The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-26


heart.
The witness, again referring 10 Gen.
Eagans testimony before the war In
Vestigating commission, said that he
had not been consulted i'm it's prepara
tion, but at the generals request had
supplied some OF the records. The gem
eral had asked him at one time as To
his Judgment concerning the argument
he had prepared for the commission.
and the witness had replied that II was
a complete answer to the criticisms
which had been made against him, but
he HAD advised that some parts of IL
be omitted. Gen. Eagan, however, was
greatly excited, and witness thought he
would bring the matter To his attention
more urgently the next morning, but
witness then did not have good OPP
portunity.
other witnesses testified To Gen.
Eagans nervousness and excitement.
Gen. Eagan when called briefly gave
"a history OF his military career. (which
included several campaigns against the
Indians. He received wound in the
Modoc war, for which ne received %
brevet. During the war with Spain he
had been I'm his office every day with
one exception, and had worked early
and late. He had given his testimony
before the commission under oath
preferably so. He had first read Gen.
Miles statement in the Washington pa
pers. For "A long time he feared that
he might not be called before the COM
mission, but he finally received a sum-
mons to appear. Even then he was not
fully prepared. as his statement neces-
sarily involved the preparation of rec
Ords. etc. He had held a conversation
with the secretary of war. in the course
of which he told the secretary that he
desired To- defend himself by bringing
proceedings against Gen. Miles, but was
told that the immunity granted by the
president would prevent any such ac-
tion. Witness accepted this as the fact.
but he did not think that this immunity
covered the newspaper interview III
which Gen. Miles had by inference de-
clared him to be n murderer for gain.
Witness said he became greatly eX-
cited. This statement of Gen. Miles, In
the opinion OF the witness, had taken
away his tEagan's) character. He
could not proceed against Gen. Miles
I'm the courts or otherwise. and he felt
that he might better be dead in the
gutter.
During the recital Gen. Eagan's eyes
filled with tears. his voice tremblcd and
n spoke very feelirgly i'is honor as
soldier. h continued. had been at
Idt ken ana II Spltitf liliibi SIpGib "
as sacred as the honor OF a 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 he was an honest man
"but | am honest, now." said the gem
oral with feeling, and ] believe that
no one wLo knows me Will believe that
I am dishonest man. My record is
.E.... t.. Tod
nave been slandered and wronged."
In answer To a question by his coun-
sci az To whether he had received any
benefit for any contract he had made
Gen. Eagan said with great feeling:
''No; on my honor, and before God, not
on cent Iroft or gain did ! receive, and
yet my Office has disbursed $4,000. 900
and | am now n poor man. so poor that
| have not now sufficient money with
which To pay your fee.
AS he (Eagan) understood public SEN
timent. the public believed him to be a
murderer and for gain and he was
greatly wracked i'm body and brain III
consequence. He was goaded to death
and was very glad of a chance TO APP
pear before the commission and
through them '0.00o,000 people, in the
defence OF his honor
During this impassioned and impres-
SlNH recital edtH lutfubtI VI tue tOui
listened intently TO every word spoken
and every eye was fastened upon the
speaker. The incident was dramatic In
the extreme The witness spoke of his
mental and physical condition between
the time Gen. Miles gave his testimony
and the time he himself had appeared
He could not get rid OF the thought that
the country believed him TO be muir
derer and for gain and IL drove him
nearly to distraction.
Mr.. WoTthington then read from q
large number of newspaper clippings
many of which spoke of Gen. Eagan
~ a scoundrel and demanded his dis
missal from the army.
At IL o'clock noon Mr.. W. W. Worth
ington announced that he was unabl,
90 proceed with his case. as the secre-
tory of war. whom he desired to call as
witness. was now before the war in
Vestigating commission and could not
appear. other witnesses also could not
appear until tomorrow. Thereupon the
court adjourned urtu~lo o'clock tomor.
row morning.