Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-01-28
MADE PUBLIC.
Charges which Form the Basis for
the Court-MnrtInl of Gen.
Engnn.

Washington, Jan. 24.-The charges
and specifications upon which Commits
sary Gen. Eagan is to be tried this week
have been given to the press. The
charges and specifications are as fol-
lows:
Charge I. Conduct unbecoming an officer
and gentleman. Specihcatlon-Tn that
Brig. Gen. Charles p. Eagan, commissary
general of subsistence, United States army
did, while testifying as witness before
the commission appointed by the president
to investigate the conduct of the war de-
pRrtment In the war with Spain, submit
and read as a part of his testimony GER
tain written statement in which he did
make use of, and thereby publish, the fol-
lowing disgraceful insulting and ungentle-
manly language with reference to Maj.
Gen. Nelson A. Miles, commanding the
army, namely:
"If and when Gen. Miles charges that II
(meaning timed fresh beeO was furnished
| as a 'pretense OF experiment. he lies in
his throat, he lies in his heart, he lies in
| every hair of his head and every pore of his
| body, he lies willfully. deliberately, inten-
tionally and maliciously. In de-
| nouncing Gen. Miles a liar, when he
makes this statement, wish to make 1t
as emphatic and as coarse as the state
ment itself wish to force the lie back
into his throat, covered with the contents
of camp latrine."
Charge 2. Conduct to the prejudice of
good order and military discipline. Speci-
fication-In that Brig. Gen. Charles P.
| Eagan, commissary general of subsistence,
United States army, did, while testifying as
a witness before the commission appointed
| by the president to investigate the con-
duct of the war department in the war with
Spain, submit and read, as part of his tes-
timony, a certain written statement In
which he did make use of and thereby pub
lish, the following grossly abusive and un-
military language with reference to the
major general commanding the army,
namely:
"If and when Gen. Miles charges that II
(meaning timed fresh beeO was furnished
as pretense of experiment. he lies in his
throat, he lies in his heart, he lies in every
hair OF his head and every pore of his body,
he lies willfully, deliberately, intention
ally and maliciously. II his statement Is
true that this was furnished under pre-
tense of experiment. then I should be
drummed out of the army and incarcerated
in state prison. II this statement is false
as assert 1t to be, then he should be
drummed out of the service and incarcer-
ated in prison with other libelers.
His statement Is a scandalous libel, re.
flecting upon the honor OF every officer ir
the department who has contracted for oil
purchased this meat, and especially and
particularly on the commissary general
myself. In denouncing Gen. Miles as a liaI
when he makes this statement, 1 wish tC
make 1t as emphatic and as coarse as the
statement itself. 1 wish to force the lie
back into his throat, covered with the con.
tents of camp latrine.
II wish to brand 1t as a falsehood of whole
cloth, without particle of truth to sustain
It, and unless he can prove his statement
he should be denounced by every homes
man, barred from the clubs, barred from
: the society of decent people and so ostra
! cised that the street bootblacks would no
, condescend to speak to him, for he ha!
fouled his own nest, he has aspersed thu
5 honor of brother officer without a particle
2 of evidence or fact to sustain in any de
gree his scandalous, libelous, maliciou
falsehood, viz, that this beef or anything
whatever was furnished the army unde
f pretcnse of experiment.
7 The precise nature of Gen. Eagan'
f plea to these charges and specifica
i, tions has not yet been determined upor
e So far as the charges are concerned i
is understood that Gen. Eagan will no
: plead guilty to either of them. A stron
E legal contest is looked for in the pre-
j, ceedings before the court-martial.