The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-21
To General Eagan Because He VA
Not Required to Do So.
ITS USE WAS AN EXPERIMENT
And a Costly Ono. But lie Was Sorry
lie Used the Word "Pretcnsc."
lie Had Thought Beef Would
be Furnished on tho
HOOf as During tho
CiVii War.

WASHINGTON. Feb. eo.-The Hves
Court OF Inquiry to-day made a GOOD
start Ga rs work. The Court was COM
fortably quartered In the old meeting
room Of the War Investigating Commis-
sion in the Lemon building With accom-
modatlons for representative OF tho
Press Associations and the local papers.
Calls of ceremony on The President and
the General commanding the army. oc-
cupled a large part OF the forenoon and
Immediately thereafter General Nelson
A. Miles appeared as the nrst witness.
lie and three other army officers sum
moned as Witnesses were examined and
disposed of before the Court closed its
session at o'clock
General Miles testimony of course was
the feature of the days proceedings.
Colonel Frank Auchler hia chief of stan.
and "a gentleman iu Citizeu's clothes who
took a scat by the fireplace and grayoly
watched the course of proceedings retir-
ing with the General AS silently as De
had come accompanied the General TO
the cour; room. General Miles appeared
in fatigue uniform rather striking IA
It's contrast with the display of scarfs.
bullion and buttons of the fuii dress uni
forms or the court. lie submitted to thq
questioning of colonel Davis. recorder
of the court with equanimity except tW
70 Cash %. mingled Indignation and irons
when no informed the recorder that hA
was no, compelled % report 10 the Com
missary General of the Army" This
was I'm reply % "a question as 10 whether
or not ho had reported 10 the Commis-
sary Department the fact that complaints
had been made 90 him as tO the quality
OF meat being issued 10 the troops. An
instant later General Miles resumed his
cool and carefully considered replies 20
tho inquiries OF the Court.
SCOPE or INVESTIGATION.
As indicated by d letter of the Adju.
tant General, reed hy the recorder foi
the inform alton OF the Court tho scope
0f the inquiry was limited 10 the ale.
cations of General Miles before the War
Commission as 10 the quality OF tho
army beef "and the matter purportina
90 have been furnished 90 the public
press by the same official" only two
Interviews were called mp by tho Court
the first am interview with "a New York
Journal representative carly in tho beer
controversy. in which General Miles was
quoted as charging that certain chcmt-
calls We're used in the preservation OF the
army meat anu hNNlIFI hA AAf sf'N ANiN
Herald. under date of February lst, Cow
erIug about thc Same ground.
General Miles was very slow and care
fm in his replies to The recorder qucs.
ti0ns ON this point. lie nilci attention
10 the fact that ln both instances he was
credited iu the interviews With refusiue
To- answer certain Questions 1ud insist.
ed that these refusIl- should bc given dut
weight in cou-iterirg the questions r
which he did reply He said in the case
of the interview of February lsf chat DO
had o. letter from tine man VINO Wrop
the story Offering 10 swear that Genera
Miles had refused 90 be interviewed AND
that the whole story wis male up Do
the Office from the writer's general
knowledge OF the facts Notwitlsfand.
ing when he finally was asked as 20 th'
Of the interview. Genera
Miles did NOT specifically deny it bat
merely said that it did not quite fair.v
Confined ON Second page)