The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-30
4. EAGAN IS DEFENDED
.euY BEEF CONTROVERSY Is RE-
yIyED BY GEN. ALGER.
.~mer Secretary of War Attacks
eer. Miles for His Action During
fRe war with Spain and Pays
xy,bute to Eagnn and shafter.

arW YORK. Dec. 2s.--In his article in
e North American Review on THE
"a OF the Army During the Spanish
-. Mr.. Alger takes up Gen. Miles
,s<inony before the Dodge commission
!. pecennber 81, 1893. relative TO the beef
<,nfrhed to the army, and says:
~flhough the commission had been sit
Z, nearly three months. the charges
- especially to canned and refriger-
- heef. now made for the first time:
81 stranger and more inexcusable and
- unsoIdferly still. during all these
~crfhs. with this present knowledge OF
- which. II they existed. should have
- made known to the secretary OF
~ for tho protection OF the army. Gen.
xIles never mentioned the subject Nor
"A / ever hear rumor OF chemically
E.sted beef being purchased for the
~ until the generals testimony was
|Ssen before the commission. The allega-
IN that unsuitable food. not a part Of
~ legal ration. had been furnished TO
~ army under pretense Of an expert
1871 and that refrigerated beef, treated
IN poisorous chemicals, had been and
- being supplied to our army Of 275.0oo
~ were indeed serious, implying as
IN did criminal Incompetence on the
~ az she comnissary department II
- wilful negligence and dishonesty.
sf.ypn Coulusissary General Charles p
|nxan the charges fell with the sudden
~ and sharpness Of a blow from an as
1as,f's knife out of the dark. Gen.
|fsean had been an officer of the regular
|1ey for thirty-six years. He had risen
|Sors i second lieutenancy TO the highest
~ In the commissary department to
sNeh HIS ambition could aspire Gallant
id fearless on the battlehelds of the
|6yll war and the hostile Indian claims
| Il tie west he had n record for soldier
n qualities of which any officer might
IN BE- proud. With energy. honesty and
- he had administered his department
Xfjng the war with Spain. a fitting cli-
~ to n long and honorable career In
r. servsce OF his country"
Tribute 10 Eagan.
a. Alser pays high tribute to the
En&gyy and fidelity OF Gen. Eagan. saying
~ be was almost prostratcd from over
Evpfk He adds:
when the charges OF Gen. Miles.
nnde 70 publicly and so positively. and
III manner In which they were for the
I'm time made known. seemed to Gen.
|fntan. IN his nervous condition. the more
|Gasnined and horrible. Upon hearing
|kem he pitifully exclaimed: Gen. Miles
~ cruciflcd me upon a cross of false
|hocd and Misrepresentation
"Qsr. Eaean had already been exam
~ by the war investigation commission
|oaen Gen. Miles hearing occurred, but
|xten the testimony OF the latter appear
u n the newspapers Gen. Eagan imme-
caaeiy requested rshearing.
Gen. Eagan read his reply to the war
nvtettgation commission from carefully
Rlpared typewritten manuscript. Lashed
N the quick by the allegations contained
= Cen Miles testimony. and In his sub
DqueDt interview which appeared on De-
1mher e In New York paper, his IN
nation exceeded the limits OF his self
NtSui, and In HIS efforts to deny the
&afges made his language became vitu-
efadive. extravagant and highly improp-
1olth not been seriously impaired BY
|gxrwork and anxiety, the two objection
rae paragraphs--of 100 words out of an
aggregate Of 1900 words contained in his
|Nply would never have been written or
uttered. Even yet, Invested OF It's often
i've invectivee In the two paragraphs re-
|krfed to- his reply to Gen. Miles remains
|UAnswerabie In its logic and incontro-
|y>ftible In Its facts The allegation that
u had Inspired or had knowledge OF Gen
h&an's attack upon the statement of
TIN Niles Is absolutely untrue. He did
Ieus make known to me the nature Of his
Eopq1ed anewer TO the charge. Had Gen.
fAnH submitted his manuscript TO mo
= b full possession Of the rank and
fflefer Of the office Of commlssary gen.
ezl II the United States army"
Gen. AiaAr tails az utsl.ra idlnw Can I,a