The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-04
sor., s.kno POWDER CO., NEW yosx.

unsupported, General Miles may be obliged
to answer TO a court-nertial for reflect
ing upon the character of other officers.
There are two methods by which such
an investigation may be conducted accord
ing to established military usage. The
first is by the appointment Of court OF
inquiry, and the second by the appoint
ment of what is known as an officers, or
inspection board. In the former case i;
would be necessary to name some officer
who is TO be the subject OF investigation
In the latter the board is charged simply
to inquire into a state of facts or alleged
facts, without reference to any particular
person and to place responsibility if posi-
bic for anything which complaint is made.
Their findings may serve as the basIs for
a court-martial court as effectually as the
findings of a court OF Inquiry, and has
some advantage in that it does not be-in
with the presumption of a court Of in
Quiry. Where court of inquiry is or
dered it is said there is conveyed dis
tinct reflection upon the officer named. Be
cause of this, when the navy department
requested the war department to order
court of inquiry to investigate the circum-
stances attending the killing OF a number
of Spanish prisoners on board the Har-
ward, the latter instead ordered an inspec-
ton board, considering that the ordering
of the court of inquiry might be iooed upon
as a predecision against our troops.
Such officers boards are frequently or
dered to fix responsibility for the .oss or
damage of stores, and several Of Il EN-
have been appointed during tire va to
look into the loss Of meats, notably IN the
case of Porto Rico and returned &c Men
tauk Point. ike court Of inquiry, thJ Sc
boards return statements of facts devel-
oped by them, upon which the superior
authorities can act.
1t is not possible at present to learn in
which direction the president leans. hut
he has been in conference with the :ecre-
tary of war and the attorney general ard
the matter has been discussed in the cabi-
net to some extent AS before stated,
however, no action is to be taken on either
plan until the report of the war investigat-
ing commission is submitted.
Up to the close of the day General Miles
positively declined to discuss in any man.
ner the events of the day so far as they
relate to himself. or to discuss any state
attributed to him. 1t may be said of these
interviews that while they might figure,
they would not do so of necessity for the /
matters to be first looked into are those
connected with the character of the beef |
General Miles was questioned tonight |
regarding the reported statements that |
he had denied the accuracy of the in |
tervlew concerning beef furnished to the |
army which was published while on. his |
recent visit to New York. He courteous |
ly declined to be drawn into any discus |
sion of that or any other newspaper state !
ments appertaining to him. General Miles |
insisted that the question at issue, after |
all, was not of, this interview, but wheth-
er bad food was furnished the army
MITIGATION. IN EAGAN'S CASE.
Washington, Feb. 3.-There is almost a
positive belief among army officials that
there will be a mitigation of the-sentence
imposed by court martiel which tried |
Commissary General Eagan. While the
final sentence will be severe, it is not
probable that there will be a dismissal
from the army.