Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-03-11
NILES AS A WITNESS.
The Court Of Inquiry Hears
the Generals Story.
STATEMENTS CAREFULLYCOySlDERED
Certnsn Newspaper Interviews Dta
Net Fairfy Represents Ht. optn-
lens, eat He Agreed with
Nnch Contained Therean.


WASHINGTON. Feb. 9.-The Miles
court of inquiry yesterday made a good 4
start n its work. The court was com |
fortaoly Cuartered in the old meeting |
room of the war Invest eating commits
sion In the Lemon building. with ac-
comrpcdations for representatives OF the !
press Associations and the local papers.
Calls of ceremony on the president and
general comma ndinE the army occupied
a large part OF the forenoon. and imme-
diatety thereafter General Nelson A.
Miles appeared as the first witness. He
and three othSr army ofacers summoned
as witnesses were examined and dis
posed OF before the court closed lts ses-
sion az 3 o'clock General Miles tcsti-
mony. Of course. was the feature OF the
days proceedings. Colonel Frank Mich
Ter. his chief OF stan. and a gentleman
In citizen's clothes who took a seat by
the fireplace and Ersvely watched the
course Of proceedings. retiring with the
general a. silently as he had come. ac-
companied the general 20 the court
room. General Miles appeared IN IA
tigue uniform. rather striking In its
contrast with the display or scarfs bull
lion and buttons on the full dress uni
forms OF the court He submitted 20
the questioning OF Colonel Davis re-
corder OF the court with eQuanirnity
except FOR a nash % mingled indiEna-
tion and irony when ne informed the
recorder that ne was not compelled 20
"report' 20 the coumissary general or
the army This was In reply 20 a ques-
ton as 20 whether or not ne had re-
ported 20 the courmissary department.
the fact THAT complaints had been made
20 him as 20 the quality cf meat beinF
General Miles resumed his cool and
carefully considered replies 20 the In
quiries of the court
As Indicated BY letter os the ad3u-
ts.nt general read by the recorder Tor
the information or the court. the scope
OF the inquiry was limited 20 the allie
cations of General Miles before the war
commission a. 20 the quality OF the
army beef and the matter purportins
Co have been furnished 20 the public
press BY the same orfcial" Only two
interviews were called up BY the court
the first an intervieV with a New Yori
Journal representative early In the bse
controversy. in which General Mile'
was quoted as charging that eertair
chemicals were used In the preservation
OF the army meat and another OF tn
New York Herald. under date of Feb
1. covering about the same ground.
General Miles was very slow an'
careful IN his replies 20 the recorder
questions on this point He called at
tention 20 the fact that in both instance
he was credited In the interviews will
refusing 60 answer certain question
and Insisted that these refusals shoul
be given due weight In considering IN
questions 90 which he did reply He sal
in the case OF the interview OF Feb.
that he had letter from the man VII
wrote the story Offering 70 swear tha
General Miles had refused 90 be inter
r viewed and that the whole story wa
made up IN the office from the writer
general knowledge % the facts Not
withstanding this. when his hnal an
swer was asked as 90 the authenticit
of the interview General Miles did nc
, specifically deny a. but merely sal
E that Il did not quite fairly represent nj
J. own opinion In the case. The Sam
f. qualified denial as 20 The Journal intel
r view OF Dec. 3 was made leaving n
witness on record as not assuming an
responsibility for the newspaper stat,
. ments. but tacstly admitting that theI
was a good deal in them with which I
a agreed
= The trend OF questions put 20 the oil
n er witnesses OF the day Indicate that
/. long as they agreed with General MI