Evening star., 1899-03-07
WILL LEAVE TONIGHT
Departure of the Court of Inquiry for
Chicago.
Evidence to Refute GeE. Miles AIIeRa-
tions Will BE offered on the Re-
turn From the West.

The members of the beef court of in
quiry were in their chamber at the Lemon
building the greater part of the day, pre-
pairing for their departure for Chicago to-
night. They VIII leave on the II o'clock
train by way OF the Pennsylvania railroad,
and expect to reach the blizzard city to-
morrow evening. Before returning to this
city from Chicago, st. Louis, Omaha and
Kansas City the court will visit New York
for the purpose, among other things, of
obtaining the evidence of Governor Roose-
welt
The court is paying no official attention
at present to statements in certain New
York newspapers regarding packing house
methods but when least expected to do so
it will subpoena the persons responsible for
them and compel them to testify. While
the war investigating commission was sit
ting similar stories were put in circulation,
and in no instance could the commission
get the attendance of the authors of them,
Tor the reason that it was not clothed with
the power to compel witnesses to appear
The present court has the advantage in
thus respect.
1t was stated today by member of the
court that Secretary Alger will not in all
like ihood be recall ed to the stand, but
that General Eagan will be one of the first
TO be heard after the return from the west
General Wheeler a.so will then be sum-
moned. he was told today when he called
upon the court for information in this re-
gard. General Miles is another who will
be ed to reappear. From the present
outlook the inquiry will last many weeks
yet. Strong evidence will be offered to
show that General Miles allegations were
largely based upon false or exaggerat ted in
forma ton given to him, and that he made
his charges without proper investigation
Up TO the present time the court has de-
voted itself mainly 20 the testimony of the
witnesses suggested by General Miles, with
the exception of the few officers of the
commlssary department and the regular
army stationed in or near this city and
who were within easy reach of the court
After eXhausting all the witnesses Of
tered on the part of Gen. Miles it is the in
tentlon of the court to summon men from
every regiment regular or volunteer who
served either at home on in the field par
ucular attention being devoted 10 the SOL
c1ers who participated in the Cuban and
Porto Rican campaigns. In this way the
whole truth will be obtained. Civilian wit
nesses will testify as to packing house
methods within the past five years and dur
ing the period OF the governments con-
tracts with the packers will be summoned
but little heed will be paid 10 alleged evil
dence outside these limitations.
Replying to accusations that the court is
preJudiced against the major general com
manding; that all his witnesses are not be-
ing called; that the canned roast beef sub
mitted at the courts sttings has been Elk
ed' in the interest of the packers; that de-
lberate effort to discredit Gen. Miles tey-
timony is made. and that the reeommenda-
ton for the court-martal of Gen. Miles is
a foregone conclusion. the couy.t promises
that before the inquiry is finish@i the coun-
try will admit that its work has been hon
estly and squarely done and that the
suit, whatever it may be- has been obtain
ODenly and