Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-20
Court-Martial Under Orders to Con-
vene Next Week.
WESTON, ACTING COMMISSARY GENERAL
Accused Officer at the Department,
But Not on Duty.
SERVICE s OF OH ARG E s

Arrangements are being made at the War
Department today for The trial by court
martial of Commissary General Eagan, On
account of his alleged unmilitary and un-
gentlemanly conduct before the war inveSti-
eating commission last Friday.
The court-martial is under orders to con-
Vene next Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock
or as soon thereafter practicable. Quar-
tiers have Eot yet been selected for the bus
iness of the court, but il is more than prob
able that the court will hold its sessions in
the Lemon building. where the war investi-
eating commission has its headquarters.
AS predicted in yesterdays Star, Gen.
Eaga5 was suspended from duty at the
close Of business yesterday afternoon. The
only formality was the service of a brief
notice by tie adjutant general of the army
of the action of the President in ordering
Court-martial for his trial.
This was delivered TO Gen. Eagan by
q messenger from the adjutant generals
office III the usual routine of business. Its
effect was To relieve Gen. Eagan from duty
as cOnmlssdTy general of the army, pend
ing the result of courJ-martial proceedings.
In Eagan's Place.
Col. John f. Weston, assistant commits
say general, now in charge of the sub
sistence depot at New York has been
summoned to Washington to assume the
duties of acting commIssary general pend
ing the conclusion of the trial of Gen. Ea-
gan He is expected TO take charge of the
once Monday morning. In the meantime
Lieut.. Col George Is. Davis assistant
coInmlsSdry general. United States Nolun-
teers, the senior officer on duty at the de-
parJmenC, is administering the affairs of the
cOmmlssaTy generals office.
Col Weston is one OF the best-known Of
hcers Of the subsistence department, and
Is the ranking colonel. Next TO Gen Eagan
H.aT il h. MI
the event that the court-martial proceed
lESs should result in the dismissal of Gen.
EdSdn. ne would most likely succeed to the
vacancy. Col. Weston entered the army
as Z hrSt lieutenant of the 4th Kentucky
Volunteer Cava.ry in 1S61, ana served cred
ltabiy throughout the civil war. He was
nOn0Tdbly mustered out a major of VOL
unteerS IN August, lSti5. In 1861 he was
transferred TO the regular army as a second
lieutenant of the ID Cavalry, and in No
Ee4nDer, 1870, he was appointed a captain
IN the subsistence department. In the same
year ne took course of instruction at the
artillery school
He reached his present grade of colonel
last year During the Spanish war he
served with credit chief commssary Of
hcer of the 9Th Army Corps under Gen.
Shafter in the Santiago campaign.
Charges Not Yet Served
Gen Eagan spent a short time at the
War Department this morning, but was
not on duty. He has not so far secured
counsel TO represent him before the court
martial The charges formulated by Judge
Advocate General Leber have hot vet been
served upon the accused officer. The law
requires that this shall be done within
elSht days litter the court has been or
uered, but II is not expected that there will
be so great delay in this case.
lieutenant Colonel George B. Davis dep
uty Judge advocate general. who mas been
assigned to duty as judge advocate of the
EdSdn court. arrived here this morning
from West Point, where ne has been on
duty at the Military Academy.
4he charges and specifications prepared
BY the judge advocate general We're placed
IN the hands of Colonel Davis together
with all the othclal documents bearing on
the case. When thoroughly examined and
approved by him copy of the charges and
specifications will be supplied to General
Eagan, to enable him 10 prepare his de-
Tense
II Is said at the War Department that the
text Of the charges and specifications will
not be made public until they are read be-
fore the court-martial