New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-13
BEEF SCANDAL AT A CRISIS
DISMISSAL OF EAGAN OR MILES con-
SIDERED UNAVOIDABLE.
GRAVE RESULTS TO FOLLOW THE COM
MIssARY-GENERALs VICIOUS ATTACK
on THE CoMMANDER-ExcITE-
MENT AND INDIGNATION
IN ARMY CIRCLES

General of Subsistence. who read a carefully
prepared statement couched In the most intem-
perate terms in which vicious vilification was
substituted for evidence and argument has
brought the beef scandal 10 crisis which. In the
opinion OF the Judge Advocate Generals once
Of the Army. and that Of other high officials Of
the War Department. renders a court martial
and the dismissal OF one Of the two officers from
the service wholly unavoidable. The officers Of
the Army. irrespective Of personal preferences.
believe that the service has been scandalized In
manner that means irreparable injury to 1t. and
that no graver condition has existed In the
highest rank. Indignation is expressed on every
hand that such a division Of authority could
have been permitted to grow up during so brief
a war as to encourage the development Of a bit-
ter controversy of this sort.
GENERAL MILEs's CHARGES.
It will be remembered that General Miles ap-
peared before the Commission on December ~
in obedience to a summons. after having de-
clined to volunteer criticisms on the conduct OF
the war He was not sworn. and furnished no
testimony that not drawn from him by close
questioning. His disclosures about "embalmed''
beef were reluctantly made, and prefaced by the
assertion that personally he knew nothing OF
the matter except from numerous official reports
and complaints which had reached him. ana
which he was at the time having investigated.
He had no idea who was responsible for the
matters complained of. he said. although in
ply to nterrogatores he intimated strongly
that the Commssary- General. who probably
made the contracts could not be expected per-
sonay to inspect hundreds of tons Of refriger.
ated meats. and that inefficient subordinates
might be to blame. He recited to the Commis-
sion the contents Of many Of the official COM
plants which he was having investigated. but
declined positively TO say where he thought the
responsibility would be found to lie.
At later session Of the Commission General
Miles caused Inspector General Breckenridge TO
furnish copies Of thirty-fve or forty Of the COM
plants against the beef which had been filed Ia
the War Department, and beyond this the Com
manding General has taken no public part In the
controversy. II Is known however, that re-
ports characterizing the contract beef as un-
palatable, disgusting and even poisonous, have
been steadily coming into the War Department
since the matter gained notoriety. and particu-
larly in the last ten days One of these has just
come in from Governor Roosevelt. who declares
the beef furnished at Santiago to have been at
best tasteless and at worst nauseatng." and
adding that he would not issue the stun TO hiE,
men. preferring to let them go hungry rather
X.
arrived to-day came from an artillery officer
who had saved unopened of the so-called
roast beef. which he offered for analysis.
SYMPATHY ALIENATED FROM EAGAN.
Up to the present time Commissary- General
Eagan. who lieutenant colonel when the
war began. has had the active sympathy OF
Secretary Alger and Adjutant- General Corbin
in regard TO the conduct OF the Subsistence De-
partment but this has been swept aside by his
exhibition to-day, and they will offer oppos-
ton to any measures that may be taken to dis
cpne him for his utter disregard Of the Army
regulations II is now evident to them. as 1t is
to every one else In ,he Army, that General
Eagan is unsuited to occupy the present impor-
tant position and that by his conspicuous in
discretion has practically read himself out Of
the service.
1t is in the power Of General Miles TO order
court Of inquiry at once 10 determine the
charges on which General Eagnn may be tried
before court martial, but this formality may
be rendered superfluOus in view OF the fact that
General Eagan will not attempt to take refuge
under the protection which the Investigating
Commission affords its witnesses. especially as
he furnished manifold copies Of the statement
read by him to the newspapers, in order that It
might be published broadcast General Eagan
deliberately sought to secure the widest circua-
ton for his scurrilous characterizations OF his
superior officer. and made no concealment OF his
purpose TO court military tribunal which
should declare whether he was justified in the
course he had chosen to pursue
Those who have been In General Eagan's con-
idence declare that his indecorous TRADE to-day
was delivered against the persuasion OF his
friends. who warmly counselled him to preserve
the dignity Of his position and that OF tie Army.
The impetuous Commissary- General. however,
declined all advice. and declared emrhatically
his belief that he would be justified In any LAM
guage he could utter against tho General COM
manding II being his desire to appear before .
court-martial for the purpose Of bringing out all
the facts in the controversy. He refused to ae-
cept the assurance OF his superiors that his
manner OF attacking the Commanding General
a military offence punishable oy
dismissal in disgrace entirely apart from the
beef question. and that no circumstances now
ever exasperating. could warrant or excuse tho
mere personal abuse Of an officer
General Eagan after the hearing was over ~
fused 10 say whether he had any further move
In prospect in forcing an issue between himself
and General Miles. Il have said all intend TO
say for the present. he replied and II any
one wants TO bring the matter to court-mar-
,ial am ready for that too. as have already
stated before the Commission"
MILES REFUSES TO TALK
As soon as the nature Of General Eagan's
statements became known attention was d.
rected TO Army headquarters 10 ascertain what
move would he made BY General Miles. Tns
latter. through Colonel Michler. his chief aid.
beyond saying that he had stood up for the
soldiers. declined to make any statement saying
that this was not the time for talk. ana tnat
before taking any action IT WOULD be only proper
and necessary TO wait until he had had an op-
,ortunity 10 receive through the regular cham
,eIs and 10 consider the testimony OF Generai
Eagan He would not talk about a court-mar-
al
Altogether the intimaton conveyed was that
,eneral Miles would act with deliberation II