Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-26

Washington. D. c.. January 25.-Tha
board of army officers designated by
the Secretary of War to sit as a court
martial in the case OF Brigadier General
Charles P, Eagan, commissary general
of subsistence, charged with conduct
unbecoming an officer, and a gentleman
and conduct to the prejudice of good
order and military discipline. in con-
nection with his testimony before the
war investigating committee, met in
the parlor at the Ebbitt House at 10
o'clock this morning. and almost inn
mediately proceeded to the business in
hand. The court consists of Major
General Wesley Merritt, L. S. A.;
Major General James f. Wade, u. S.
v; Major General NJ. c. Butler, u.
"; Major General S. b. NJ. Young,
S. v; Brigkdier General RoyaL
Frank, U, S. v; Brigadier Cd
George NJ. Randall. U. S. v; Brig
General Jacob Kline, u. S. "; By
der General Richard Comba, Il. 81
Colonel Peter c. Haines, corps OF
gineers; Colonel George l.. Gillekpiey
corps of engineers; Colonel Charles r..
Suter, corps of engineers; Colonel
Francis L. Guenther, Fourth artillery;
Lieut.. Col. George G. Davis, deputy
judge advocate general, judge advocate
of the court.
The members OF the court, who ap-
peared in full dress uniform, were seats{
ed about a long table placed Length
wise of the room, Gen. Merritt,
president of the court. ocGxGzS
seat at the head. AT jusJ
Col. Davis called the roll
all Of the members respond
names. As he concluded,
appeared with his counsel
Worthington, formerly III
district attorney for the u
lumbia, and TOT
advocate at fhe
Eagan also wore the dress \
his rank. Almost immedia(
Davis arose and introduced q
and his counsel and then p
read the order converting
The judge advocate when this
eluded turned to Gen. Eagan and
quired whether he objected to any
the members Of the court as designaI
by the order. Gen. Eagan replied: II
do not" The members Of the court
then arose and took the usual oath
which was administered by Col. Davis.
The charges and specifications were
then read, as follows:
Charge /. Conduct u~nbecoming an
officer and a gentleman. Specification
In that Brig. Gen. on 1les p. Eagan.
commissary general subsistence,
United States army, diI while testify
ing as a witness befl BE commits
sion appointed by Thy kent to IL
vestigate the condYi W.
partment in the VI
init and read as a
a certain written sRI7N
he did make use of and tho
lish d~isgraceful, groEsly insulting
ungentlemanly Language with reirs
to Major General Nelson A. Mile comNl
handing the armyI +
Charge 2. Conduct to the pEjudica
of good order and military discipline.
Speciication-In that Brig. Gen. Char
les p. Eagan, conImissary general Oe
subsistence, Uniteb States army, did.
while testlfying asst witness before tho
commission appointed by tho Presi-
lent to investigate the conducs OF the
War Department in the VI With
Spain. submit and read. "a d part OF
his testimony, a certain writt state
ment. in which he did makef Ilse OF
and thereby publish, grossly busiye
and unmilitary language VI refer-
ence to the major general commands
ing the army"
During these preliminary proceeds
ings Gen. Eagan exhibited no aisy Of
nervousness, but the expression N ht&
face and his manner indicated that Sa
realized that thd trial involved conse-
quenees to him OF the gravest char