The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-13
LEADS ALL NORTH CAROLINA DALES N NEWS AMID GRGUATE/h

York Journal, dated December 23d,
1893. to go uncontradicted. if untrue,
and whether or not it is not the first
duty of gentleman, an honest man,
an honorable man. to deny such base
falsehoods rs are to be found in the
article refer 10, if they were not made
by him"
This interview was headed as follows:
Miles makes grave charges against
the Administration: PoiSons used in beef
made the soldiers i'll; tons of bad meat
sent to troops in Porto Rico"
Referring to another published state
mcnt that General Miles had sent or
had found necessary to send serious
reprimand to the Quartermaster Gen
eral. the Commissary General and the
Chief Of Ordnance for conditions that he
found in Tampa" General Eagan said
no such reprimand was sent and yet the
story was allowed to go mcontradicted.
This uncontradicted story Of rep
rimand to the heads Of three of the
most important departments of the ar
N.Y." he continued. "aided us much as
anything in exciting the yellow journal
press. the knaves of so-called journalism,
to harrass and vilify and libel the con-
scientious. able and hard working off
GERS at Washington"
General Eagan referring to newspaper
attacks. asserted that the Secretary of
War had nothing whatsoever to do with
the furnishing Of refrigerated meats or
timed meats. nor had he attempted to
control the contracts, awards or pur-
chases, and in this connection in heated
| language he attacked three New York
newspapers and their editors and pro-
| prietOrs whom. he said, should be in
dicted and tried for treason to the Unit
| ed States during this war, as giving
aid comfort and information to the
public enemy for the sole purposes OF
gain
"Were l a man of wealth or means"
| he protested. II would take this subject
! up myself | would put journalistic
| knavcs purloiners of the secrets of the
| Government behind the bars where they
| belong"
Gneral Eagan made vigorous attack
on the Inspector Generals Department
| in connection with this investigation.
Referring to Inspector General Breck-
| inridges investigation. General Eagan
| pointed out various reports of influences
that have been published, and quoted a
| telegram he received on January 1st
from Lieutenant Colonel A. l.. Smith,
depot commissary 1T Havana, as fol-
| lows:
"Commissary General, Washington.
| "Guild, Inspector Seventh Corps, or
| dered by Breckenridge to inspect and re-
port ON all meat, and request samples.
/ will, without further instructions, de-
cline to recognize Breckinridge's author
| ity, but viii personally show all stores
| desired unoffcially
(Signedl 'SMITH."
Colonel Smith is an old experienced
| officer, said General Eagan. and mot
| knowing there was anything like Il
| game in progress, he stood upon, the
| regulations, and from a strict military
| point of view properly refused this im-
| proper course unless he had evidence
| that it was authorized, as ii should have
been, by the Secretary of War. For, it
| can be readily seen mat if this sort
| of ex-parte examinations is made and
| cx-parte reports solicited no mans repu-
| tation is safe every mans character
may be put in jeopardy; designing people
might ruin Christ even, if he were here
to-day. But as | believed this course not
| only improper and not contemplated by
| the regulations, believing further that
| it was Il trap to produce just such a re-
| fusal as Colonel Smith made. | replied
| TO Colonel Smith the same day. saying:
"'You will not stand on S6S army
regulations, but you will allow meats
and every article of subsistence stores to
| be inspected by Smith, and if necessary
| to be inspected twenty times day. In
| form Guild, inspector of this dispatch
| Furnish copy of this dispatch to every
| commissary in Cuba for their guidance
| and in compliance in similar cases.
Il had no right" General Eagan eX-
| planned, 'tO send that dispatch, but took
| it upon myself to send out this authority,
fearing a refusal would be interpreted
| by the world at large that the Depart
ment was afraid of any and every kind
of investigation. When l informed the
| Secretary of War the following day, ana
| he understood and realized that the In
| spector General doubtless at the insti-
| CATION of the Senior Major General of
| the army, was inaugurating system
| of inspection, not contemplated by the
regulations, nor authorized by proper au-
| thority, he promptly informed me he
would not have approved my course. al
| though he thought perhaps | was right.
| This inspector General Breckenridge has
| recently addressed letters direct to Off
GERS of my Department calling for re-
| ports to him about the various articles
| Of food furnished the past year to the
| army. He does this without the au-
| thorby of the Secretary of War. In
effect we have in this two officers of the
army-General Miles and General
| Breekinridge-whO take upon them
selves to investigate matters pertaining
solely and exclusively to the Secretary
/ of War; TO call for eX-parte reports, and
| to do this directly, not through the Ad-
infant General of the army, but direct
and without the knowledge of the See
retary Of War or the Adjutant General
of the army. Your committee will read
iy see at once how far this thing has
gone and to what extremes these men
! go to establish and make a case"
General Eagan referred to the reports
| from officers and submitted by General
| Miles, rs irresponsible statements, and
said that few army officers would take
advantage of the situation to make state
ments which they knew there was no
power or means upon earth to disprOve
because the substances they spoke OF
| have paSSed ont of existence the proofs