The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-20

The order lssued-Composiston of sfsssr
Cours-Ses for Trial on she ASIA Tn


1hC order lseue0-COmp position Of the
Cours-ses for Trial on she ASIA Tn
slant
Washington. January ls-The detail
for the court-hartial which IL to try
Commissary General Charles p. Eagan
on charges growing out OF the state
ment before the war Investigation coni-
mission in which he severely attacked
General Miles was made public at the
war department.
The court Is made up Of thirteen
army officers OF whom Major General
Wesley Merritt is at the head. and a
judge advocate, and 10 Is to meet in
this city on Wednesday. the s5th IN.
slant. or as soon thereafter as practi-
cable. this qualification being necessary
because a number OF the members are
at distant points and will require some
days to adjust their affairs and reach
this city. All the officers composi~g the
court, save one, are from the re ular
army. number OF whom, however
during the war accepted volunteer
rank and still hold those comm. 'ons.
Major General Butler is the ani one
"ho 10 not connected Win the .N4ar
army.
Adjutant General Corbln returned
early in the evening from New York
and came TO the war department about
$3.50 o'clock. He then signed II for
NAL order promulgating the detG.. for
the court.
Detail for the court is: Mai en-
eral Wesley Merritt, L. S. A; .alor
General James +. Wade, Il. s. MI; aIa-
tor General Matthew c. Butlc. e.. q.
V.;Major General Samuel B. NJ goung,
U. s. V.;Brigadier General Royal T.
Frank, u. S. V; Brigadier General
Alexander c. New. Pennington. u. $.
V; Brigadier General George NJ Ran
dali, L. 5. V; Brigadier General Ja-
cob Kline, L. s. V; Brigadier General
Richard Comba, L. :. V; Colonel Pc
ter c. Haines, corps OF engineers: Col
onel George l.. Gillespie, corps of en-
gineers; Colonel Charles r. Suter, corps
of engineers; Colonel Francis l.. Guen-
ther, fourth artillery; Lieutenant
Colonel George b. Davis. deputy judge
advocate general, iudg advocate OF
the court.
The court is empowered to proceed
with the business before IL with any
number of members, not less than ne
minimum prescribed by law.
General Corbin stated that the C-der
for the appointment OF the court-!lar-
tial would be delivered to General Ea-
gan either tonight or tomorrow morn
ing. This, 1t is expected, will be done
|, by an officer or an employee OF the
adjutant generals office. Its receipt
and acknowledgement by the commits
saTy general will be tantamount to the
| relief of that officer from his present
| duties and he will turn over its affairs
| either to some one designated to act
| by the secretary of war or TO the officer
| next in charge of the department.
| If the course indicated by an officer
| of the adjutant generals office tonight
is followed, the probability Is that Cen
eral Eagan will not be placed under
actual arrest and deprived OF any OF
his liberties pending the trial, but will
| be subject only to constructive and
technical arrest during that time. In
the case of officers of high rank this
is occasionally but not often done, and
| this course does not in any way inval-
| idate the trial or findings or the court
General Eagan will be expected TO re.
main away from his office and make
himself inconspicuous until his appear.
ance before the court to answer the
| charges, when he will be placed under
| constructive arrest and remain so dur
ing its proceedings. Were the defend
ant a younger officer and Of obstrep
erous character and in the field with
his regiment, the usual couse OF plac
ing him under arrest and deprivinl
him of his swbrd would no doubt b.
| followed.
Adjutant General Corbin refused to
night to make any statement regardin,
the form Of the charges and specifica
tions to be brought against Genera
Eagan, or to say when they would b,
published.
General Eagan, after the issuance o.
the formal order for the court tonigh
declined to make any statement IL
connection with his case