Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-01-26
EAGAN PUT ON TRIAL.
accused General Pleads Not Guilty 10
the Charges.
BUT QUALITIES HIS PLEA
,ils Counsel Urges Presidents PROM
ise of immunity For war no"'"
Witnesses-Tcstimo rake"
by the Court Martial.

Washington, Jan. 26.-The board OF
rmv officers designated by the secre'a-
V of war to sit as a court martiai III
he case Of Brigadier General Chailes
], Eagan, commissiary general Oh SUI.
.istence, charged. first, with cohuuc'
,nbecoming an officer and gentleman
nd second. with conduct to the pre)u-
ice of good order and military discl-
line in connection with his testimony
.efore the war investigating committee
not in the red parlor of the Epplll
louise and proceeded with the business
n hand.
The members of the court, VINO aP-
cared in full dress uniform, were sea'-
d about a long table placed lengthwlse
# the room. General Merritt, the pres1-
lent of the court. occupying the seat az
he head. Colonel Davis. the judge au.
.ocate, called the roll of the court, AN
If the members responding 10 'nei'
names. AS he concluded General Ia
an appeared, with his counsel, Mr. "A.
{; Worthington, formerly United states
district attorney for the District OF CO.
,mbia. and took a seat near the judge
dvocate. at the foot of the table. GEN.
raj Eagan also wore the dress UNIFORM
f his rank.
Almost Immediately Colonel Davis
rose and introduced General Easah
md his counsel and then proceeded 10
cad the order converting the court
rhe Judge advocate when this was con-
,,uded turned to General Eagan and in
,uired whether he objected to any or
he members of the court as designated
w the order General Eagan repled'
I do not" The members of the court
hen arose and took the usual oath'
which was administered by Colonel ia
Wis. The charges and specifications
we're then read.
Pagan Pleads.
During these preliminary proceedings
General Eagan exhibited no signs OF
nervousness, but the expression OF ms
'ace and his manner clearly lnolcateu
that he realized that the trial involved
consequences to him of the graVes'
character. While he stood listening &c
the charges and specifications, his race
seemed somewhat paler than usual. Al
the conclusion of the reading, on being
requested to plead to the specification
to the first charge, he said:
mot guilty, not denying. however
that the specifications set forth correct
" part Of the language used. 10 the
first charge he pleaded mot guilty.
To the specification to the seconc
charge he pleaded mot guilty, not deny
ing however, that the specification set:
forth correctly part of the language
used" To the second charge he pleaded
mot guilty"
The judge advocate then arose ant
said that the case in hand was a pecul
lar one, but presented no unusual diff
culties. The accused had seen fit to ado
to his plea of not guilty some words
tending to qualify it, but he did no
think the plea relieved the court from
the necessity of proving the facts al
legged.
Mr.. Worthington responded brief.
and explained why the qualifying word
had been used upon his Recommended
ton. The specifications did the accuse
| great injustice in that they stated par
| ticular expressions without giving tn
! context and in one or more instance
! the specifications quoted begin in tn
| middle Of sentence.
| Continuing, Mr.. Worthington said tina
he desired TO state briefly to the cour
| the substance of General Eagans de
tense Whatever he said. the coul
may think of the propriety of the Ian
guage used by General Eagan before tn
! war Investigating committee there wa
| no doubt in his fWorthngton's min
that he was fully prot 'cted in usin
| that language by the laws OF the LAM
| In no court, civil or military. he sale
| could the aCcus held accOuntabl
| for his Language. even if it could b
shown that the speaker was actuate
| nv malice