The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-27


ing to General Eagan's testimony before
tho war investigating COMMITTEES said
that he had not been consulted In Its
preparation. but at the generals request
had supplied some of the records. Tho
general had asked him at one time as to
his Judgement concerning the argument
he had prepared for the commission and
he had replied that It vas complete
answer to the criticisms which bad been
made against him, but he had advised
that some parts of IL be omitted. General
Eagan. however, was greatly excited and
witness thought he would bring tho
matter to his attention msre urgently the
next morning, but witness then did not
have good opportunity. General EAgap
had told ths witness he was prevented
from proceeding In military fashio N
against General Miles by the Presidents
order of immunity to witnesses, but that
he hoped to be able TO proceed In the
matter in the civil courts.
Miss Millard, General EagRn's stenoe-
rapher, was then called. She testihsd
that she took the 6ictation OF the generals
statement before the war investigattng
commission. From the time General
Miles have his Testimony before the COM
mission, General Eagan was greatly sx-
cited, and while he was debating his
statement he walked the floor in an ex-
cited state It had never been his habit
to walk the floor while debating The
the day 1t was presented TO the comniis-
sion. She saw General Eagan only few
minutes before he left to appear before
the commission and he was then In such
a nervous state that his hands trembled
The witness thought that the General he'd
never been able to read ths statement
through as whole from the time II was
begun until IL was read to the commits
sion
Mr.. Rogers, "a clerk in the offioe Of com
missary general was the next witness.
He had been in the office since 1881. dnd
since General Eagan came to the oftioe he
had seen him frequently every day. After
General Miles statement had been made
public, General Eagan's appearance was
greatly changed. He looked haggaTd and
worn, and at times was greatly excited.
Witness thought that General Eagan had
come 10 believe that public sentiment was
strongly against him and that the public
had accepted General Miles statement as
true and this worried him greatly. As
the days passed, his nervous distur banoe
greatly increased until he appeared before
the commission. One occasion the wit
ness went to General Eagan's desk and
spoke bO him ON matter Of Office bust
ness. AS he approached the desk the
general sad, apparently to himself: I
am murderer and for gain. i am
murderer and for gain. This he re-
peated several times in an absent minded
way. He did not appear to notice the
witness.
General Eagan himself was the next
witness. He briefly gave history OF his
military career which included several
campaigns against the Indians. He re-
ceived u wound in the Modoc war. for
which he received a brevet. During the
war with Spain he had been in his office
every day with one exception, and had
worked early and late He had given his
fRgfimnnV before the commission nn0pF
oath preferably so. He had first re1d
General Miles statement in the W
ington papers. For long time he Il ~
that he might not be called before IT,
commission but he finally received sum
mons to appear. Even tEen he was not
fully prepared, as his statement neces
sarily involved the preparation of records,
etc He had held conversation with
the secretary Of war, in the course OF
which he told the ecfetary that he desired
to defend himself by bringing proceedings
against General Miles was told that the
immunity granted by the President
would prevent any such action. Witness
accepted this as the fact, but he did not
think that this immunity coveren the
newspaper interview in which General
Miles had by inference declared him to be
n murderer for gain. Witness said he be-
came greatly excited This statement of
General Miles in the opinion of the wit
ness had taken away his tEagans)
character. Hs could not proceed against
General Miles in the courts or otherwise
and he felt that he might better be dead
in the gutter.
During the recital General Eagan's eyes
filed with tears his voice trembled and
he spoke very feelingly. His honor as
soldier. he continued had been attacked
and soldiers honor should be as sacred
as the honor OF woman. He had kept
his sorrow to himself. Soon he found he
could not sleep. He felt that the people of
this country had come to believe that be
was a dishonest man. My record Is clean,
my uniform is unsullied, but have been
slandereu and wronged.
In answer to a question by his counsel
rs to whether he had received any benefit
Tor any contract he had made, General
Eagan said with great feeling: NO; on
my honor and before my God, not one
cents profit or gain did l receive, and yet
my office has dishursed $40 900. COO and I
am now poor man, SO poor that have
not now sufficient money with me TO pay
your fee.
As he (Eagan) understood public senti-
ment, the public believed him to be
murderer and for gain, and he was great
ly wrecked in body and mind in conss-
quencP. He was goaded to death and was
very glad of IA chance to appear before the
commission and through them, 70, O00, ,0OO
of people In the defense of his honor.
During this impassioned and impressive
recital each member OF the court listened
intently to every word spoken and every
eye was fastened upon the speaker. The
incident wa dramatic in the extreme.
The witness spoke of his mental and
physical condition between the time
General Miles gave his testimony and the
time no himself had appeared. He could
not get rid of the thought that the
country believed him to be u murderer
an 4 for gain, and 1t drove him nearly 10
distraction MIR. Worthington then read
from a large number of newspapers
clippings, many of which spoke OF Gen.
Eagan as soaundral and demanded his
dismissal from the army.
At IL o'clock noon, MIR. Worthington
announced that he was unable to proceed
with the case. as the secretary OF war,
whom he desired to call as a witness, was
now before tine war Investigating COM
mission and could not appear. Other
witnesses also could not appear until 90
morrow Thereupon the court ADJOURNED
until ten O'Clock tomorrow morning.