Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-16
LIGHT ON EAGER'S RECORD
Some Of the characteristics Of 81 Holcomb 3
Favorite Shown Up.
UNPOPULAR WITH THE FIRST NEBRASKA
Nevertheless He Receives Promotions
over the Heads of Adler Men
Now Takes the stump for the
Fusion Ticket.

MASON CITY, Neb., Sept 15.-(Special)
The fusion game of Misrepresentation has
already begun, as is shown by the circular
letter Just sent out over the signature of
j. II. Edmisten to advertise a meeting at
Sumner, Dawson county, and In two little
towns in Custer county. The letter says
the speakers will be "'Cyclone' Davis OF
Texas and Colonel F. d. Eager Of the
Fighting First Nebraska" 1t continues:
I'VE want you to put Your shoulder to
the wheel and do your very best to help
make this meeting success. We have
written our committeeman fully upon this
subject. and have suggested some plans for
making this such a meeting as will of 1T
self draw an immense crowd, to say moth
ing of the opportunity OF hearing these
grand speakers. Colonel Eager is doubt
less as well posted on the Philippine ques-
tion as anyone could be, having led the
Nebraska troops through that terrible cam
paign in foreign lands, etc. etc.
The impression sought to be given out in
this letter is that Eager was the COM
mander OF the First Nebraska and that
he led 1t through the terrible campaign"
The letter having been sent out from Lin
coin must have been with Eager's knowl-
edge and consent. and 1t is perhaps we'll for
the public to know what sort of Header"
this man Eager was.
In the First regiment Eager was the
political agent of Silas A. Holcomb. In
the camp at Lincoln he was promoted to
captaincy over the heads of deserving
officers. On the way over to Manila he
made himself unpopular with the regiment.
In the battle with the Spaniards he was
guilty of such conduct that the men Of his
company composed rhymes about him and
sang them in the camp. He was hard and
cruel toward his men, forcing sick privates
to go out and drill or perform other duties
for which they were unified. He was repri-
manded for making a false report of his
company. He opposed the return Of the
regiment to America last December when
the petition was being almost unanimously
signed. and he interfered in the sending of
cable dispatches to the governor, although
refusing to pay his share of the expense.
In spite of all these performances Eager
was promoted over the heads of every cap
tain in the regiment, and made major
When the fighting commenced with the
Filipinos he managed to keep In the rear
Far from being LEADER" his courage was
the joke Of the regiment. One of the
familiar yells In the camp ran this way:
Eager to eat.
Eager to talk,
But never eager to fight.
Tbs great leader kept up his record to
the end. He always had some scheme to
make money and there have been many
complaints over the management Of the
'canteen,' to which he paid more attention
than he did to fighting the Filpinos.
The climax came the day after Colonel
Stotsenberg was killed. Eager had received
another promotion and actually went out to
lead the men in battle. Soon after he re-
ceived bullet In the heel of his shoe. 1t
was shot from above, and had every ap-
pearance of a revolver bullet. A short
time afterward another bullet from above
went through Eager's foot and he perma-
nently retired from the firing line
Arriving at Frisco, Eager wanted to COM
pei the men to drill, as II they did not need
rest, and as II they were not about to be
mustered out. He gave out interviews to
the Frisco papers describing himself as a
great fighter. In the presence of a dozen
Nebraska soldiers he told one reporter that
the course of the government in the Phil
ippines was all right, and that Otis was a
competent commander who was being un-
justly criticised. In Frisco he was in favor
OF expansion. Now 1t seems that he is to
be imported to Custer and Dawson counties
to make anti Mckinley speeches.