigadier General
Royal 7. Frank, L. S. V, Brigadier Gen
eral George NJ Randall L. S. ", Briga-
der General Jacob Kline, U. S. V, Briga-
der General Richard Comba, L. s. V,
Colonel Peter c. Hams corps of engineers,
Colonel George L. Gillespie, corps of engi-
neers Colonel Charles r. Suter, corps of
engineers. Colonel Francis L. Guenther,
Fourth artillery, Lieutenant Colonel George
B. Davis, deputy judge advocate general,
judge advocate of the court.
GETTING TO BUSINESS.
The members of the court, who appeared
in full dress uniform. were seated about a
long table placed lengthwise of the room,
General Merritt, the president of the court,
occupying the seat at the head. At Just
10 o'clock Colone. Davis called the roll of
the court, all of the members responding
to their names. AS he concluded General
E'ap nit NJ
B. Worthngton, formerly United States
district attorney for the District of Col
umbia, and took seats near the judge advo-
cate at the foot of the table. General
Eagan also wore the dress uniform of his
rank. Almost Immediately Colonel Davis
arose and introduced General Eagan and
his counsel and then proceeded to read the
order conveniS the court.
The judge advocate, when this was con-
cluded, turned to General Eagan and in
quired whether he objected to any of the
members Of the court as designated by the
order. General Eagan replied:
ST do not"
. CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS.
The members of the court then arose and
took the usual oath. The charges and
specifications We're then read. as follows:
Charged with conduct unbecoming an
officer and a gentleman.
Specification-In that Brigadier General
Charles P. Eagan, commissary general OF
subsistence, L. S. A, did, while testifying
as a witness before the commission APP
pointed by the president to investigate the
conduct Of the war department in the war
with Spain, submit and read as a part of
his testimony a certain written statement
in which he did make use of, and thereby
publish, the following dsgraceful, grossly
insulting and angentlemanly language with
reference to Major General Nelson a.
Miles, commanding the army, namely:
IF and when General Miles charges that
1t (meaning the timed beef was furnished
as 'pretense Of experiment he lies in
his throat he lies in his heart, he lies in
every hair of his head and everp pore of
his body; he lies willfully, deliberately,
Intentionally and maliciously.
In denounolng General Miles as a liar
when he makes the statement, l wish 10
make it as emphatic and as coarse as the
statement itself. 1 wish to force the lie
back into his throat, covered with the con-
tents of a camp latrine."
:.
Charge conduct to the prejudice Of
good order and military discipline.
Specffication-In that Brigadfer General
Charles P. Eagan, commissary general Of
subsistence. L. s. A, did while testifying
as a witness before the commission ap-
pointed by the PRECEDENT to investigate the
conduct of the war department in the war
with Spain. submit and read. as a part OF
his testimony. certain written statement
in which he did make use OF. and thereby
publish. the following grossly abusive and
unmilitary language with reference to
the major general commanding the army,
namely:
IF and when General Miles charges that
it Cmeaning timed fresh beef was fur
nished as a 'pretense of experiment he
les in his throat. he lies in his heart. he
lies in every hair OF his head and every
pore OF his body. he lies willfully. deIiber-
ately, Intentionally and maIiciously. If his
statement IS true that this was furnished
under 'pretenss OF experiment then I
should be drummed out of the army and
tncarcerated in state prison. II this state
ment Is false, as / assert L % be. then
he should be drummed out Of the service
and incarcerated in prison with other libel
ers
His statement is a scaudaIous libel.
rejecting upon the honor or every officer
in the department who has contracted foe
or purchased this meat, and especially and
particularly on the commissary general
myself. In denouncing General Miles as
liar, when he makes this statement. 7
wish 70 make II as emphatic as possible.
II ne makes this charge he should be
barred from The society Of decent people
and 50 ostraclsed that the street boot
blacks would not condescend 20 spsak -
him. for ne has fouled his, own nest: he
has aspsrsed the honor % brother officer
without a particle OF evidence CT fact 70
sustain N any degree his scancaloGs. libel
Gus. malicious falsehood. viz: That this
beef Or anything whatever was furnished
She army under 'pretense Of experiment 50
This At ashInEton. 7. G. Jan. L fsss.
GENERAL EAGAN Pleads.
During these preliminary proceedings
General EaCan exhibited no slEns OF nsr-
vousnesz. but the expression of his face
and his manner clearly indicated nat he
realized that the trial invo,vel consz-
gUences 70 aim OF the gravest characier
While ne stood listening % the charges All
Specifications his face seemed somewhat
Daler than usual A. the coacsuz.c1 q he
reading OF being requested 20 plead &c
the specifications 20 he arSt charge. lie
said.
Net guilty. not denying however 800
the Specifications set forth correctly r2ri
% the language used
To the second chrs<s he pleaded ''aot
guilty. The Judge adv1ea-e ihsn arcss
and said that tie c4se n haal v-ss -
culisr one. tux pressrf-G ~ snusuzI az