Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-01-21
SCANDAL IN THE ARMY
Eagan's Course Denunciation
of General Miles.
THE EMBALMED BEEF.
General Miles Statements Fiereely Dc
nted- Commissary-GcnerAt of Subsiss-
encc Tcstidcs Before the War Investi-
gatinE CommissIon In Answer 60
Charges Made By Mites in an Interview.

Washington. d. c. Especial Tho climax
In the controversy between General Miles
and Commissary General Eagan over the
subject OF beef furnished the army during
tho war with spain was reached Thursday
At the session OF the board investigating the
question. when General Eagan repeatedly
declared that General Miles bad 'iicd" aud
bad made statements for which no should .
be drummcd out of the army. General Eagan
did not make these accusations Ga the ey-
element Of the moment brat read them ah \
from a carefully prepared paper which he +
submitted 20 the beard FOR IA Information /
The nature Of the charges made against 4
General Miles by junior officer are said % |
have been unparalleled ia tho history of /
military discipline Ia this country, or. per- /
hape. any other. and the general verdict
among officers - that q court of inquiry
must follow. and possibly n court-martial.
The fact that General Eagan is not only
junior % General Miles in rank. but that DO
has assailed the personal integrity and con-
duct Of the highest ranking army ollcer oi
the government Is declared g, be so grave
and serious matter THAI 10 cannot he
passed over by tho War Department, evon
should General Miles not ask ios court
/ Of Inquiry.
statement Carefully Prepared.
surprised At tho unexpected and sensational
turn which the investigation took. and say
/ that had he, IN a burst OF passion and exc
/ element, made his charges in such plain,
outspoken language there might have tern
I some little excuse f0r him, inssmuch as it is
asserted he IS quick tempered. irascibie and
just how highly irritated that his bureau
should have been reflected on.
No Official notice was taken of what tran
Ha L. .f.~ fH.. D.. .a..r
until the records of the days proceedings
have been received. General Miles would
not say what be contemplated doing, if any
thing. and General Eagan seemed satisfied
thas hc had delivered what ho states are his
, opinions OF General Miles.
, Officers OF the judgc-adyocate-gc gcnerals
, department express the belief that General
Miles cannot avoid asking Tor court oi In
Quiry, as the ranking onicer Of the service
, cannot countenance such serious violations
, Of discipline. respect due superiors aud con-
duct "prciudiciai 90 ths interest Of the sor-
vice"
Il Cause OF Eagan's Outbreak.
Z The events which led up 10 the sensational
proceedings began ten days ago. when it was
/ announced a board would bo appointed O.
/ Investigate reports received by General
=, Miles while in Porto Rico resl ecting the
character OF the beef served the troops
General Miles has recently stated thai b.
= dld not prefer charges against Genera
Eagan. but simply presented reports made
. 20 him. which he believed. called for in
- vestigatlon and official notice. Al one of th'
y earlier hearings numerous reports were rea,
I, from officers. showing the beef was IRE
y ouently unfit for use. and when not rause
- ating was unpaiatab!c. General Miles SAFE
he had received numerous other commune.
= cations OF the same sort, among them on
- from Governor Roosevelt. who says he FOX
bade bis men 10 eat the beef furnished the1
: by the commissary-g general.
~ From a prominent and wealthy man {
- New York, whose son. it IS claimed. wa
A. made nl by eating the beef. General Miles 30
- ceivrd letter reciting tho circumstance
e and Offering fnarci aid, 10 necessary. an
'H .his services Ia any trial that might tax
az ~ place" General Miles showed uumeror
81 similar letters. lie made 10 comment o
-. Rny OF them.
Dy Gen. Eagan Is small man physical
a. compared with General Miles, but carrie
-es himself with soldieriy bearing and does IA
* look as small, therefore, as he really is
~ he lives and comes out OF his pending col
ou troversy unscatched, he will not retire 4
TOT age until 1905. and will be one OF the ~
heads Of his department In late years ha
'eo ing a tenure OF office so long.
- Animosity Toward Miles.
A.. General Eagan is understood upon pre-
-. ious occasions 20 have shown considerat
49, animosity toward General Miles. and espe
81, tally, Il Is said. when they We're togeth
years ago In Arizona. IL Is statel that sol
.-,, time ago another high-rAnking army ofhc
- was on the verge OF ordering a coDrt-mi
-, tial for Eagan for some intenperate renal
- made by him.
'uo General Eagans career In the army "
not conspicuous. Il Is asserted ly his broth
officers, either during the civil war or sin
lie sorved throughout the war without pl
motion, aud when mustered out was a
lieutenant OF a Washington Territory co
pany, with which he entered the army. BE
In Ireland. he came to this country when
la lad and made bis way 20 California. wh'
he was soon closely identified with a fams
ork company of the vigilant days, SnOwn as
Young America Company.
In Members OF Congress from the Pac
slope say that Gen. Eagan in tho ca
the sos" was In Mexico on nlibustering exl
ditions and lster went 70 Washiugt
sta, Tn the Regular Army.
VIC On being mustered out as the close OF
wsr he wss appOinted a second ieutenan
ned the Ninth Infantry, but for one year and
YES. half. between 1869 AID 1871. ho was an
be- signed. The reason for this Is not given
rom the army register Ia June lS74, no
transferred to tho eonimlssary departm'
OF with the rank OF captain and became a
risn- jOr OF the same deI aSsnent la 1892 and Il
tenant colonel in 1897. Hs was for N
ard, years stationed on the Paeine COAST, vi
ner- ne Is widely known. Wnile there he bee