Evening star., 1899-03-29

served for the witnesses where he sat
quietly until the session began. Alongside
of the witness was the long table reserved
for reporters of newspapers. of whom there
were about dozen present.
Gen. EaRan ON the stand.
At 2:15 the court was called to order. and
the recorder, Col. Davis. presented Gen.
Eagan.
Gen. Eagan began to make a statement,
but the recorder asked him to first recall a
conversation he had with Swift & Co. s
representatives previous to the signing of
the beef contracts.
General Eagan-"I cannot possibly do
that. L desire to correct my testimony in
regard to twenty-four hours
Colonel Davis-"Before you do that. do
you not recall any conversation with these
contractors
Gen. Egan-"I cannot recall conversation
with them especially. l had many conver-
sations with various beef contractors. 1
want to say my first intention was to pro-
cure refrigerated beef if possible. Failing
in that I wanted to get beef on the block,
and falling in that to get cattle on the
hoof. But L wanted to get refrigerated beef
if possible
Col. Davis read the contract under which
Swift & Co. delivered beef to Porto Rico
and Cuba, in which was the twenty-four-
hour clause as relating to the time beer
should be kept after being taken from the
refrigerators
Gen. Eagan-"In my own mind | at first
thought of having steamers loaded Wtn
beef to go Down the coast. The idea OF
seventy-two hours was with view oil CIV
ing time for a ship to deliver beef at one
place and go elsewhere and deliver some
where else. Later on l found that was not
necessary.
when | was asked here about the twen-
ty-four hours I had totally forgotten that
l had changed my own opinion as to the
condition from seventy-two TO twenty-four
hours. | recall since in thinking it over
that [ was impelled to change 1t to keep
twenty -four hours from the refrigerator
on shore. I felt that twenty-four hours
from the refrigerator would be ample to
reach the troops.
4 had many things to think ola great
many
Maj. Lee-''Did you submit your acts to
the Secretary of War or other superior Of
ficer in the matter of these contracts?'
General Eagau-'1 exercised my own dis
cretion None except before | made an
award of a contract l submitted 1t to the
Secretary of War, showing him the bids
and abstract of the proposals in the
same way / did my department commander
when a subordinate officer"
Gen. Eagan said he had asked the Secre-
tary of War to ask the surgeon general
whether refrigerated beef was the best beef
for the troops. and the surgeon general
said it was the best He said the Score
tary of War had given him perfect liberty
in making contracts, and never attempted
to dominate him.
Gen. Eagan said he did not know any
thing about the Powell process experiments
going on at the time. If he did know of 1t
he did not associate it with the Powell pro-
cess. He then presented a copy of a letter
written to A. Z. Powell, saying the depart
ment was not engaging any one to use a
process for preserving meat and stating
that the department would purchase meat
guaranteed to keep seventy-two hours.
Speaking of the meat provided, he said:
TT was the same kind of meat that Is
furnished to the best hotels In this coun-
try"
Gen Eagan said he had never seen any
of thc beef contractorS-Armour, Swift.
Libby. Mcneil & Libby and Morris-except
in the case of Mr.. Swift who came here
from Boston to see him in regard to con-
tract.
Doesn't Know Mr.. Hanna.
Maj. Lee-"Were you present at a con-
ference between Senator Hanna and some
one else in regard to beef contract"
Gen. Eagan-'I am quite confident l new
er spoke to Senator Hanna III my life, an1
l am confident l would not know him. I
believe he was pointed out to me once"
Gen. Eagan said he had once been sent
for by the Secretary Of War. when cou-
pie of gentlemen We're there. If one of
them was Senator Hanna he did not know
it.
The witness was very positive In his man
ner of giving testimony.