Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-27

ment he walked the floor in an ex-
cited state. 1t had never been his
habit to walk the floor while debating.
The statement was not fully completed
until the day it was presented to the
commission. She saw Gen. Eagan
only a few minutes before he left to
appear before the commission and he
was then in such a nervous state that
his hands trembled. The witness
thought that the general had never
been able to read the statement
through as a whole until it was read
to the commission.
Mr.. Rodgers, clerk in the Office Of the
commissary general. had been in the
office since 1891. and since Gen. Eagan
came TO the Office he had seen him fire.
quently every day. After Gen. Miles
statement had been made public. Gen.
Eagan's appearance was greatly chang
ed. He looked haggard and worn and
at times was greatly excited. Witness
thought that Gen. Eagan had come TO
believe that public sentiment was
strongly against him and that the pub
Tic accepted Gen. Miles statement as
true, and this worried him greatly. AS
the days passed his nervous disturb
ance greatly increased until he appear
ed before the commission. On one oc-
casion the witness went to Gen. Eag-
ans desk and spoke To him on a mat
ter OF office business. AS he approach
ed the desk the General said. apparent
ly to himself: Il am a murderer and
for gain. | am a murderer and for
gain" This he
REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES
in an absent-minded way. He did not
appear to notice the witness.
Gen. Eagan himself was the neXt wit
ness. He said he entered the volun-
teer army in 1861 and in 1866 was made
a second lieutenant in the regular
army. He then briefly gave a history
OF his military career which included
several campaigns against the Indians.
He received a wound in the Modoc war
Ior which he received a brevet. Dur
ing the war with Spain he had been in
MS Office every day with one exception,
and had worked early and late. He
mad given his testimony before the
commission under oath-preferably so.
Tie had first read Gen. Miles state
ment IN the Washington papers. For
a long time he feared that he might
not be called before the commission.
out he finally received a summons to
appear. Even then he was not fully
prepared, as his statement necessarily
the preparation of records.
he mad held a conversation with the
secretary or Wal in the course of
winch he told the Secretary that he de-
sired to defend himself by bringing
proceedings against Gen. Miles, but was
told that the immunity granted by the
President would
PREVENT ANY SUCH ACTION
Witness accepted this as the fact. but
ne did not think that this immunity
covered the newspaper interview IN
winch Gen. Miles had by inference de-
cIared him to be a murderer for gain.
WltnesS said he became greatly ex-
cited.
This statement of General Miles in the
opinion of the witness had taken away
nus CEagans) character. He could not
proceed against Gen. Miles in the courts
or otherwise and he felt that he might
better be dead in the gutter. During this
recital Gen. Eagan's eyes filled with tears.
MS voice trembled and he spoke very feel
lngly. His honor as a soldier, he coufin-
ued, had been attacked, and a soldiers
honor should be as sacred as the honor Of
a woman. He had kept his sorrow 10
himself. He had kept away from the
very soon he found he could
not sleep. He felt that the people of this
country had come to believe that he was
a dishonest man, but l am an honest
man." said the General with feeling. land
l. pelieVe that no one who knows me will
oelleVe that [ am a dishonest man. MY
record is clean; my uniform unsullied. but
l nave been slandered and wronged." In
answer to a question by his counsel as
to whether he had ever received any bene-
NJ Tor any contract he had made, Gen.
Eagan said with great feeling: mo, on
my honor and before my God not one
cents profit gain did L ever receive and
yet my office has disbursed $19, OC0.O 900. and
am a poor man, so poor that l have not
now sufficient money with which to paw
your fee.'
AS he (Bagah) understood
PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
the public believed him to be a murderer
and for gain, and he was greatly racked
in body and brain in consequence. He
was goaded to death and was very glad of
a chance to appea before the commission
and through them 100000 of people in the
defense of his honor.
During this imprisoned and impressive
recital each member of the court listened
intently to every word spoken and every
eye was fastened upon the speaker. The
incident was dramatic in the extreme.
The witness spoke of his mental and phys
ical condition between the time Gen. Miles
gave his testimony and the time he himself
had appeared. He could not get rid of the
thought that the country believed him 10
be a murderer and for gain and it drove
nearly to distraction.
Mr.. Worthington then read from a large
number of newspaper clippings, many of
which spoke of Gen. Eagan as a scoundrel
and demanded his dismissal from the ar
my. AT u o'clock Mr.. Worthington an
ounce that he was unable to proceed
with his case as the Secretary Of War.
whom he desired to call as a witness. was
now before the war investigating com
mission and could not appear. other wit
nesses also could not appear until to-mor-
row. Thereupon the court adjourned until
10 o'clock tO-mOrrow morninr