Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-26
He DENIES HIS GUILT,
Court-Martia| in the Case Of
General Eagan
THE BOARD MET YESTERDAY,
The judge Advocate Evidently Means
Business.
WAS GoADED TO DEsPER ALTON.
This VIII he One Excuse Used, nnd
the Defendants Nervous Excite
ment VIII BE Misunderstanding
shelter behind M'Kinley's Promise.

WASHINGTON, January 2j.-The board
of army officers designated by the Sec
retary of War to sit as a court martial
in the case of Brigader-G General Charles
p. Eagan, Commissary Of Subsistence,
charged with conduct unbecoming an Off
Ger and a gentleman and conduct to the
prejudice of good order and military dis
clpline. in connection with his testimony
before the War investigating Commits
sion. met in the red parlor of the Ebbitt
House at 10 o'clock this morning and al
most Immediately proceeded to the bust
ness in hand.
The members of the court whose names
have heretofore been published appeared
in full-dress uniform.
At just 10 O'Clock Colonel Davis, the
judge-advocate, called the roll of the
court, all of the members responding to
their names. As he concluded General
Eagan appeared with his counsel, Mr. A.
). Worthington, formerly United States
District Attorney for the District of Co
lumbia General Eagan also wore the
dress uniform Of his rank.
HE SAYS NOT GUILTY.
Almost Immediately Colonel Davis
! arose and introduced General Eagan and
his counsel, and then proceeded to read
| the order converting the court The
Judge Advocate, when this was con-
| cuded. turned TO General Eagan and in
quired whether he objected 10 any Of the
members OF the court as designated by
| the order. General Eagan replied: Il do
/ not The members of the court then
! arose and took the usual OATH which was
administered by Colonel Davis. The
/ charges and specifications were then read.
/ At the conclusion OF the reading, on be-
ing requested TO plead TO the specitica-
tion as TO the first charge, General Eagan
said: "Not guilty; not denying however,
that the specifications set forth correctly
a part Of the language used"
To the first charge he pleaded Not
| guilty" TO the specification 90 the SEE
cond charge he also pleaded Not
guilty" not denying, however. that the
specification set forth correctly portion
of the language used. On the second
charge he pleaded Not guilty
\ PECULIAR CASE.
The judge-advocate then arose, and
said that the case i'm hand was a peculiar
one. but presented no unusual difficulties
The accused had seen ft 10 add TO his
plea Of mot guilty some words tending
10 qualify it. but he did not think tho
plea relieved the court from the necessity
of proving the facts alleged. Judge
. WorthingtOn responded briefly. and eX-
planned that the qualifying words had
been used upon his recommendation. Tn,
specifications. h. said, did the accused d
great injustice i'm that IL selected particu
lar explanations without instances. the
specifications quoted being i'm the middle
of a sentence.
FULLY PROTECTED.
Continuing. Mr.. Worthington said that
he desired 20 state briefly 10 the court
the substance Of General Eagan's defence
Whatever. said he. the court may think
Of the propriety oil the language used by
General Eagan before the War lnvesti'
eating Commission there was no doubt n
his ONorthlngtOn's) mind that he va,
fully protected i'm using that language bl
the laws of the land. In addition To- this
the President of the United States haC
instructed the War Investigating Commis
sion TO announce publicly that witnesse:
before that tribunal would be given i'm
munity for whatever they might testify
to. This was a solemn promise given by
the President of the United states, anC
counsel had no doubt that the cour
would find that General Eagan could not
under these circumstances, be held t1
answer to a military cOurt-martial for his
language.
GOADED TO DESPERATION.
General Miles, he said, had appeared
before the commission about three weeks
before General Easan had made his
statement. and on that occasion hao
|
against some of his subordinates and par
ucularlv against him and the Commssarl
| DEPARTMENT of the army. Immediately
upou reading the testimony given by Gen
eral Miles. General Eagan went 10 th'
| Secretary Of War and asked leave q
bring charges against him. General Alge
had r.plied that under the Presdentl
order OF immunity General Miles coul'
not be held responsible for his Language
before the commission. The newspaper
then took it up and goaded General Eagal
almost 10 desperation. He had come 4
believe that the press and the cOuntry-at
large had accepted the accusations mad
bv General Miles as true. and the cOndi
tion of his mind I'm consequence. grew
worse and worse until he was in a stat
bordering on distraction. The languag
which General Eagan used under thes
circumstances was the natural outburs
Of an honest man suffering under an un
just accusation.
CALLED on THE PRESIDENT.
At 1880 O'Clock word came from tn
White House that the President woul
receive the members OF the court betwee
, II and - o'clock. Thereupon. Genera
Merritt announced that the court wOul
take recess for the purpose Of payin
their respects to the President Of tn
United States.
on reassembling at 1870 o'clock few
minutes was given a photographer t
take "A picture Of the court. and then Ma
tor : - Mills was called 10 testify Ol
! behalf OF the government. He said h
was the recorder. Of the War lnvesti
I eating Commission, and was present am
r heard General E1gans testimony befor
I the commission. The manner Of Genera
b Eagan I'm giving his testimony he said
s was that OF a man laboring under grea
s excitement. but trying TO control himself
He recalled some of the words used b.
70 General Eagan in his testimony, whc
4 ,greed substantially with the phraseolOg
10 used in the specifications. The wtnes
p v.ss shown a copy OF the specifications
p and Identified the language there quote
e re having been used by General Eagar
= nudge Worthington interrupted 10 sa
10 fhot General Eagan did not deny the Ian
r guagc quoted.
Under GREAT NERVOUS EXCITE
=, MENT.
=. Naior-Caneral McCOok retired, mem
- - of the War investigating Commis
r. sion. was the next witness lie was pres
l. I'm, and heard a part Of General Eagan'
f4