The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-11
OFFICERS ARE SILENT
REFUSE TO EMPRESS OPINION ON VIE
MILES COURT OF INQUIRY.
Both sides Preparing Evidence Con-
corning Quality of Beef-Thc War
Commissions Report.

WASHINGTON Feb. 10-Next to news
from the Philippines. interest in the War
Department ceAters on the 18th of February,
when the court of inquiry to investigate
General Miless "embalmed beef charges
will convene. All information, even as to
the court routine is jealousy guarded. and
officers refrain from expressing any opinion
or making any forecast in the case. 1t is
well understood, however, that both General
Miles and the commissary generals depart
ment are preparing a mass of evidence
which will be submitted to the court, the one
tending to Sustain General MiIes's state
ments as TO the character Of the meat fur
nished the army and the other discountng
any criticism of the material bought, passed
on and issued by the commissary depart
ment. Both the testimony of General Miles
and Of the commissary department will con-
sist, in the main, of official reports, and
both will be voluminous.
General Eagan is still at the War Depart
ment, denying himself to all visitors except
personal friends He is now relieved of the
routine work of his office, which is being
transacted by his assistants, and is free to
devote himself to preparing all of the infor-
nation in his possession for presentation
to the court. Colonel Weston who was
appointed dCllllS COnnlSSarN general WDGn
General Eagan was called to answer to the
charges preferred against him before the
court-martial, is still in New York. The
last news of him received at the department
was that he had recovered from severe
spell of illness that resulted from his ex-
posture during the Cuban campaign, but was
now on crutches. with return of a severe
attack of sciatica, contracted in active
service long ago in the West.
The war investigation commissions quar-
tiers were dismantled to-day and everything
made ready for the occupancy of the old
rooms by the new board of experts on in
sular affairs, which temporarily had taken
other offices in the building Most of the
members of the war commission have left
Washington, but two of them were about
this morning for little while preliminary
to departure. Several of the attaches will
be kept busy for several days, and Recorder
Mills, OF the commission, has taken an Of
nee on an adjoining floor, where he will be
engaged in closing up the war commits
sions affairs for several months. All the
important papers and documents are to be
locked up in strong boxes and kept on file
at the War Department, probably for sew
eral years before being disposed of alto
gether The publication of the report of
the commission, save for official use and for
the press, has not been arranged for, and
copies for general use will have to be pro-
vided by act of Congress, if at ALL
AT the Cabinet meeting to-day the Presi
dent read brief extracts from the report of
the war investigating commission and the
matter was discussed informally. During
the conversation a can of roast beef which
had been taken from the commissary army
stores, was brought in and opened The
members present examined it as well as
could be done with the means at hand. and
all declared that so far as they could de-
termine 1t was in perfect condition, whole
some and sweet. The question of the trans
q (fr1lNn Of with
which the insurgent army is to be paid off
and the kinds of money to be sent was
briefly considered. 1t was agreed that the
CubanS could have any kind OF money they
wished, whether gold, silver or certificates,
or part Of each. Shipments of 5000
each probably will be made at intervals of a
few days as rapidly as needed. The ques
ton of an extra session of Congress was
also discussed and it is the opinion of mem
bers of the Cabinet that in case of the fall
ure of the army reorganization bill an eX-
ira session will be necessary. The Presi-
dent, during the meeting, called attention
10 the urgent necessity for an American
cable across the Pacific and read the mes
sage to Congress which he had prepared
on the subject.
Members of the Cabinet declare the re-
port of the war commission to be in no
senSe a embarrassing report. On the con-
trary, 1t is stated the commission has not
failed to point where there was error or
fault For instance, it has not passed with
out criticism the arrangements made for
transportation of the troops and it also has
tOun0 some Things 10 nave Deen anllSS IN
the supply of medical stores and assistance
to the troops. though it has set out the pail
liating circumstances, such as the state of
unpreparedneSs of the country and the diff
ficulty of suddenly training green men to
discharge heavy duties. Touching the much
discussed question as to the character of
the meat furnished to the army the COM
mittee declares that the food generally was
of good quality and censures General Miles
for his alleged failure to acquaint the War
Department with the faults said by him to
have been discovered at Porto Rico.