The record-union., 1899-01-13
Makes a Vicious Attack Upon
Major General Miles
IA Statement Before the Commission In
IestIgating Conduct Of War.
Another Chapter in the Contro-.
versy Growing Out Of General
Miles Charge That the Canned
and Refrigerated Meats Sent to
the Army in Cuba and Porto
Rico Were Unfit for Use.

Rico Were Unfit for Use.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12-Commis-
sary General Charles H. Eagan to-day
appeared before the War Investigation
Commission to answer the charges OF
General Nelson A. Miles concerning
the commissary supplies furnished the
army during the recent war; General
Eagan's statement furnished the SEN
sation of the War Commissions MS
tory, and was regarded by old army OIL
ficers as one of the most remarkable
attacks ever made in the history OF
the service General Eagan's state
ment to the commission was bitter
personal attack upon General Miles, SO
utterly unqualified as to scope and Ian
guage that the War Commission, on
hearing its conclusion, ordered brief
executive session, after which the
doors were opened, the witness was re-
called, and business resumed in the
usual way.
The subject in controversy was Gen
eral Miles already famous ''embalmed
beef. testimony and the letters and
documents supporting it. General Miles
had charged that the canned and re-
frigerated meats sent to the army in
Cuba and Porto Rico We're unfit for
use; that they were preserved by the
use of chemicals, and that they had
been bought and sent to the army
under pretense Of an experiment.
This reflection upon both the ability
and honesty of the Commissary De-
partment had angered General Eagan
and caused him to request to be re-
called to reply to General Miles
charges. That his statements concern
ing the commanding General were not
the result of a sudden outburst of pas
sion was clearly shown by the fact
that General Eagan read his remarks
from a carefully prepared typewriter
copy. Not the least remarkable phase
of General Eagan's statement was the
language in which it was couched.
There was scarcely a phrase that
would not have been characterized as
sensational in ordinary official utter
ances.
General Eagan, after the hearing
was over, refused to say whether he
had any further move in prospect IN
forcing an issue between himself and
General Miles, 81 have said all in
tend to say for the present" he said,
"and if any one wants to bring the
matter to a court-martial I am ready
for that, too, as 1 have already stated
before the commission"
AS soon as the nature of General Ea-
CANS statements became known atten-
ton was directed to army headquar-
tiers. to ascertain what move would be
made by General Miles. The latter,
through Colonel Micheler, his Chief
Aide, beyond saying that he had stood
for the soldiers, declined to make any
statement, saying that now was not
the time for talk, and that before TAX
ing any action it would be only proper
and necessary to wait until he had an
opportunity to receive through the reg
ular channels and to consider the tes-
timony furnished by General Eagan
He would not talk about a court-mar-
tial Altogether, the intimation con-
strued was that General Miles would
act with deliberation if he decided to
take any action at all, and there was
a faint suggestion. that he might decide
to ignore the statement altogether.
OF course a decision to that effect on
the part of General Miles would ter
inmate the incident. But should he
decide to take notice officially of the
attack, the next step would be for him
to prefer charges with the President
against the Commissary General
These might be based on several tech
meal grounds, such, for instance, as
conduct tending to the destruction OF
good order and discipline. 1t would
be for the President to pass upon the
demand, and he might adopt one OF
three courses: refuse it, grant it, oil
r,-lo nttrf Of iv1or 1fv.xr 7
this latter case the body would have
the power to go into the question oil
veracity which has been raised, and
in fact. the conduct of both Generals
would be practically under examina
ton.
General Eagan began by calling at
tention to General Miles appointment
Of Major John D. Black, a civilian, al
chief of staff, and said that this wa!
largely responsible for the trouble tina
followed. He said that Major Bfacl
had been furnished 5000 before start
ing for Porto Rico, and that he had ap
parently not known enough to provid'
himself with a check book and had no
left his signature with the Seer var!
of the Treasury, or made any otne
nreparation for availing himself OF tn
funds at his command. Ihere Wer
experienced disbursing officers in tn
island that had in the aggregate owe
100000 in their possessions, ana We
General Miles had complained tina
there were no Paymasters in the island
so that the soldiers had no none.
with which to buy food for themselves
General Miles had then called on tn
department to put $4,000 more in tn
hands of General Black. and this Gen
eral Eagan declined to do, putting SlO,
600 to Major Blacks credit in Nev
York
General Eagan referred to the Tiys
FERROUS manner in which papers disap
peared from the files of the War De
partment. He said that while Genera
Miles was at Tampa he wired to tn
Commissary General to know wha
stores and supplies were on hand a
Tampa, and some other point. Genera
Eagan replied in the usual way, though
at that time the railroad tracks a
Tampa were piled with millions of ra
tions. General Eagan said he was as
founded the following morning to see Il
the reports Of certain papers that Gen
eral Miles had severely reprimande,