Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1899-01-28
He IS HONEST
General Eagan Gives His Tes
timony Before the Court
martial.
Tells of the Mental Anguish He
Suffered Because of Accu-
satiOns
Made by General Miles Before
the War Investigating
Commission
And Denies That He Ever Prof
tied q Cent From His
Office.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-When the
Eagan courtmartial reassembled Judge
| Advocate Davis stated that he wished
to submit formally the testimony OF
! General Miles before the war commits
sion as an exhibit in this trial, and with
this statement he said the prosecution
rested it's case.
Mr.. Worthington, counsel for General
Eagan, read several exhibits in connec'
ton with the testimony read at the
opening session of the court Several
witnesses testified as to the mental state
at the time, in comparison with his
usual mental state. General Eagan
then took the witness stand.
General EagaRs Testimony.
He said he entered the volunteer army
in 1861, and in 1866 was made q second
lieutenant in the regular army. He
then briefly gave history Of his mill
tary career, which included several
| campaigns against the Indians. He re-
ceived wound in the Modoc war, fo1
which he received a brevet, During
| the war with Spain he had been in his
office every day with one exception and
had worked early and late. He had
given his testimony before the commits
sion under oath-preferably SO. He had
first read General Miles statement in
the Washington papers. For long
time he feared that he might not be
called before the commission, but he
finally received SUNNI ons to appear.
Asked to Proceed Against Miles.
Even then he was not fully prepared,
as his statement necessarily involved
the preparation of records, etc. He had
held conversation with the secretary
war, in the course Of which he had told
the secretary that he desired to defend
himself by bringing proceedings against
General Miles, but was told that the
immunity granted by the president
would prevent any such action. Wit
ness accepted this as fact, but he did
not think that this immunity covered
( the newspaper interview in which Gen
eral Miles had by inference declared
him be a murderer for gain. Witness
said he became greatly excited. This
statement of General Miles, in the opin
ion of the witness, had taken away his
/ (Eagan's) character. He could not pro.
coed against General Miles in the courts
or otherwise, and he felt that he might
as well be dead in the gutter During
this recital General Eagan's eyes filled
with tears, his voice broke and he spoke
very feelingly.
Never a Cent of Gain.
His honor as d soldier, he continued,
had been attacked and soldiers honor
should be as sacred as the honor of a
woman. He had kept his sorrow to
himself He had kept away from the
clubs, and very soon he found he could
not sleep. He felt that the people of
this country had come. to believe that
he was dishonest man. ''But am an
honest man." said the general with feel
ing, and / believe that no one who
knows me will believe that am a dis
honest man. My record is clean, my
uniform is unsullied, but 1 have been
slandered and wronged" In answer tc
a question by his counsel, as to whether
he had ever received any benefit for any
contract he had made, General Eagan
said with great feeling:
No; on my honor and before my God,
not one cents profit or gain did | ever
receive, and yet my Office has disbursed
5000, 600, and | am now poor man,
SO poor that have not sufficient money
with which to pay your fee. .
AS he (Eagan} understood public sen,
timent, the public believed him to be a
murderer and for gain, and he was
greatly wracked in body and brain in
consequence. He was goaded to death
and was very glad of chance to appear
before the commission and through
them 10000, 900 of people, in the de-
Tense of his honor
An Extremely Dramatic Incident.
During this impassiOned and impres.
sive recital each member of the court
listened intently to every word spoken,
and every eye was fastened upon the
| speaker. The incident was dramatic in
the extreme. The witness spoke of his
mental and physical condition between
the time General Miles gave his testi.
money and tae time he himself had ap-
peared. He could not get rid of the
thought that the country believed him
to be d murderer and for gain and il
drove him nearly to distraction.
Mr. Worthington then read a large
number of newspaper clippings, many
of which spoke OF General Eagan as a
scoundrel, and demanded his dismissal
from the army. At 10 o'clock, Mr..
Worthington announced that he was
unable to proceed with his case, as the
| secretary Of war, whom he desired tC
call as a witness, was now before the
war investigating commission and could
not appear until morning Thereupon
the court adjourned for the day.