The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-13

WASHINGTON. Jan. 12.-Commis-
sary-General Charles P. Eagan to-day
reappeared before the war lnvestiGa-
ton commission TO answer the charges
OF General Nelson A. Miles, concern
Ing the coinmissary supplies furnished
the army during the recent war. Gener-
al EaSan's statement furnished the scn-
satioh OF the war commissions history
and was regarded by old army officers
rs one Of the most remarkable attacks
ever made In the. history Of the service.
General Eagan's statement to the
commission was bitter personal attack
upon General Miles. so entirely un-
qualified both as TO scope and Ian
guage, that the war commission on
hearing its conclusion ordered brief
executive session, after which the doors
were reopened, the witness was recalled
and business resumed In the usual way.
The subject In controversy was Cen
eral Miles's already famous "embalmed
beef" testimony and the letters and
documents supporting 1t. General Miles
had charged that the canned and re-
frigerator meats sent to the army in
Cuba and Porto Rico were unfit to use.
that they were preserved by the use of
chemicals and that they had been
bought and sent to the army under the
pretense of an experiment" This re-
Election upon>both the ability and hon
esty of the commissary department had
angered General Eagan and caused him
TO request to be recalled to reply to
General Miles charge
Not n Sudden Passion.
That his statements concerning the
commanding general were not the re-
suit Of sudden outburst Of passion
was very clearly shown by the
fact that General Eagan read his re-
marks from carefully prepared type
written copy. Not the least remarka-
bic phase Of General Eugan's state
meni was the language in which it was
couched: there was scarcely Il phrase
that wonl1 not have been character
lied as sensational IN an ordinary at
Ncinl ntlerance. - z
General Eagan. after the hearing was
over, refused to say whether he had
any further move in prospect in forcing
m Issue between himself and General
for the present." he replied. land il any
one wants TO bring the matter to a court
martial ! am ready for that. too. as
have already stated before the commits
sion"
AS soon as the nature Of General
Eagan's statements became known at
tention was directed 10 army head
quarters to ascertain what hove would
be made by General Miles. The latter
through Col. Nlilchtcr. his chief aide,
beyond saying that he had stood for the
soldiers. declined TO make any state
mcnt, saying that now was not the time
FOR talk and that before taking any ac-
ton 1t would be only proper and neces-
sary to wait until lie had had un op-
portunity to receive through the regular
channels and 10 consider the testimony
furnished by General EaGan. He would
not talk about court martial.
Action Open for Miles.
Altogether the in,Imatlo conveyed
was that General Miles would act with
dclibcratlon IL he decided TO take any
action at all: and there was a faint
suggestion that lie might decide to Ig-
more the statement altogether.
OF course decision to that effect
on the part OF General Miles would ter
inmate the incident, but should he de-
eide to take notice officially OF the at
tack the next step would be for him
to prefer charges with the President
against the commissary general. These
might be based on several technical
grounds. such, for instance. as conduct
tending to the destruction OF good
order and discipline. 1t would be for
the President 10 pass upon the demand,
and he nigh adopt one OF three
courses refuse 1t, grant It or instead
order court Of inquiry. In this latter
case the body would have the power
to go into the question OF vcracity
which has been raised. and, In fact, the
conduct Of both generals would be proc