Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-01-28

washlnsion. n. c.. Special The eoAra
% army ofacers Delegated ty tho secretary /
% war q sit a. court raartiai IN toe case
of RriKedier- General Crarles 4. EAkN'.
ccmuissary- general % sgosistence, enAtss0
with couduct untecouing an emccr ana
gentleman aud conduct Go prrindice o. sooo
order and military discipline ln eenneS''oN
with hts testlmony before the var ieNtr@F
I eating com nission. met in The heoi@ ho"7'
, nt 10 o'clock Wednesday morning
The court consisted oi Msior-0enefai
Wesley Merritt. Mslor-0 General James r.
wade. Maior-Geneial NJ. g. Butler. Major
. Genoral ~ "a. n Young ndgutier-ornefRi
Royal r.. Frans BITS. di r-'icnerai Netfs'
. NJ Randall. Brl-ailer- ti-aersl Jacob hHnr,
nrigadier General Richard Combn. ,ol.
Peter o. HAns. Coz. George /. uilrstl'.
. Col Charles r.. sutcr Cob francl- T.. 0oen-
ther. Llrut-Cel George r. Davis, deputy
Judge advocate general ludgc-atfceAte oi
the court The members oi The court Al-
pcared in full dress uniform.
AZ I'D o'clock Colonel Davis called the re'i
7 oi the court. all 90 the members responding
l O. tteir names "A be concluded tenefA4
Eagan was preaent with his counsel, hr. A.
s. Worthingtou. tcrncr.y Jniled States da-
trict attorney Tor thc District 90 Ccnmhia-
General Eagan wore the dfcss pniiorm %.
his rank. colonel Davis Introduced Genera.
F Eazan and his counsel and thea proceeaeo
to read che order coaveniug tnc court
. The ludg--advocate askcd oenefhi A-hs An
?, whether be ol isctei to any % the memeer'
90 che court as desgnat,d by me order
General Eagan replied. II do not. ih
members of the court then arose ard top'
. the usual oath. which was aduiuistcrrd n
Colouel Davis. Tho chargs and sreein "a
4 tions were then read.
4 General Eagaa's Appearance
Z. During tbeso preliminary lroceeoiA s
C.ueral Faeaa exhibited NO sigus oG ncr'
ousness. but The cxrression of his face an
30 his manner clearly Indicated that he realizr
y, tho trial involved coustqucnces 20 him OF "
81 rravest character. waite he stood iis'enin
%. 20 the charges nnd speclicaions hia "a
=, seemed somewhat paisr than usuai
Al sho conclusion 90 tha reading, on belt
- requested 70 plead 90 The specincat'on
oi the nrst charge. be said. Not tuihy, a
= DENYING. however. that The specin q,
,tn forth correct a part 90 the iauguaSe used
"a To the nrst charge he pleaded mot suiity
nv To tho spcclncailon 90 the second char
IA ho pleaded "not guilty. nos denyiug be
la ever. that ,he specification sets forth o
~ rectiy pHst ol the lAnxuage used le
as secood charge he pleaded met guilty.,
100 The Judge sdvocats thea Arcss and =
the case was PECULIAR one. tut psesen'
NO MuunhM MANA|AaNN"s a." -~N-~""
seen at 20 sdd 30 his plea of not guilty 40
words tending TO qualify u, but be did
ger think the plea relieved tho court from
necessity Of proving she facts alleged.
al Mr. worthington responded briefly
,ue explained Why the qualifying words
ger been uaed upon his recommendation.
hat specincations did the accused a great inl
h.s uce. in that 50 selected particular exp
tho sions without giving the context, aud 10
IA, or mere instances the specihcations que
h begin IN tho middle % a sentence.
20 his Line OF Defense.
'uf- Mr. Worthinglon said that he desired
rom state briefly 90 the couTt tho substance
bic. General Eagan's defense. Whatever,
he she court may think % the prophet
the language used ~ General Eagan De
tho the war investigating committe, there
no doubt Ia bis (Worthlngton' mind
.or. he was fully protected In using that
AN guage by the laws ofthe land. To no q
az civic or military, he said, could the ace
"a tv 10 held accountable for his ianguage.
ssity iflt could Do shown that the speaker
omen aetuaied by malice. Ia addition 20 thi
ana President OF the Cuited states bad inst
nom ca the war Investigating commission q
~ uounce publicly that witnesses before
! sic- tribunal would be given immunisy Tor =
..-a. 49, r,ftr ht faatffv