The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-29
A Lengthy Article Written for the
North American Review.
DEFENSE M A DE OF EAGAN.
The Vitupcratiyc Language Used by
Latter Said 10 Have Been D"c 10
His Bad Health. and Rest OF
His Reply to Gcucrai Miles
Pronounced Incon-
troverLibic.

G;r Associated l2esS,)
NEW YORK. Dee 2s,-rhe North
American Review. in its next issue, will
contain an article on THE Food Of the
Arm,- During the Spanish War; by form
er Secretary Russell A. MSer The ar
tic,e cites the creation OF the War lnVes-
tiuation Commission. and says that on the
21st day of December, 1898, the Major
General commanding the army Of the
United States appeared before the com
mission. then sitting in Washington ara
made his statements with respect to me
canned, fresh and refrigerated beef FUR
nished to the army during the war.
The article saws: 'AithJUgh the COM
nissi1n had been sitting nearly three
months the charges with respect to canned
ard refrieerated beef were now made Tor
the fi,tst time; ana. stranger ana more III
excusable and more un>oidiefly Stli- our
ing all those months, with this PRETENDED
knowledge of facts, which, if they eN-
listed should have been made known 10
tha secretary of War for the protection
of t7. army General Miles never mon
TONED the subject. Nor did | ever near
:, riI,n9r OF chemically treated peel peiils
purchased for the army uia'lt lle teIeI ~
| testimony was given before the co1hihl9-
Sim do not know what may have Deeh
;1l5ac+ad INTO il The understands
ina, is that ii is "a secret process OF pre-
serving beef.
SERIOUS CHARGES.
The allegations that unsuitapie Ioo1'
| not a part of the legal ration, mad peen
f,,r,israd IN tine army under pretense of
an experiment and that refrigerated
| beef treated with poisonous chemicals
| had been. and was being supplied TO our
| army of 275,0G0 men were indeed serious
| implying as they did criminal 1hco1lpe-
| tency on the part of the Commlssary De
| partment, Wiful negligence ana o1S-
! honesty.
! 1,,1.-74,l tt1;s-ct,Htrges feI with the sud
| deness and sharpness Of blow from an
! assassn's knife, out of the dark Gen
| eral Eagan had been an officer ct the
| regular army for thirty-siX years. NO
| other supply bureau of the army had eX-
! ceiled the CommiSSary Department. IN
! promptness. efficiency and successful ad-
! mn;stration during the war. The charges
| of General Miles made 50 publicly ana
| so positively and the manner III which
they were for the first time made known.
seemed 10 General Eagan in his nervous
condition the more magnlfied ana nor
rjble. General Eagan Immediately re-
uuested a rehearing from the commission.
Ilashed to the quick by the allegations
contained in General Miles testimony and
in a subsequent interview given Decenl-
tn,, 22d in a New York newspaper, Gem
per, oer -or ~ n.l indianation ~ excaeded the
Ii,nirs of his self control and in his ef-
forts 10 deny the charges made. his
,o.,r,,,,y iat:a,,,a ,.f,1,nnrotiva axtrava
CANT and highly improper
INCONTRONERTIBi Bile.
believe thai had General Elsan' health
not been seriously impaired i,y- oyerworR
aud anxiety, the Objectionable paragraphs
| words contain4d in his reny. would never
t,,,ll ,,,,,,, ,,.i+to,, n,. ,,trefad Even yer.
l;o.9 f ofr,,,c;,,a e3inctiyas in the
| Two ,,,,,,,,ranbs referred TO- his ?ep.y 10
CnaraI Miles remain<S unanswerabe in
ife Iooio and incontrcvertibie il: its fa2ss.
r,a allegation that had inspired or
h,l .,n,, i5no1vlado, of General E,aeaus
i.s,Ia} 11'1 +tml. 7,o,, ne statement of
ca,,t,.SI ,ijas < atsoll1tely untrue. Had
,,o,,or.,i I,ao1u cuh1nitreu his manuscript
"a me- na woull undoubtedly at this writ
no sin ne in full possession OF the rank
ana privileges of the office of commiSSArS
general of the United States army.
,s cnon as ! learned of General Eagdns
.,. ..,,,,,nt before tne commission [ sent
80, ,,,r, Uniformed him of my surprise
49,, r,or+ificatiou al his conduct.
,Tha ,rticle reviews the sentence of
General EIagan by the court, and says the
court-martial was the result OF the IAN
guage Eagan used, not OF 1eileiai -'iiieo
DISPLAYED IGNORANCE.
Reciting General Miles charges, the ex-
secretary says:
..rf General Miles did not know that
canned fresh beef was part u silS
| rance in an important matter OF ms pro
fassiorl that is TO say the least most re-
,,,o,l-abIe. if he did know that canned
fresh beef was a recognized part Of the
ration. then his allegation TO the CON
,rar, is so much more reprehensible.
..,rhe allegations of General Miles that
canned fresh beef was not part OF the