Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-01-19
BUT EAGAN SOMEWHAT MODI-
t44yS HIS EVIDENCE.
EMBALMED BEEF DISPUTE
Commissary General Is Very Bitter
Against the Commanding General
Says Shafter Was Deeply Grateful
for the Refrigerated Beef Sent Him
at Santiago--Alger Not Involved.

statement filed by Commissary General
Eagan. The commission permitted
representatives of the press to read the
statement, and it was formally an
nounced to the newspaper men that
Gen. Eagan had eliminated all the OBJ
jectionable statements, and therefore
the document would be accepted Off
cially as evidence. The changes made
by Eagan in the document are mainly
in the line Of eXcision, yet the phrase
ology has also been altered frequently.
He refers to Miles as Senior Maj. Gen.
Nelson A. Miles" and. while keeping
within the line of propriety in the
Judgment OF the commission In a neg
atiye manner at least he resents any
assumption Of Miles superiority, and
asserts that he Is as old and as expert
cnced soldier as Miles. 1t is believed
that SO far AS the commission Is con-
cerned the incident is now closed
Gen. Eagan begins his new slate
mont by stating that he holds in his
nand an official copy of the statements
made to your commission, by the
senior major general of the United
States army, Nelson A. Miles" He de-
tails the Amusement and surprise he
experienced when informed that Miles
had selected Maj. Black, volunteer
officer tCtally devoid OF experience in
the subsistence department" as his
staff commissaTy, instead OF Major Us
good who was first chosen for that
post 10y Miles. He refers to the very
ordinary and commonplace telegram"
sent 10y Miles to his adiutant general
here in Washington about June It'll,
inuuiring what subsistence stores were
at Tampa Eagan says he made a
formal written reply 10 this, but was
amazed the next morning 10 see III the
newspapers that Miles had found It
necessary to send serious reprimand
to Washington, II have to STATE, says
Nagan, that No such reprimand was
ever received by me from Miles, nor
from any other general and that Miles
mas no authority in his commission or
in his position under the law or regu
lai0ns to send reprimands to me.
Notwithstanding that this imaginary
reprimand was published III the press,
he continues, Gen. Miles from that
day to this has never in any shape or
form. al hough ! have met him. taken
occasion 10 express any regret for the
statements made in the papers about
the TeprimaDd nor to allude to them
at all.
Pagan says that he fitted out the eX-
Qedition to Porto Rico with ample sub
sistence SUPPLIES and sent lin one Of the
refrigerator ships, the Massachusetts,
2O3 600 pounds Of refrigerated beef, not
emhaimed beef nor treated by any
chemical process whatsoever, but first
class refrigerated beef. as good as the
country produces and in every way
sound, sweet and proper food. After
some discussion of Miles statement as
to the shortness of funds in Porto Rico,
Eagan again takes up the beef Ques-
| ton ana declares II was good beef. and
any officer nomatter what his rank, ;"
failing to use proper supplies, does SO
At his peril, ana If he purchases Il sub
Stitutc FOR a good article, an inclrior
and unwholcsume one. one that the
whole medical fraternity Of the United
States woald unite In saying il was not
wholesome, and gives the men diar-
rhoea and dysentery, then he does so at
still greater peril. Wy Gen. Miles
own statement he directed the purchase
Of native beef ashore, while tins good
| rot ri o inl hnaf am p llnnl hnpf
was there IN Ponce. 1t was not en-
balmed beef. nor was II treated with
| any chemicals whatever for its preser-
vation.'
Discussing Miles statement that he
wanted complete rations sent instead
Of in bulk Eagan says he never saw
any such request; If he had he would
have regarded ii as extraordinary, for
there Ia no such thing as sending COM
pleto rations in uarge quantities 9TH
erwise than in bulk" Taking up Miles
testimony that the food was one Of the
serious causes OF the sickness among
the soldiers Eagan denies this, and
points oat that Miles gives is as his
| Judgment.
Eagan declares that Shafter cabled
! his appreciation OF the character of
| the refrigerated beef that arrived at
Santiago one day after the port was
opened "Shafter," he says, has re-
peatedly in person expressed to me his
| profound gratitude and appreciation OF
the fine beef which he calls the finest
he ever ate--ths same refrigerated
bect-not the embalmed that is spoken
of by Miles in his statement made to
your commission. You have before
you reports OF various officers describ-
| ing the character OF the superior and
fine cattle t?l that Porto Rico fur
nished to the United States at the low
prices mentioned by Miles bulls,
stays, runts, deformed cattle, which
means old worked oxen-a class OF
beef that the subsistence department.
never purchased ii this country nor
/ anywhere else. and Il ii could 10 no
| better certainly il could get good re-