The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-01-13

that in his judgment the food was one of the chief causes of sickness and dis tress among the troops"
 ''To say simply, to assert, to insinuate that sickness was caused for such req
 son in Porto Rico is to make an asser- tion wholly untrue, devoid of any facts and can only be prompted by base motive." Questioning General Miles course in submitting briefs of reports from commanders, General Eagan said this course was unprecedented 1n the history of the army, not within ms province, nor contemplated by law ana regulation and there would be just as much justice in the president or secre- tary of war sending out circular let ter inviting criticism on the conduct Of General Miles during the war.
 General Eagan said the first lntlma- tion of chemical treatment he had had was in General Miles statement, and It seemed to him to be "raving nonsense of a madman." His own (Eagan 8 conduct and work had been looked into. He saw no reason why General Miles conduct and work should not be looked into. He said: Ut is high time and proper that this committee should ex- anime into the truth and falsehood of his statements and examine into his conduct of the war;" Further he said General Miles legally had no control or the purse, as he assumed 10 nave III Porto Rico, nor did the law authorize him to set aside food furnished under the law, but it did determine now to hold accountable the party furnishing improper food. He charged that II Chief Surgeon Daly, with General Miles had ever made an expert examination of the beef then he wilfully and dellp- erately falsilied the facts.
 General Eagan concluded as lolioWs' If I have used harsh language pelole this commission in dealing Wlth tiie subject, I ask the commission lo be"r in mind that the grouping together ol the statement made by General Mlles means that l have furnished or allowed to be furnished to the army emoalllieu beef which had diseased soldiers ana that a great deal of sickness arose rom it's use; that I have furnished meats to the army under the 'pretence of eXperl- ment,' meats that made the soldlefs SICK and this under the pretence o1 eNpeIl- ment, this because of corruption. Near- ly all the press of America, because ol General Miles high position In the unit ed States army, has accepted these views and his statements and many or them have called for my disgrace, court martial and dismissal from the service. Also that these statements or 6ehefdi Miles were held back by him, not tur- nshed to the government for US appfo- priate actions and use but sprung upon you and the country at tune when the country, from the falsehoods that had been told in regard to starvation and supplies for the army, was III state of excitement and ready to believe most anything. The subject l nave treated here is filthy subject and you cannot touch pitch without being de- filed. YOU cannot touch base, malicious, libelous falsehoods, interpretations, without calling a spade spade ana telling the whole truth and character izing things as they are. The damage that has been done by these statements is believed to be very great but l in- dulge the hope and the belief that my statement when published to the coun- try, when read by the representatives of foreign governments here, will offset the statements made by General Miles and will. in some measure at least, do justice to others that have been wrong ed, maligned and libslled. For myssif content myself with expressing my profound belief that General Miles or should be put out of the service. Either he is right or I am right; either he dishonors his uniform with his false and libels, or d!shonor mine in feeding soldiers with poisonous beef, causing their sickness and doing so un- der pretence of experiment.