Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-26

army, that i would have an opportunity
to be heard and that he had frequently de-
clined to be interviewed. The adjutant
general prevailed upon me to let the mat
ter rest there for awhile"
Then General Eagan spoke with excite
ment:
The effect of all General Miles had said,
| felt, was that he had taken away my
character; that he trying to deprive
me of the honest poSition l had attained
after years of hard labor in the army: that
l was perfectly helpless in the matter and
could not prefer charges against him.
Il thought | had better be dead and
in the gutter than TO remain silent with
such charges and accusations standing
against me. When the newspaper clippings
began to pour in, showing beyond a doubt
that the public had accepted General Miles
statements as true in every respect, | felt
that l must do something. 1 did not know
what
Il gave to the papers dignified state
ment to the effect that the courts were
the proper place to settle the difference eX-
listing between General Miles; and myself
that the newspapers were not the places
TO discuss the matter. The people and the
papers sneered at this dignfied statement
and many called for my immediate court
martial and dismissal from the army in
disgrace
Il felt that L had been convicted in the
public mind of wholesale murder and rob-
berry. l felt that | was disgraced, that my
wife, my children and my family were dis
graced. This surely called for some action
my part
The honor Of soldier can no more be
impugned than the virtue of a woman.
Tried to Hold Himself in Check.
Il tried to hold myself in check, and did
do so. 1 would not go out on the street
except when it was absolutely necessary,
and remained away from the clubs, was
away from all social life.
Nv sp,rl &c
in that room where the war commission
was sitting-where these false charges had
been uttered against me. felt that my
duty was there; that as an honest soldier
and upright man | must go before this
commission and hur the charges back with
the same violence they were sped on their
way. l die not intend my remarks as a
show of disrespect TO a superior officer
Il tried hard to suppress my feelings in
the matter. Several times | was tempt d
to take things in my own hands and do
what men used to do when l was a boy.
Il wanted my statement before the COM
mission to be strong and convincing that
everybody, people in the remotest part of
the country, would know it was an honest
man who was talking | wanted every one
to Know that | had not soiled my uniform
The sending of this timed beef to Cuba
and issuing it to the soldiers was no eX-
pertinent, much less the pretense of one
Gen. Eagan was exhausted when he fin
ished his long uninterrupted testimony. lie
was asked by Mr.. Worthington:
General, is il not fact that a man in
position like yours, with millions of dollars
TO disburse. is often tempted to make trans
actions that will result in gain to him.
self?'
Every few days. sir" Gen. Eagan re-
piled, people come into my office, backed
by influential persons and rich corpora
lions, and endeavor to get me to purchase
all sorts of things for the army | am a
soldier however: | have served with the
soldier on the field. / have eaten with the
soldier and slept with him. and fought with
him. and l know that the army ration is
better for him than all these processed
foods that am importuned- to buy"
did you ever receive anything general
for the contracts you made or in any of
Your Other transactions for the army?'
"On my honor and before God. NOT one
cent has touched my hands nor the hands
OF any of my officers. Today / will say
have not the money to pay Mr. Worthing-
ton his counsel fees" Gen Eaean ex-
claimed.
w hat was your condition when YOU aD-
peared before the war commission?
Gause for His strong Language
Il went before the commission feeling as
had for days. j had put out a dignified
statement to the press and IT was not be-
iieved. All these things actrated me to say
in strong language something that would
let the people know an honest man was
speaking.
1.-The charges made against me were so
foui they had burned lne up inside. I knew
that in The public mind was believed to
be a murderer gentlemen, for the sole pur-