The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-13
DENOUNCES GEN. MILES IN
LUEID LANGUAGE. :.
Most Sensational Statement to In.
yestigating Commission.
CALLS EMBALMED BEEF STORIES
MALICIOUS FALSEHOODS.

ssEither Gen. Miles or 1 should BE Pat
Out of the Service" He Concludes In
Giving His GEN. Eagan's
Statement Read From Typewrittcn
Copy and Was Made with Deliber-
automobiles May Not Notice IL.
Washington, January 12. 2.-Commissary
General Charles p. Eagan, today reap
pared before the war Investigating COM
mission to answer the charges of General
Nelson A. Miles concerning the commits
sary supplies furnished the army
during the recent war. Gen. Esgan's
statement to the commission furnished
history and was regarded by old army
officers las one of the most remarkable at
tacks ever made In the history Of the ser
vice. The statement was bitter personal
attack upon General Miles, SO entirely
unqualified both as to scope and language
that the war commission on hearing its
conclusion, ordered brief executive ses-
sion after which the doors were re-opened,
the witness was recalled and business was
resumed In the usual way.
The subject In controversy was General
Miles's already famous "embalmed beef"
testimony and the letters and documents
supporting 1t. General Miles had charg I'D
that the canned and refrigerated meats
sent to the army In Cuba and Porto Rico
were unit for use. that they were pre-
served by the use of chemicals and that
they had been bought snd sent to the
army under pretense of an experiment.
This reflection upon both the ability
and honesty of the commissary depart
ment had sngered General Eagan and
caused: :him to request to be r'-called tore
rly to Miles's charges. Tint the statements
concerning the commanding general were
not the result of sudden outburst Of
passion, was clearly shown by the fact
that General Eagan read his remarks from
a carefully prepared typewritten copy.
Not the least remarkable phase OF Gen.
Eagan's statement was the language In
which it was couohed. There was scarce.
ly phase that would not have been
characterized as sensational In ordinary
official utterance.
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
II have said all l intend to say for the
present." he replied, land II any one
wants to bring the matter 10 a court
martial am ready for that too. as have
already stated before the commission.
As soon as the nature OF General
Earan's statements became known atten
tion was directed to army headquarters to
ascertain what move would be made by
General Miles The latter, through Col
Michier, his chief aide, beyond saying
that he had stood Tor the soldiers, de-
clined to make any statement saying that
now was not the time for talk and that
before taking any action, it would be only
proper and necessary to wait until he had
an opportunity to receive the regular
channels and to consider the testimony
furnished by General Eagan. He would
not talk about u court martial.
Altogether he intimation conveyed was
that General Miles would act with delib-
GRAFTON II he decided to take any action at
all and there was a faint suggestion that
he might decide to ignore the statement
altogether.
or course, a decision to that effect on
the part of General Miles would terminate
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 commits
sary general. These might be based on
several technical grounds such, for in
stance, as conduct tending TO the destruc-
ton of good orcer and discipline. III
would be for the President TO pass upon
tha demand for court martial and ne
might adopt one of three courses. ]. T.,
refuse it; grant 1t: or instead order a
court Of inquiry. In this latter case the
body would have power TO go into the
question of veracity which has been raisef
and In fact the conduct of both generals
would be practically under exapination.
W. B. Miles, In charge of Armour q
Co 8 kansas City plant, was the hrst
witness called. He appeared for the pa9k'
ing house His testimony as To tho quaii.
" of the canned meats and METHODS OF
packing and inspection was practioaiy
the same as that OF the other meat men.
Gen. Charles p. Eagan, commissary
general OF su bsistence, was then recaiieu
to answer regarding the charges OF Gen.
Miles that "smbaimed" and processea
beef was furnished the troops In the neiu.
Gen. kagan had prepared typewriter
state ment covering his aide Of the case
and was allowed to read 1t.
Gan Ennan rafQrrad tina IaCt Lnhu