Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-19
Administration Has Done
Nothing Yet to Punish
Gen. Egan.
MAY BE REPRIMANDED.
Sent . Letter which is . Partial Apology
to the War Invsstigating Com mission
More Interesting Testimony Re-
garding Medical Supplies and
Spelling Of the Beef.

rect question Secretary Alger at the close
of the official day said that the War De-
partment had taken no action in the case
OF Commissary General Eagan but when
the inquiry was pursued he declined to
say one word as to his intentions in the
| matter. 1t was apparent during the day
that this matter was receiving attention
and in fact the Commissary General him
self spent some time closeted with the
secretary. Three distinct lines of action
were talked of as within the line of proba-
Dility. The first was a strong letter of re-
primand to be addressed by the President
himself to Gen. Egan, stating the but
for the immunity he had promised all wit
nesses before the commission he would
have bene court martaled. The second
line was an actual court martial while the
third was court of inquiry. The purpose
OF the latter would be, 1t was said, to place
upon military tribunal the responsibility
Tor deciding whether or not Gen. Egan
should be tried by court martial OF
course. the court Of Inquiry might go
long way into the matters which led up to
the attack contained In Gen. Egans
statement possibly involving a determin-
alton as to the correctness of the charges
touching the character of the army beef
preferred by Gen. Miles, though this would
appear to be appointing a second tribunal
to investigate the methods and results of
the first already engaged on that work.
Comm i9sary General Egan has sent to
tho war investigating commission a re-
vised statement in place of that original
ly made in response to Gen. Miles
charges. The revised statement is about
80 per cent shorter than that ordered
withdrawn because of it's violent and
abusive character. The commission after
its receipt went into secret session and
read the document to decide whether in
its recent form it had been expurgated
sufficiently to permit 1t to be made part
of the commissions record.
Following is the text of the letter sent
by Gen. Egan 10 the war commission to-
day with his amended statements:
4 have the honor to hand you here
with my testimony now resubmitted and
revised in accordance with the views ex-
pressed by yon in your letter to me of
January l3. The objectona BILE features
and what is considered irrelevant matter
by you, in which opinion entirely agree
are entirely eliminated.
In this connection | desire to state that
there was never thought or intention on
my part or any disrespect whatsoever to
your commission, but in explanation and
extenuation of the language used by me
heretofore l beg to invite the attention
OF the commission to the fact that I have
been accused practically of feeding SOL
diers with poisoned beef, which made
them sick, 'embalmed beef so-called: |
have furnished neat to the army under
'pretense Of experiment which charge
in effect Is corruption, and worse, be-
cause it jeopardized the lives Of the SOL
diers sent to the front in the tropical
climates and who were dependent on
such food as was sent them: that these
statements have gone to the whole coun-
try uncontradicted have been published,
and have been pilloried in the press OF
the country as the man who had fed the
army on poisoned meat, and corruptly SO;
hn for hAt boo, -
kept silent for the reason that was de-
barred after talking with the honorable
secretary of war, from preparing charges
because of the immunity granted by the
president to witnesses before your commits
sion. Notwithstanding the gravity Of the
accusations, it is unreasonable to believe
that such monstrous charges could have
any other effect than to work upon an
honorable man In such way as to goad
him to species of desperation, and ii was
but natural when the proper opportunity
was given him to meet and refute the
charges, he should characterize them in
harsh language and In terms deemed i'm
proper. no matter what the proper provo
cation.
Il therefore withdraw the language and
matter so Objectionable and re-submit to
you now my sworn statement. with abid-
ing faith that your commission having oil
the facts before 1t. you will decide the
points at issue justly.
Very respectfully
CHARLES p. EGAN."
The commission after "a brief executive
session decided for the present to make
public only Gen. Egan's letter and not
the accompanying statement
After careful consideration Of the offence
committed by Commissary Egan in de-
nouncing Gen. Miles before the war inves-
tigating commission. the President has
decided that action by the executive Is ne
cessary. President Mckinley took the
matter out of the hands of the war de-
partment, and whatever Is done of an Of
fetal character will be by his direction.
Gen. Humphreys resumed his testimony
at the afternoon session. Speaking of the
Santiago expedition he said it was easy
enough now to look back on things which
might have been DONE but there We're a
thousand and one things which happened
which could not have been anticipated
He was closely questioned by DR.. Conner
as to the supply of medical stores and
the transportation furnished to convey
them to the front. Witness said that the
transportation trains used before the wa
gon trains were unloaded were under the
of the commanding general with