Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-27
THOUGHT EAcAH WAS MAD
LIE Friend Of The commlssary General Be.
lieyts Ne Had Los, Ms Mind.
Case Tor the Defense Closes -rosshing
Testimony by mrs. Hopkins, the
Daughter OF Defendant.

Washington. Jan. si.-Thc FIRST Wit
ness before the Eagan court martial to.
day was Mr. David H. Mckee. Of this
city. for many years the agent of the
Associated Press. lie had known Cen
crai Eagnn for about forty-iivc years,
As young men and the friendship
never had been interrupted, although
they at times had not seen each other
FOR long Intervals. During the period
between the time General Miles gave
his testimony before the war invcsti-
eating commission and the day on
which General Eagan made his state
ment. the witness saw him two or
three times. lie then seemed carcworn
and much prcoccupled. Mr. Mckee
said TINT the impression General
Eagan then made upon him was that
he had become insane. Witness al
ways had found him vcy correct In his
bearing and speech, and on these oc-
cnrion his manner was 10 different that
he was greatly shocked and alarmed,
and the conclusion witness reached was
that General Engan had lost his mind.
On one of these occasions he ca
pressed to General Pagan his profound
regret that he had given uttcrancc To
the language used Ia his statement and
reproved him mildly for not consulting
him about the matter. The general had
explained that he had not felt AZ lib.
erty To consult witness because he
know OF the long existing friendship
between the family Of the witness and
the family OF General Miles, par-
ticularly between Mrs. Mckee and Airs
Miles and said he Oi:aganl did not feel
at liberty to brink witness into the
controversy. Major =. g. Miles. the
Ns.sH
mission. was recalled and In answer To
Inquiries, said that 50 far ~ he knew
the order OF the President granting
immunity 10 witnesses before that body
had not been reduced TO writing. At
this point the judge advocate read the
PrcHidcntH address ON the assembling
OF the war investigating commission,
which. however, WAS unsigned and the
witness was asked whether any other
Instructions had been given. lie re-
piled that there had not.
The Witness was present nj the meet
Ing between the President and the
members of the war investigating com
mission. The witness said;
''rhe matter OF immunity for wit
neshca came up.
~ think II was called up by MIR.
Dodge and the President said that the
witnesses who would appear before the
commission could do 80 without any
i'A VI nuiihuHlNht hi pfFHrtutlon.'
Mr. r. A. Algcr secretary OF war,
was next called 10 the witness stand.
lie said that he recalled "a conversation
he had with General Eagan shortly ar
ter General Miles had given his testl-
mony General Eagan came into his
Office In an excited state OF mind and
said II was his wish To prefer charges
against General Miles FOR what he had
said.
II told him" testified Secretary Al
ger, that under the Presidents order
granting immunity 10 officers who ties.
titled before the war investigating com.
mission, he could not do so"
General Alger was then excused, the
members Of the court rising to their
feet M he withdrew.
Col, Alexander and Col Davis were
recalled and said that never during
their acquaintance with the accused
had they known him TO use vulgar or
profane Language, lie always had
been correct and clean In speech, and
never had they known him 10 use
such language " was used In his