The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-30

hCh SOm1nISSaHy Cen
eraI Was Summoned to Tell What
Had Been Done I'm Making Con-
tracts.
WASHINGTON, March 29-The mill
tary court appointed to inquire into Cen
Miles charges concerning the beef sup
piled to the army during the Spanish war
had Former Commissary General Eagan
before it today on recall, and also heard
the testimony of Rear Admiral Stewart
and Paymaster Colby, of the Navy and
Maj. Black and Capt. Pomeroy, voIun-
teer officers. who We're engaged in the
commissary service at Ponce during Gen
Miles Porto Rican campaign.
Gen. Eagan's testimony was not start
ling. He stated that Armour & Co had
put in a bid to supply beef to be pre-
served by a process of their own, but
that he had not considered it. He also
modified former statement to the effect
that the Neutrality-suspicious. clause In the
beef contract had crept in as a clerical
error, saying that in the multitude of
matters which had been demanding his
attention at the time he had forgotten it's
insertion. There was an apparent effort
on the part of Maj. Lee. representing
Gen. Miles, to show that Senator Hanna
had sought to influence the contracts
but Gen. Eagan asserted that he did not
know the senator, and no explanation
was made of the introduction of his
name Gen. Eagan made frequent refer
ence during the giving of his testimony
to the numerous demands upon his time
during the war, making this condition an
explanation for not remembering details
Maj. Black and Capt Pomeroy gave the
details concerning the condition of the
beef brought to Porto Rico on the steam
er Manitoba Capt Pomeroy stated that
of 21,0O0 pounds receipted for at Ponce,
5000 pounds had been condemned They
also detailed the objections made by the
men to the roast canned beef Maj.
Black told of a conversation with Gen.
Eagan in regard to the refrigerator beef,
in which he quoted the latter as saying,
with an oath, that he would have COM
PEELED the men to take the beef.
Il called upon Gen Eagan,' Maj. Black
began by saying, ito confer with him
concerning the conduct of our affairs at
Ponce. He asked me why the refrige-
rator beef was not issued at Ponce. and
[ replied that it was because the issue
ccmmissaries did not want it, as they
were getting native beef. Thereupon
Gen. E,agan became very much excited
and exclaimed
cd d--n them, they have no
right to refuse 1t. l consider it the best
beef in the United States, and Cd
d-n them, I'd have made them take
it,"
Maj. Black also stated that at the time
the Manitoba was on the reef he had
some conversation with Gen. Miles about
the vessel, and while there made casual
reference to the beef on board. The gen
eral seemed principally concerned to get
the troops and horses Off.
Admiral Stewart and Paymaster Colby
testified to the use of canned roast beef
in the navy
When cross-examined by Maj. Lee, Gen.
Eagan said he exercised his own discre-
ton in the letting of contracts, without
suggestion from the secretary of war.
When the lowest bid was ascertained he
had been in the habit of making an abb
stract of the facts and submitting it to
the secretary, just as when he was COM
missary in the army he would furnish
such an abstract to his commanding Of
ficer.
SENATOR HANNA MENTIONED.
DO you recall asked Maj. Lee, be
ing present when a conversation took
place concerning the letting of these con-
tracts when Senator Hanna was pres
ent?'
81 never spoke to Senator Hanna in my
life," responded Cen Eagan, land I
don't think I would know him if he
should step into the room now He was
pointed out to me once, but | don't think
1 should know him now
But" persisted Maj. Lee "were you
ever present where he was when the beef
contracts were discussed? ?"
''I recall was the reply ''that the Sec
retary sent for me on one occasion and
asked me about the contracts when there
were two other gentlemen present in the
room with him. 1 stated to him that the
contracts had already been let, and that
nothing more could be done. But if Sen
ator Hanna was one of the men present,
I was not aware of the fact
Explaining the purchases of the canned
roast beef, Gen. Egan said that during the
entire war not to exceed twenty-four
days rations all told of it for the entire
army had been issued. 1t was only in
tended as a makeshift to be used when
fresh meat could not be secured
Some reports favorable to it and other
unfavorable came to me concerning it."
he said There were some complaints
and some concentrations
Continuing, he said that he had attrb-
uted the objection to this food largely
to ignorance and prejudice of the men,
(which has, he said, 'been the cause of
the army's refusing many wholesome arti-
cles of food
Sickness among the troops also doubt
less has much to do in influencing the OBJ
jections to this meat, according to the
opinion Of the witness.
Witness said he had conversed with
neither Gen. Miles nor Gen. Shafter con-
cerning the army rations, but that Gen.
Brooke had made some recommendations
concerning bacon in cans.
With this Gen. Eagan's testimony
closed and the court adjourned for the
day, with the understanding that some
witnesses, including Gen. Miles behalf,
would be heard tomorrow.