Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-12
CALLED MILES LIAR
Sensation Caused by General Eagan's
Testimony.
APPEARS BEFORE War COMMISSION
Contradicts Charges About I'm
baIming Beef"
DENOT-NCFC THE ACCrT-CEPC
DENOUNCES THE ACCUSERS

Commssary General Eagan appeared be-
fore the war investigating commission this
morning and gave some sensational testi-
mony. He declared that those who said
that beef given to the army embalmed
lied.
General Eagan. in the course of his tes-
timony. called General Miles a liar" who
lied in his throat, lied in his heart, lied in
every part Of his body, who perpetrated a
gross scandal and who should be drummed
out of the service, and imprisoned, and
should be avoided by every honest man
and barred by every club He character
lied his interviews as filth
He had prepared a statement, which he
read. and which he said was in reply to
what Gen. Miles had testified to before the
commission, and proved to be sharply crit
ical
He referred TO the declination of Gen.
Miles TO be sworn. saying that he was re-
sponSible for what he said The witness
added that he preferred to say what he
had to say on oath. He then went on to
say that he was surprised when Gen. Miles
designated Maj. Black to serve as commits
sary on his staff. as Maj. Black had but re-
Gently been appointed to the army, and in
his appointment officers who had served
in the army We're passed over.
The witness also referred to a telegram
in the newspapers stating that the witness
had been repIimanded by Gen. Miles. which
he said not true, but which as far as
he knew had never been denied by Gen.
Miles. He then went on to say that he
htted out the expedition Of Gen. Brooke to
Porto Rico with missary supplies and
also sent m officer there to provide place
to store supplies. He added that Gen. Miles
assumed to order this officer to other duty,
which order was subsequently, counter
mandcd by the Secretary of War. Accord
ing tc the witness, Gen. Black left this
country without check hook. Gen Eagan
raised the question why there lack of
supplies when purchases could be made in
Porto Rico. and in addition there was an
ample stock already there.
He was asked by Gen. Miles to place
funds TO the credit of Gen. Black, and the
witness furnished him with 5000, but the
witness said he was opposed TO placing to
the credit of volunteer officers large sums
CT money.
The witness further criticised General
Miles for furnishing to the army beef that
was brought on the island and liable to be
unhealthy while il was possible to obtain
good refrigerated beef. He said that there
was no truth in the charge that the beef
was embalmed.
General Eagan further stated that beef
on the hOOf in tropical climates was not
wholesome. and he referred at some length
To the statement of General Miles that
there was an abundance of cattle on the
island of Cuba, and said that there were
%,
further said that General Miles expressed
opinion about the refrigerated beef was a
matter of opinion merely, and not of
knowledge.
Who Calls 1t "EmbaImed, Lied.
The witness also referred to the beef as
refrigerated, not embaImed beef" and,
Furthermore. that whoever spoke of the
beef furnished the army as embalmed lied,
He referred to the testimony of Gen.
f0.4 f-sr
supplies, and said il was the opinion of
men VINO knew the facts and did not mere
Iy engage in surmises. This testimony he
added, was in favor of the good qualities
OF the food supplies He added there was
no doubt refrigerated beef was more whole
some IN every way than beef on the hoof
IN tropical climates. which owing to the
idch OF facilities for caring for it. had to
Le placed on the fire while still quivering
so recently had the animal been killed
Inc witness said that timed meat is a
part o. the army ration, a remark which he
made for the enlightenment of Gen. Miles
whom, re aid, IN the course of his evil
dence. had testified that he did not know
why timed meat had been used. and infor-
Hltttoh on thut point could be obtained, no
doubt, in Washington.
Board of Survey Was Ignorant.
be spoke of the board of survey that con-
dcmned refrigerated beef in Santiago as the
action Of a board that ignorantly Judged
the beef from its appearance. He said that
the first intimatiOn he had that the beef
was emhalmed were the reports he read in
the newspapers Of the testimony of Gen.
Miles. These statements, he added were
so wide from the facts that he expected to
see an Immediate denial from Gen. Miles,
but he has seen no such denial The wit
ness commended the honesty and fidelity of
the contractors who furnished the beef He
criticised the action of Maj. Black in not
issuing the beef when it was done with ad-
vantage by other officers.
Gen. Miles Contradicted.
He referred to the statement of Gen.
Miles that he would prohibit the issue of
Refrigerated beef to the army and said
that Gen. Miles had no such authority and
in fact, had not made such a. prohibition
OF the issue Of meat to the various caups
In this country. The army ration. he said
was determined by law and regulation. and
II did not lie within the power of the COM
manding general of the army He added
lhat IN this country the power of the nurse
and the sword had never been united In
one man. and in his opinion 1t would he
an unfortunate day when such a change
was made
The witness said that If had naver bao,
ms poilcy TO interfere with commanding
UiiICefs' out rather to facilitate and aiI
thein IN every way. But he had duty as
commlssary general he had his dutv tn
lhe treasury Department and to the conn
try. lie said that according TO Gen. Miles
ltstmony before he had made an investi-
6alon OF the character of the beef supplies
ne referred to it stuff"
ne tiien referred to the statement of DR.
Daley in regard TO the noxious Character of
the meat. and said that DIR. Daley ignored
the fact in his testimony that on the Pana
ma there were no facilities for preserTjnp
beer- He quoted letters from other oa1cerS
IN which they said refrigerated beef as
wei as native beef was brought on board
ana that the bad condition of some of The
peer was due, IN their opinion, to exposure
Dr. naieys Statement Called Lie.
me witness said that the statement of
Dr- Daley that the meat was treated with
chemicals to help out defective refrip-
Grating process is a lie made out of whole
cloth. The meat. he said, was not so treat
ed.
The witness read the reply of his office
to letter from an inventor of a process of
preSerNtng meat. in which The inventor r,-nS