The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-17

Washington, January 12.-Commis-
sary General Charles p. Eagan today
re-appeared before the war Investigate
ing committee 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 sensation of the war commissions
history and was regarded by old army
officers as one of the most remarkable
attacks ever made in the history of the
service. General Eagan's statement to
the commission was a bitter personal
attack upon General Miles, SO entirely
unqualified both as to scope and Ian
guage that the war commission on hear
ing it's conclusion ordered a brief exc
cutive session, after which the doors
were re~-opened, the witness was re-
called and business resume in the
general way.
The subject in controversy was Cen
eral Miles already famous "embalmed
beef testimony and th& letters and
documents supporting it. General Miles
had charged that the canned and re-
f~rigerated meats sent to the army in
Cuba and Porto Rico were 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 depart
ment had angered General Eagan and
had caused him by request to be called
to reply to General Miles charges. That
his statements concerning the COM
manding general were not the result
of a sudden utbur of passion was
clearly shown by the fact that General
Eagan read his remarks from a care
fully prepared typewriter
Not the least remarkable phase of
General Eagan's statements was the
language in which it was cOuched.
There was scarcely a phase that would
not have been characterized as sensa-
tional in an ordinary official utterance.
General Eagan, after the hearing was
over, refused to say whether he had
any further move in prospect in fore
ing an issue between himself and Gen
eral Miles. Il have said all I intend
to say for the present." he replied,
.sand if. any one wants to bring the
matter to a cOurt-martial, l am ready
Tor that, too, as l have already stated
before the commission"
AS soon as the nature of General
Eagan's statements became known at
tention was directed to army headquar-
ters to ascertain move would be
made by General Miles. The latter,
through Colonel Michler, 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
had an Opportunity to receive through
the regular channels and to consider
Ehe testimony furnished by General
Eagan. He would not talk about a
~court-martial. Altogether, the intima-
zion conveyed was that General Miles
would acts with elaboration if he de-
cided 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 OF
the part of General Miles would ter
inmate the incident; but should he de-
cid to take notice officially of the at
tack the next step would be for him
to prefer charges with the president
against the commissary general. These
might be based on several technical
grounds such, for instance, as conduct
tending to the destruction of good or
der and discipline. 1t would be for the
president to pass upon the demand
and he might adopt one of three
courses that is, refuse it; grant 1t, or,
instead, order a court of inquiry. In
this latter case, the body would have
the power to go into the question OF
veracity, which has been raised, and,
In fact, the conduct of both generals
would be practically unde examina-
ton.
In beginning his testimony General
Eagan referred to the fact that Gen
eral Miles had refused to be sworn and
commented on the fact that he was the
only one of 500 witnesses who had re-
fused. General Eagan said he himself
preferred to be sworn.
General Eagan called attention TIC
General Miles appointment of Major
John D. Black, civilian, as his chief
OF staff, and said that this was large
iy responsible for the trouble hat fol.
lowed. He said that Major Black haC
been furnished SIS, 900 before starting fol
Porto Rico and that he had apparent
ty not known enough to provide him
self a check book and had not left his
signature with the secretary of thf
treasury nor made any other prepare
AlOH u dNdlllLIS IlliitSIIl u IAC uld
at his command. There were expert
enced disbursing officers in the island
who had in the aggregate over $500, 00t
in their possession, and yet Genera
Miles had complained that there wer'
no paymasters in the island, so tina
the soldiers had no money with which
to buy food for themselves. Genera
Miles had called on the department Il
put $50, 900 more in the hands of Major
EQIonk an6 this Gannra1 To uan Ipplinaf
to do, putting $500 to Major Black:
credit in New York.
General Eagan referred to the con
~troversy between himself and Genera
Miles regarding condition of affairs a
Tampa, claiming that General Mile:
had ignored his requests for an in
Quiry as to the authority of certain
Statements. "It was such indifference,
as this" he said, "that had given Ii
n to the yellow journalistic knave!
who had misrepresented and houndet
government officials throughout tn,