The record-union., 1899-01-18

1 "A.
amazement and surprises he experienced
within when informed that General
Miles had selected Major Black, vol
unteer officer totally void of experience
| 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, common
place telegram sent by General Miles to
his Adjutant General here in Washing
ton about June 7th, inquiring what sub
sistence stores were at Tampa. General
Eagan says he made formal written re-
ply to this, but was amazed next morn
| ing to see in the newspapers that Cen
eral Miles had found it necessary to
send a serious reprimand to Washing
| ton.
II have to state" says General Ea-
gan, that no such reprimand was ever
received by me from General Miles or
any other General, and that General
Miles has no authority in his commits
sion or in his position under the law of
regulations to send reprfmands to me.
Notwithstanding that this imagina-
| ry reprimapd was published in the
press" he continues, General Miles
| from that day to this has never in any
shape or form, although I have met
him, taken occasion to express any re-
greet for the statements made in the
| press about the reprimand, nor to al
| lude to it at ALL
| General Eagan says he fitted out the
| expedition to Porto Rico with ample
subsistence supplies, and sent in one
Of the refrigerator ships, the Massa-
chusetts, 2O3, 600 pounds of refriger-
ated beef, not embalmed beef, nor
treated by any chemical process what
soever, but first-class refrigerated beef,
as good as the country produces and In
every way sound sweet and proper
food.
| After a discussion of General Miles
statement as to the ShOrtnesS of
funds in Porto Rico, General Eagan
takes up the beef Question, and declares
that it was good beef, and "any officer,
no matter what his rank" failing to
use proper supplies, does so at his own
peril, "and if he purchases substitutes
for the good article, an inferior and un-
wholesome one, one that the whole
medical fraternity Of the United States
will unite in saying is not wholesome,
gives the diarrhoea and dysentery. then
he does so at still greater peril.
"By General Miles own statement
he directed the purchase of native beef
ashore, while this good refrigerated
beef, not embalmed beef, was there in
Ponce. 1t was not embalmed, nor was
it treated with any chemicals whatso-
ever for its preservation.
/ Another witness was heard to-day in
the person of Colonel Gibson, the dis
tributing agent of the National Relief
Commission at Santiago. He testified
that he carried supplies to the sick
there on the Resolute. He had had
great difficulty in getting supplies ow-
ing to the confusion. General Shafter
bad refused him assistance, and it was
with great difficulty he was able to hire
horses. He succeeded in this finally.
and with the assistance of General
Wheeler were carried inland.
Respecting the quality of the beef
furnished the troops, Colonel Gibson
said the canned corned beef was bad.
unfit for use and should not have been
issued. 1t was repulsive in appear
ance, stringy,- and he himself had been
unable to eat it. The refrigerated beef
was likewise bad, being covered by a.
green beard caused by exposure to the
sun.
The commission adjourned until to-
morrow.
Discussing General Miles statement
that he wanted complete ratons sent
instead Of the bulk, General Eagan says
he never saw any such request, and if
he had, he would have regarded it
'as extraordinary, for there was no
such thing as sending complete rations
ir large quantities otherwise than in
bulk"
IF General Miles can explain to your
commission what the difference is, he
will do more than I think he or any
otEer man can do, and I especially ask
the commission to note this as one OF
the things bearing on the entire sub
ject.''
Taking up General Miles testimony
that the food was one of the serious
causes of sickness among the soldiers,
General Eagan denies this, and points
Gu. that General Miles gives it as his
judgment. Because he merely ex-
pressed his Judgment that way. I can
rot take further issue with that state
n.ent than to dispute it."
General Eagan declared that General
Shafter cabled his appreciation of the
character of refrigerated beef sent to
Santiago.
General Eagan repeats his former
statement of thankfulness that this
land never gave and never will, thank
God, the purse in addition to the
sword, to any General, and whenever
Congress permits any General, be he
whon1soever he may, to control the
purse as we'll as to WELD the sword,
that day the mistake Of this country
will be made, and that day designing
men, with military command and the
purse of the United States at their dis
pcsal, may set themselves up and do
things that this country is and always
has been afraid to do
In conclusion, General Eagan de-
clares, on oath, that the Secretary Of
War had nothing whatsoever to do with
the furnishing of refrigerated or timed
meats, nor has he in any manner what
soever attempted to control contracts |
the awards or purchases of these arti-
cles.
General Eagan sums up his whole |
case and finishes, hoping that this
statement will offset the statements
made by General Miles and WILL in
some measure at least, do justice to
those who have been wronged"
Contrary to the general expectation,
no announcement of the personnel of
the Eagan court-martial was made at
business to-day. Adjutant General
Corbin at the last moment, in reply to
question, said he had nothing what