The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-01-19
RMBALNRD BEEF SCANDAL.
Gen, Eersa CSssursd ssf HE rypswrisssa
CAldmihation of Gen. Miles By VI
the War Board. ti


personal svitdpsrstion, of the cotnmand- !,
ing general Of the army, irrespective Of |
the merits Of the embalmsd becf scsn- |
dsl, 10 looked upon by the entire army
- military crime, an. act Of scandal
ous insubordinstion, and defiant dis
respect of regulations which must not
be permitted to 60 unpunished. From
the president down, the authors
ties look upon Eagan's vio-
lence % heinous breach Of decorum
which separates his case altogether
from the beef controversy, and re-
quires that he be drasticslly disciplined
for his undigniAed malevolent attack
upon superior officer in contraven-
tion of the ordinary decent ameneties
of civil as we'll - military society.
The Judge advocate generals depart
ment Of the army Is of the opinion
that Gen. Eagan is guilty Of conduct
for which the only sentence is dis
missal.
Gen. Miles has taken no notice Of
the attack, and will apparently await
to see whether the authorities will
take any step to punish SO fragrant an
offence. The fact is all the officials are
stunned by the indiscretion, and in.
temperance of Gen. Eagan, and will lnot
act hastily in an affair of such import
ance. Perhaps several days may
elapse before q course Of official pro-
cedure is announced.
The following Is the text Of letter
ordered by the war inquiry commission
to be sent to Gen. Eagan:
WASHINGTON, Jan. IS, 1899.
Brig. Gen. G. p. Eagan, Commissary
General, War Department.
Sir-We respectfully inform you that
after your testimony was read Thurs.
day, the following resolution was
unanimously passed:
"Moved. That the commission receive
Gen. Eagan's testimony without com.
ment; that 1t be not printed at once,
but held for the consideration of the
commission. Carried"
Having now considered the questions
| involved, we have determined that In
many instances the vituperative LAM
guage used by you was not
such as ought TO have been ad-
dressed a. witness to this
board. We think that the personal at.
taclks and irrelevant statements con.
tanned in the papers submitted should
be eliminated, and before receiving il
rs testimony we request that you will
revise its language, and If you choose
resubmit it for our consideration.
We herewith return your paperA
Very respectfully
(Signed) CHARLES DENBY,
Vice President.
Gen. Eagan was at work in his Office
promptly as usual Friday.
He refused to say anything beyond
what he had given to the war commits
sion Thursday, saying that his state.
mont then was full declaration of his
feelings and his beliefs Itwas an Off.
cial utterance, he said, made to the
body which had right to hear it and
he declined to enter into an sxpost fac.
to newspaper war.
/ ~ Wob Ct6tC0 ov WIG war 0CY6EU1uCuu
Friday that orders had been issued to
Inspector General Breckinridge to pro-
ceed to Porto Rico and Cuba for thor
ough inspection of the army camps
there. The idea Is ridiculed that this
order has any connection with the been
investigation set on foot by Gen, Miles
and now being prosecuted by the in
spector generals Office.
At Fridays cabinet meeting large
share of the time was consumed In q
discussion Of Con. Eagan's testimony
before the war investigating commit.
tee Thursday. The cabinet members,
however, were unusually reticent with
respect to what was said and declined
to express any opinion as to what, II
anything, would he done in the matter,
which is now in the hands Of the pres.
ident and Secretary Alger. Neverthe.
less, all cabinet members commend
the action Of the committee In declin-
ing TO receive the manuscript of Gen.
Eagan's testimony until the objection
able epithets have been expurgated.
There is no doubt that the president
deeply regrets the incident and it is al
most certain that Official cognizanos
will be taken of the matter very soon.
The question was discussed of how fas
Gen. Eagan may be entitled
to immunity from punishment undes
the recent public statement of the 500
retarv OF war, by the direction Of ths
president, to the effect that all wit
nesses appearing before the commis.
sion would be protected in their righta
and positions, II in the service OF the
United States, regardless Of whom
their testimony might be directed
against.
/ 1t was gathered from friends of Gen.
Eagan Friday that he is prepared Il