Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-20
GEN.. MILES HEARD
Chief Witness Before the Court Of
Inquiry.
MADE NO CHARGE OF FRAUD
An "Unfortunate Phrase" Miscon-
strued by Gen. Eagan.
EXPLAINS HIS RSH

packers and only read extracts from loo
condemnatory letters sent TO him with re-
| gard to the beef served to the army
| he explained that he never intended to
! accuse any one in the army of fraud, and
| admitted that his expression. ''pretense Of
| an experiment" which provoked Commis-
| sary General Eagan TO wrath and obsceni-
| ty, was an unfortunate one. He declared
| that he was always willing to withdraw
| it and substitute the phrase ION the theory
of an experiment" with regard to tho
| canned roast beef.
| General Miles testified that he was neve,
| aware that canned roast beef was a part
| of the army rations. and said he Interpreted
| the regulations upon the subject to mean
| canned corned beef
He was not represented by counsel, and
| there was no color Of sensationalism about
| the testimony at any point. General Miles
! was very cautious in his utterances and
| deliberated carefully before making replies
Other witnesses were Colonel Van Horne
of the 18th Infantry and Lieutenant Colonel
! Charles w. Muir Of the 9Th Infantry.
Assembling Of the Court.
Judge Advocate Davis was the first Of
the court to enter the chamber this MORN
ing. He arrived there shortly after
O'Clock and was followed before 10 o'clock
I by Brig. Gen. Davis and Col. Geo. l.. Gill
! lespie. The president, Mai. Gen. Wade,
was late, and reported about 1920 The
officers brought their fuIl-dress uniforms
and attired themselves in the ante-room
| preparatory to their customary calls of
| courtesy upon the President. the Secretary
| Of War and Mai Gen. Miles They fin
| ished this task at lo:33, and at once pro-
| ceeded to the White House and afterward
! to the War Department. In the meantime
| the room of the colonial advisory board
| through which admission to the inquiry
| chamber is gained, filled up with new spaper
| correspondents and military witnesses Only
| a iz-pE Of
| and the other news association, the army
| and navy journals and the local papers
| were admitted to the inquiry chamber and
/ provided with seats at the long table re-
! served for the press.
The other correspondents, numbering half
| a score, We're forced TO run the gauntlet of
the guards a the door. Outside the door
was stationed Private j. W. Jett Of Battery
| g, 4th Artillery, and inside Private b.
| T. Folkerth of Battery X, 9TH Artillery
! Both wore dress uniforms, bayonets and
/ white gloves.
! The first witness TO report was Captain
| Duncan of the 2lst Infantry. who was one
| of the officers to make formal complaint to
| General Miles concerning the beef. Others
| who have been summoned and will appear
| are Major A ". Corliss and Captain D. /.
! Harrell of the 9TH Infantry, Major A. II.
! Bowman of the I'd Infantry. Captain
/ Hughes of the 18th Infantry Lieutenant
| Colonel L. II. Liscum of the Path Infantry,
1 Brigadier General G. u. Viele and Major
J J. M Bell of the 1st Cavalry. These Off
GERS also made reports unfaVorable TO the
meat.
The Court Opened.
The visits of courtesy, during which the
court received further instructions from the
President. were concluded at l2O5. and at
that time the court reconvened in the LEM
on building. brief period was given TO
several photographers, who took various
views of the court. Maj. Gen. Wade sat 1T
the south end of the table. and at his right
/ 1grier
guished from the other officers by the gold
colored sash across the front of their uni
forms, running from the left shoulder to
the right side OF the waist Col. Gillespie
was at the west side of the table, and
Judge Advocate Davis faced the others
from the north end
Judge Advocate Davis afterward rising
announced to the court his readiness 20
proceed, and then read the order Of the
Secretary of War convening the court and
containing the charges upon which the in
quiry is proceeding. The court is directed
''te investigate certain allegations of the
major general comman nding the army in re-
spect TO the nniitness for issue Of certain
articles of food furnished by the subsst-
ence department to the troops in the field
during the recent operations in Cuba and
Porto Rico. In addition to the findings of
facts. the court will submit an opinion upon
the merits of the case, together with such
recommendation as TO further proceedings
as may seem to be warranted by the facts
developed in the course of inquiry"
Then he read a letter from Adit. Gen.
CGrbin explaining more in detail the line
of inquiry.
''The first witness" said Col Davis I'VE
propose to exanline is the major general
commanding the army"
GEN. Miles Testiies.
The swearing in of the officers Of the
court followed. and then Gen. Miles in un-
dress uniform. accompanied by his chief of
staff, Col. Michler, was ushered in. Gen.
Miles was given a seat at the left hand of
Col. Davis, and was at once sworn.
Col. Davis handed him a printed copy OF
the testimony he gave before the war COM
mission.
Gen. Miles admitted that he had appeared
before the thu commission, and then read
aloud the marked sections of his testimony
before the investigating comm. .ssion.
Gen. Miles declared it TO be a correct re-
port Then he was handed a Clipping from
the New York Journal of December g.
which purported to be an interview with
him upon the subject. He read il carefully
line by line.
Il do not recall anything in that inter-
view," said Gen. Miles, that had not been
given in my testimony or in the official re-
ports. You will see that it contains a num-
ber of my declarations to name officers or
my authorities"
Gen. Miles was very deliberate in all he
said, and commented upon the general in
accuracy of newspaper interviews due to
the writers being obliged TO rely upon their
memories.
months passed without interviewcrs apply
ing to him, and owing to the press kind
ness toward the army, especially the en-
listed men, he had given them such inter-
views as he thought wise and proper undAr
the circumstances, but never with the view
of prejudicing any one against any depart
n1ent or officer of the government Finally
he declared his belief that the journal in
tervlew did not state correctly what he had
said.
Col Davis next asked him about an in
terview In the New York Herald of Feb
ruary l.
"F1ked" Interview.
q have a letter from the gentlaman''
said Gen. Miles, ''who, 1 understand wrote
this. stating that he is willing to swear 1
declined to be interviewed. He admits that,
thinking something had bean given out to
others, he had proceeded to write what he
knew were the facts
General Miles pointed out that the inter-