Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-27
GENERAL tAGAN'S DEFENSE.
His Associates Testified That He Labor
ed Undea Great Excitement.
BECAME UNFIT FOR DUTY-HIS
STATE OF MIND ATTRIBUTED
TO THE TESTIMONY OF GEN.
MILESTONE WITNESS HAD AID
VISED THE COMMISSARY GEN
ERAL TO MODIFY HIS STATE
MENT, BUT WITHOUT EFFECT.

MENT, BUT WITHOUT EFFECT.
Washington, January 26.-When the
Eagan court-martial r~eassembled to-
day Judge Advocate Davis stated that
he wished TO submit formally the
testimony Of Gen. Miles as read yes
terday, as an exhibit in this trial, and
with this statement, he said, the
prosecution rested it's case. Mr.. Wor-
Ellington, counsel for Gen. Eagan,
read several exhibits in connection with
the testimony read at yesterdays ses-
sion of the court. These included the
correspondence between Gen. y Miles
and Gen. Eagan, through the adjutant
general, in which the latter asked as
to whether the interview published in
a New York newspaper in which Gen.
Miles is alleged to have severely criti-
cised the commissary generals depart
ment, was authoritative. Extracts
from the alleged interview were also
read and submitted as a part of the
record.
Col. w. S. Alexander, U. S. A, of the
subsistence department, was the first
witness called by the defense. He
said he returned to Washington from
Jamaica on the morning of the day
Gen. Eagan gave his testimony before
the war Investigating commission.
Gen. Eagan, he said, was hastily go
ing over papers in connection with
his testimony and showed signs Of
great excitement. Gen. Eagan nerv-
ously handled the papers and witness
had rarely seen a man in such a nerv-
u condition. His name was so ex-
ceptional that he asked Col. Davis, OF
the commissary department, who was
present, whether the general was not
i'll. He had been intimately connected
with Gen. Eagan, but never before had
he seen him
IN SUCH A CONDITION.
Geu. Merritt asked the witness wheth-
er to his knowledge Gen. Eagan had
consulted any n as to the substance
of his testimony to be presented to the
commission. Col. Alexander answered
that SO far as he knew Gen. Eagan
had not.
Col. George B. Davis, assistant to
Gen. Eagan, was the next witness. He
testified that he had been very closely
associated with Gen. Eagan during the
last several months. He was in the
timony before the war commission,
and as Vol as Gen. Eagan saw the
published statement of his testimony
he became considerably excited and
had written to Gen. Miles asking as to
the truth of an interview published
with Gen. Miles. AS time went on his
excitement increased to such an extent
that he did not and apparently could
not attend to the routine duties of his
such a state that he could not attend
to any business. The day before Gen.
Eagan appeared before the commission
he read his statement over to the wit
ness, who urged him to modify it
somewhat, but he would not listen,
and, walking up and down the room,
said he would not change a word of it.
He was then in a very nervous state.
Newspaper clippings were constantly
being received criticising Gen. Eagan.
and these greatly increased his excite
ment. Some OF these clippings carried
the idea that Gen. Eagan was a MUIR
derer and that he had acted corruptly
in sending unfit food to the army. Dur
ing these days witness said Gen. Eagan
was wholly untitled to perform the or
binary duties of his office. Up to this
time the general had been
A HARD WORKER
and never before had exhibited any
signs of nervous strain.
In answer to a question, Col. Davis
said that Gen. Eagan's conduct of his
Office was perfectly honest and he had
always had the good of the soldier at
heart, more SO in fact than any other
commissary general of whom he had
ever known or heard. The witness
again referring to Gen. Eagan's testi-
mony before the war investigating
commission, said that he had not been
consulted in its preparation, but at
the generals request, had Supplied
some of the records. The general had
asked him at one time as to his
judgment concerning the argument
he had prepared for the commission
and the witness had replied that it was
a complete answer to the criticisms
which had been made against him, but
he had advised that some parts If it
be omitted. Gen. Eagan, however,
was greatly excited, and witness
thought he would bring the matter to
his attention more urgently the next
morning, but witness did not then
have a good opportunity. Gen. Eagan
had told the witness that he was pre-
vented from proceeding in military
fashion against Gen. Miles by the
Presidents order of immunity to wit
nesses, but that he hoped to be able
to proceed in the matter in the civil
courts.
Miss Willard, Gen. Eagan's steno-
grapher, was then called. She had
taken nearly all of the generals dicta-
tons since September Is last, and tes-