The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-25
EAGAN'S INF AMY.
Alger's Mutinous Bully on
Trial for His Abuse Of
General Miles.
IMMUNITY HIS PLEA
The Presidents Order, He
Holds, Authorized Him to
Act as a Ruffian if
He Chose.
| IMMUNITY HIS PLEA

of Army Officers designated by the Secre-
tary of War to sit as court martial in
| the case of Brig.-General Charles z.
Eagan, Commissary General of Subsls-
/ tence, charged with conduct unbecoming
an officer and gentleman, and conduct &c
the prejudice of good order and military
discipline, in connection with his testi-
mony before the War Investigating Com
mittee, met in the Red Parlor of the Eb-
bitt House at ten o'clock this morning
and almost Immediately proceeded to the
business in hand.
| The Court consisted of Major Genera
Wesley Merritt, U. S. A.. Major Genera
James F. Wade, U. S. "; Major Genera
M. C. Butler, u S. "; Major General s
B. M. Young. U. s. "; Brigadier Genera
Royal T. Frank, U. S. "; Brigadier Gen
eral George NJ Randall, U. s. "; Briga-
dier General Jacob Kline, u. S. "; Briga-
| dier General Richard Comba, U. S. VI
Colonel Peter C. Hams, Corps of Engi-
neers; Colonel George L. Gillespie, Corps
! of Engineers; Colonel Charles R. Suter
Corps of Engineers; Colonel Francis L.
Guenther, Fourth Artillery; Lieut.. t.-Colonel
| George B. Davis, Deputy Judge Advocate
General. Judge Advocate of the Court.
| The members of the court who appeared
| in full dress uniform were seated about a
| long table placed lengthwise of the room
General Merritt, the president of the
court, occupying the seat at the head.
At just ten o'clock Colonel Davis called
the roll of the Court, all of the members
responding to their names. AS he con-
cluded, General Eagan appeared with his
6 \, ,f-,rr frryy .Iyy
United States District Attorney for the
District of Columbia, and took seats near
the Judge Advocate, at the foot of the
table. General Eagan also wore the dress
uniform of his rank. Almost Immediate
ly Colonel Davis arose and introduced
General Eagan and his counsel and then
proceeded to read the order convenfng the
court.
The Judge Advocate, when this was
concluded, turned to General Eagan and
inquired whether he objected to 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:
The charges and specifications under
which General Eagan is to be tried are
as follows
Charge 1. Conduct unbecoming an Off
Ger and a gentleman. Specification-In
that Brigadier General Charles P. Eagan,
Commissary General of Subsistence,
United States Army, did, while testifying
as a witness before the Commission ap-
pointed by the President to investigate
| 81 +ta ri ,or1f in
the ~var with Spain, submit and read as
part of his testimony certain writ
ten statement in which he did make use
Of, and thereby publishes, the following
disgraceful, grossly insulting, and ungen-
tlemanly language with reference to
Major General Nelson A. Miles, COM
manding the army, namely
.If and when General Miles charges
that it (meaning timed fresh beef was
furnished as a 'pretence of experiment
he lies in his throat he lies in his heart,
he lies in every hair of his head and
every pore of his body, he lies willfully,
deliberately, Intentionally and malicious
lv. = In denouncing General
Miles. as liar, when he makes this
statement. I wish to make it as en-
phatic and as coarse as the statement it
self. 1 wish to force the lie back into
his throat covered with the contents of
a camp latrine.
saThis at Washington D. c., JAM II, 1899.
Charge 2-Conduct to the prejudice OF
good order and military discipline
Specification-In that Brigadier General
Charles p Eagan, Commissary General
of Subsistence of United States Army,
did, while testifying as witness before
the Commission appointed by the Presi-
dent to investigate the conduct of the
War Department in the war with Spain,
submitted and read, as part of his testi-
mony, a certain written statement in
which he did make use of, and thereby
publish. the following grossly abusive
and unmilitary language with reference
to the Major General Commanding the
Army, namely
.'f and when General Miles charges
that it (meaning timed fresh beef was
furnished as a pretense, of experiment,
he lies in his throat, he lies in his heart
he lies in every hair of his head, and
every pore Of his body, he lies wilfully
deliberately Intentionally and maliciously.
If his statement is true that this was fur
nished under 'pretense of experiment,
then should be drummed out of the army
and incarcerated in State prison. If this
statement is false as I assert it to be,
then he should be drummed out of the
service and incarcerated in prison with
other libelers.
"TIis statement is scandalous libel, re-
fecting upon the honor of every officer in
the department who has contracted for or
purchased this meat, and especially and
particularly on the Commissary General
myself In denouncing General Miles as
a liar. when he makes this statement I
wish to make it as emphatic and as
coarse as the statement itself. I wish to
force the lie back into his throat covered
with the contents of a camp latrine.
II wish to brand it as falsehood of
whole cloth without a particle of truth to
sustain it, and unless he can prove his
statement he should be denounced by
every honest man, barred from the clubs
barred from the society of decent people,
and so ostracized that the street boot
blacks would not condescend to speak to
him. for he has fouleds his own nest, he
has aspersed the honor of a brother Off
Ger without a particle of evidence or fact
to sustain in any degree his scandalous,
libelous, malicious falsehood, viz, that
this beef or anything whatever was flrS
nished the army under 'pretense of ex-
pertinent.
This at washing or, D. &. January a2ss
1899 q 'sss
During these preliminary proceedings,