Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-26
WITNESSES FOR DEFENSE.



Washington. Jan. ss-whon the
Eagan court martial reasscmbicd to-
day Judge Advocate Davis stated that
he wished 10 submit formally the tcs-
utnony Of General Miles NJ read yes
to-day. az an exhibit In this trial. aud
with this statement, he said. the prose-
cution rested It's case.
Mr. worthlngton. counsel for Gen.
Easnn. read several exhibits In con-
ncction with the testimony read at yes
tcrdny's session - the court. Thc,s In
oludcd the correspondence between
Gen. Miles and Gen. Eagan. through
the adJutant general. In which the lat
Ter Defendant asked nn Co whether the
Interview published In n New York
newspaper, In which Den. Miles IN al
legged To have severely criticised the
commlssary generals department. was
authoritative. Extracts from the al
legged Interview were also read and
submitted as part of the record.
Col, W. l. Alexander. q. \. A. OF the
subsistence department was the first
witness called By the defense. lie said
v" returned from Washington from Jn-
maica on the morning ~ the day Gen.
faHnu save hin testimony before the
war inNcAtlgatlun commission. Con.
Eagan. he said. was hastily going over
papers IN connection with his t.sti-
mony and showed signs Of great excite
mont den. Engan nerVourly handled
the papers and witness had rarely seen
a man In such nervous condition.
Ills manner was so exceptional that he
asked Colonel Davis Of the commiasary
department who was present whether
the general was not ~. lie had been
intimately connected with General
IHF IlsI 10
him IN such condition. Gen. Merritt
asked whether. tn his kuowiedgc Gen.
EnEan had consulted anyone 40 60 the
substance ~ his testimony to be- pre-
scented 60 the commission. col, AleNan-
dor answered that 10 far ~ he knew
Gen. EaTan had not
Colonel George 10 Davis. assistant 80
tommirafy General Pagan. was the
next witness, lie testified that he had
been very closely associated with pen.
Pagan during the last several months.
lie was In the office the day General
Miles gave his testimony before the
war investigating commission and nH
soon aH General Pagan saw the pub
liHhcd statement of his testimony he
became considerably excited ana wrote
"a Gen. Miles asking as 10 the truth
u un interview published with Gen.
Miles. As time went on his excitement
Increased Ia such an extent that he did
not, ANA apparently could not attend
10 the duties Of his office. Later on
Gen. l:agun reached such state that
he could not attend 20 any business.
The day before Gen. EagRn appeared
before the commission he read his
statement "a tho witness who urged
him To- modify "A somewhat hut he
would not listen and walked M and
down the room ana said he would not
change "a word ~ n. Newspaper clip
pings Were cunrinntly being received
criticlzing Cen, EnEnn and thes" great
~ Increased his excitement Some Of
these clippings carried the Idea that
gen. fagan was n murderer and that
he had acted corruptly In sending unit
food 10 the army, During these days
the witness said that Gen. Pagan was
wholly untitled 20 perform the ordinary
duties OF his office. tp Ia this time tho
general had been hard worker and
never before had exhibited any signs
OF nervousness,
Miss Mlllnr. Gen. Eagan'a stem
ogrnpher wan then called. She had
taken nearly an of the generals dicta-
lions since Sept ~ last aud testified
that she took the dictatlon N the gen
erals statement before the commission.
AZ the time General Miles gave his
testimony before the commission Con.
EarAii wac greatly excited and while
no was debating his statement he
walked the iioor IN an excited way. II
had never been his habit to walk the
floor while debating. The statement
was not fully completed until the day
II WIS presented To- the commission. She
saw Cen. igan only few minutes be-
fore he LEFT to appear before the COM
mission ANA DO was then ~ such ner-
voun state that his hands trembled.
The witness thought that the general
had never been able 10 Rad the state
ment through as a whole from the time
IN was begun until it was read To the
commission,
Mr., Rodgers, clerk In tho office OF tho
cnminiHsury general, was the noNt Wit
ness, he had been In the ofiice since
1891 aud since Gen. Engnn came 10 the
office he hnd seen him frequently every
day. After Gen. Mllea statement had
been made public Con Eagan'n appear
ancc was greatly changed, lie looked
hnggard aud worn and al times was
greatlv excited. Witness thought that
Gen Pagan had come a. believe that
public sentiment was strong against
him aud thnt tho public had accepted
Gen. Miles statement as true and this
worried him greatly, As the days
passed his nervous disturbance greatly
Increased untll he went before the COM
mission. ON one occasion the witness
went To Glen, Eagan'a desk ana spoke
O. him ON u matter of official business
As he approached the desk the general
said. apparently 10 himself: ~ am
murderer and Tor GAIN
This he repeated several times In an
absent minded way. lie did not appear
to notice the witness.