Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-26
TEARS IN HIS EYES.
General Eagan Almost Breaks Down
in Court Today in Offering
His Testimony.
His CHARACTER TAKENAWAY
Newspaper Articles Oriticising Accused
Greatly Increased His Excitement
Better Be Dead in the Gutter
Miles His Beue Noir.

Washington, Jan. 26.-When the Ea-
gan court martial reassembled today,
Judge Advocate Davis stated that he
wished to submit formally. the testimo-
NY of General Miles as an exhibit in this
trial, and with this the prosecution
rested its case. Mr.. Worthington, coun-
sci for Eagan, read correspondence be-
tween Miles and Eagan through the ad-
jutant general in which the latter ask
ed whether the interview published in a
New York newspaper, in which Miles is
alleged to have severely criticised the
commissary generals department, was
authoritative. Extracts from the al
legged interview were also submitted as
part of the record. Colonel w. L. Alex
ander, of the subsistence department,
was the first witness called by the de-
fense. He said he had returned to
Washington from Jamaica the day Ea-
gan gave his testimony before the war
investigating commission. He had
rarely seen man in such a nervous
condition. General Merritt asked
whether, to his knowledge, Eagan had
consulted any one as to the substance
of his testimony to be presented before
it's commission. Colonel Alexander an
swered, as far as he knew, Eagan had
not.
Colonel Geo. B. Davis, assistant to
Commissary General Eagan, testified to
Eagan's exsitement over the Miles testi-
mony. The day before Eagan appear
ed before the commission he read his
statement to witness, who urged him to
modify it somewhat, but Eagan said he
would not change word The newspa-
per articles criticising Eagan greatly in
creased his excitement. Davis said Ea-
gans conduct in his Office was perfectly
honest. He always had the good of the
soldiers at heart, more so than any 9TH
er commissary general whom he had
ever known. Miss Millard, Eagan's ste
his Office, also testified regarding Ea-
gan's nervous state. Eagan himself
was the next witness. The statement Of
Miles, in his opinion, had taken away
his character. He could not proceed
against Miles in the courts or otherwise,
and felt he might better be dead in the
quit r. Eagan's' eyes filled with tears
and his voice trembled as he spoke feel
ingly. His honor as soldier, he con-
tinued, had been attacked, and SOL
dier's honor should be as sacred as
woman's honor
II am an honest man." said the gen.
eral, "and 1 believe no one who knows
me will believe 1 am dishonest. My rec
ord is clean my uniform unsullied; but
l have been slandered and wronged." In
answer to a question by his counsel as
to whether he had received any benefit
from any contract he had made, Eagan
said, with great feeling: "No, on my
honor, and before my God, not one cent
of profit or gain did I ever receive, and
yet my office has disbursed $19 900, 900,
and am now poor man, so poor that
l have not now sufficient money with
which to pay your fee." Mr.. Worthing-
ton read many newspaper clippings,
which spoke of Eagan as a scoundrel,
and demanded his dismissal from the
army The court adjourned until to-