Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-01-18
EAGAN's REVISED STATEMENT.
Commission Accepts It-Abstract IndIcat-
ing the Expurgation

Commission Accepts It-Abstract IndIcat-
ing the Expnrgation.
Washington, Jan. 1s.-General Easan's
eXpurgated statement has been accept
| ed by the war commission and its text
| given for publication In short the gen
| eral has cut out all his abuse of General
| Miles. An abstract will indicate the
extent of the excelsior. General Easan
begins his statement by stating that II
hold in my hand the official copy of the
| statements made to your commission by
the senior major general of the United
| states army. Nelson \. Miles" He de-
| tails the amazement and surprise he ex-
perienced when informed that General
| Miles had selected Major Black. "a vol
unteer officer totally devoid of expert
ence in the subsistence department" as
his staff commissary. instead of Major
Osgood. who was first chosen for that
post by General Miles.
He refers to "a very ordinary. COM
monplace telegram" sent by General
Miles 10 his adjutant general here in
Washington about June :. inquiring
what subsistence stores were al Tampa.
General Eagan says he made formal
written reply to this, but was amazed
next morning TO see in the newspapers
that General Miles had found il nsces-
saTy To send q serious reprimand to
Washington. Il have to state" saws
General Eagan. that 70 such reprinand
was ever received by me from General
Miles nor any other general and that
General Miles has no authority in his
commission or in his position under the
law of regulations TO send reprimands
to me"
1t is in the revised reply to the charge
that the beef was sent to the soldiers as
a pretended experiment" that the ex-
cision OF the Objectionable matter shows
plainest. Upon this point Eagan's re-
vised testimony says: General Miles. in
saying that this food was sent to the
army as q 'pretense for experiment.
says that which implies corruption.
which ninety-nirc out of every 100 peo-
pie will understand to mean corruption
because it was 'pretense of expert
ment.' he says. not even giving credit
to me for furnishing il as an expert
ment, but that l furnished it under the
pretense of an experiment. This is a Sc
rious charge. should not be made by
any man lightly nor without ample ev-
idence TO support il.
Taking the statement in the sense
that was probably intended. the sense
that has been accepted by the press of
the country-indeed some of that press
because OF it call for my dismissal from
the army and my court martial-I an
sver that il was rot furnished under
th= Pretense of an experiment nor even
as en- experiment. In denying this l con-
tent myself with saying such statements !
are untrue and unworthy of more en- |
phatic denial. Ills statement reflects |
upon the honor of every officer in the !
who has contracted for or !
purchased this meat and especially and !
on the commissary, general |
In conclusion General Eagan declares !
on oath that the secretary of war had |
nothing whatsoever to do with the fur
aishinE of refrigerated or timed meats. |
nor has he in any manner whatsoever |
controlled or attempted to control the /
the awards or purchases of
-hese articles General Eagan sums up
his whole case in conclusion. and finishes
hoping that his statement will offset |
the stateme nts made by General Miles
md will, in some measure, at least. do
Justice to those that have been
Hrouged."
The first permanent military force in
England was the kings guard of yeo-
men, established in 1885.