Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-04
MILES TO Be TRIED.
Presidents Purpose to This
Effect Made Known.
CABINET DISCUSSES MATTER
Nature Of The Tribunal is Not YET
Decided Upon.
GENERAL NOT TO DE SUSPENDED.
IL IL Not Intended That Vie Shall
Even by Inference be Prejudgea
of Any Wrong-Doing-He Declines
to Talk.

'-'''i.>PAN.', FtDTNaiy 5.-lnc pur-
pose OF the President to terminate tho
unsatisfactory state Of affairs that has
existed for some time as the result Of tho
numerous charges and countercharges
and interviews respecting the character
Of the army beef. by institu5lng formal
inquiry into these matters and eudeavor-
ing to place the responsibility where IL
belongs was made known to-day
This inquiry will not be undertaken be-
iore the commission 10 investigate tho
conduct OF the war has made its report
TO the President
The scope of the new inquiry has NOT
been cehned, but IL certainly embraces
the allegations made by General Miles "a
TO the character Of the army supplies.
and viii Involve that officer TO the extent
that he must make these charges good.
so that in that degree he will be on trial
himself Should the charges be- found well
established, heavy responsibility would
be placed upon the packers and persons
concerned in the meat expectation end
Others. Should they fall unsupported.
General Miles may be obliged TO answer
to "a court-martial for rejecting upon the
| character OF other officers.
METHOD or INVESTIGATION.
There are two methods by which such
an investigation may be conducted ac-
cOrdlng 10 established military usage.
/ Ihe iirst is by the appointment OF a court
OF inquiry, and the second by the ap.
polntment Of what is known as an on
GERS or inspection board. In the former
case II would be necessary 10 name some
| oHncer who should be the subject of in
Nestlgaton. I'm the latter the board Is
| charged simply 10 inquire into a state of
tacts or alleged facts. without reference
TO any particular person, and 20 place re-
| sponslbiity, II possible. for anything OF
which complaint Is made. Their findings
may serve as the basis for "A court-mar-
iial, quite as effectually as the findings
or court of inquiry. and has some adj
Nantages. I'm that 70 does not begin with
/ the presumption of "A court of Inquiry.
/ Where court OF inquiry Is ordered. II is
said, there IS conveyed "A distant reiiec-
/ ton upon the officer named.
! PRESIDENTS LEANING UNKNOWN.
| 1t is not possible at present to learn In
which direction the President leans. but
/ he has been an conference on the subject
With the Secretary OF War and the At
| torney-General. and the matter was dis
/ cussed I'm the Cabinet to-day TO some eX-
| tent.
! 10 was agreed that General Miles should
not be suspended from his Office as COM
mander Of the army pending the investi-
cation. as II was not intended that even
! by any inference should he be- preiudged
Of any wrong-doing In this connection.
Up 20 the close OF the day General
| Miles positively declined 10 discuss In
any manner the events Of the day. so far
! as they relate 10 himself or 10 discuss
/ any statements contained IN any OF the
! interviews attributed 10 him
ARMY BEEF FIRST.
II may be said of these interviews that
while n Is conceivable they might figure
in the inquiry, they would not do so or
| necessity. for the matters TO be- first
| looked into are those connected with tho
| character Of the army beef.
! 10 is suggested that il will be a matter
| OF difficulty 10 secure the personnel for
even % court Of Inquiry. with its limited
membership. without employing some OF
! the officers who have already taken some
/ part i'm the controversy between General
| 3Iiles and General Eagan. This is on ac-
count of the scarcity Of available officers
/ OF sufficient rank to warrant their as
| sgnment to this duty.
| MILES WILL NOT TALK
| WASHINGTON, February 3.-Gcneral
| Miles was questioned tonight regarding
/ the reported statements that he had de-
| MED the accuracy OF the interview con-
cernng beef furnished 90 the army. which
was published while on his recent visit 10
| New York. He declined 10 be drawn into
| any discussion Of that or Of other news
paper statements pertaining 20 the beef
I investigation.
General Miles insists that the question
! az ISSUE after all. IS not one OF this or
that interview. but whether bad food was
furnished tho army.