El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-13
On General Miles Is the
Sensation Of the Day
In Washington.
Will miles NOTICE?
Some Officers Say the Pre-
sident Must Take Action
For the Good Of
The Service.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.I1eu
Charles P. Eagan's bitter personal al
tack yesterday before the war fnves
tigation commission, in which he cal
led Gen. Miles, co -manding general Of
the United States army, several diff
ferent kinds of liar, has been the
maiu subject of conversation here to
day in official circles. The occurrence
was almost without precedent in the
history of the United States army, and
old army officers say that the incident
can not be let 60 by without officials
action
It will be remembered that Gen.
Miles, in his testimony before the COM
mission, made the statements that the
fresh meat sent to Cuba and Porto
Rico for consumption by the army was
entirely unfit for food, being preserved
by the use of fsvery dangerous chemi-
Gals, and that the meat had been
bought and sent to the army under
pretense of an experiment"
This being q direct reflection upon
the commissary department. Gen.
Esgan asked that he might be recalled
to answer the charges made by Gen.
Miles.
Gen. Eagsn read his statement from
. typewritten copy, and that makes
the more remarkable the use of the
extraordinary language in which he
referred to Gen. Miles.
General Esgan's personal vitupera-
tion of the commanding general of
army, irrespective of the merits of the
embslmed beef scandal, Is looked upon
by the entire army asa military crime,
an act of scandalous insubordination,
and as . defiant disrespect Of regula-
tions which must not be permitted to
go unpunished. From the president
down the authorities look upon
Esgan's violence as q heinous breach
OF. decOrum.
Will General.Eagsn be court martial
ed? It is generally conceded that his
abuse of Gen. Miles before the war in
vestigation commission transcended
all precedent and the general opinion
is that the government owes 1t to itself
to proceed against the offender.
The commission also comes in for q |
share of the criticism for allowing |
Gen. Eagan. to proceed after his fret
indulgence in epithets that are ordi-
narily tabooed. Army officers say
the matter cannot be ignored, even If
Gen. Miles should see fit to pay no pub
lie or private attention to the attack |
made upon him.
Gen. Miles and This friends refer in
but disdainful terms to
the conduct of Eaean.
The very origin of the controversy-I
sembalmed beef" and the alleged pre-
tense OF an exsperiment-"has been lost
sight OF, and only Eagan's utterances
are now the subject of public discussion
without reference to the matter at is
sue.
Upon one point in the Testimony"
here seems to be general agreement.
either he or Miles should be- drummed
,ut of the army.
Gen. Eagan says he is quite ready
or q court martial.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Immediate-l
Y upon assembling this morning
he war investigation commission de-
ided to return to Commissary Gen.
raj Eagsn the official copy of the {
estimony delivered by him before the
yesterday.
A letter Of transmittal explains the
ction of the. commissioners. They
i've him the chance to eliminate his
arsh words against Gen. Miles.
Gen. Wood was before the commits
on today, and said that things mig ht
ave, been worse at Santiago.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Geu. Miles
lid this morning that he had taken
o action with regard to the publica.
ons in the newspapers which attribut. :
l to Gen. Eagan vilifying language,
some instances decorated with OBJ
,enity, and he did notintend to take
~ action until the authorities l,