The record-union., 1899-06-30
DIR. WILSON ON TOP.
Governor Roosevelt Says He il All
Right.


Union'' published a clipping from the
Chicago Post which was very COM
plimentary to DR.. H. B. Wilson, who
was then on his way to this city and
which gave an account of his services
with the Rough Riders at San Juan
Hill, during the Santiago campaign.
The item spoke of him as surgeon
and also stated that he was a veteran
of the civil war. A couple of weeks
later we received letter from Bradford
Woodbridge of Rocklin denouncing Dr.
Wilson as a fraud and inclosing what
purported to be, and no doubt vas,
copy Of letter from Governor Roose-
welt of New York, in answer to one
| written to him by Woodbridge. This
letter was as follows:
state of New York, Executive
Chamber, Albany, June 2, 1899.
Mr.. Bradford Woodbridge, Rocklin,
Placer County, Calmly Dear Sir: Re-
plying to yours of the 25th ult.., would
say that we had no surgeon named Will
son with us. There was a hospital at
tendant with US named Wilson, but he
was a young man and could certainly
not have been in the civil war. Very
truly yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
1t is not the custom Of the Record
Union to publish assaults upon peo-
pie without first finding out for itself
whether the charges are true. We
therefore commenced an investigation
Of Mr.. Woodbridge's assertions. A day
or two later, however, an impudent let
ter was received from him demanding
to know why his abusive communica-
ton was not published, and insinuat-
ing that the "Record-Pnion' was guilty
of shielding fraud which he had Eek
posed His communication was there
upon returned to him.
He then sent a copy Of Governor
Roosevelts letter, but probably not the
rejected communication, to contem-
porary, which promptly published it,
with this comment: Mr.. Woodbridge
writes further that he sent Governor
Roosevelt's letter to the Record
Union" and requested it's publication,
but that that paper, although it was the
enc which published the original clip
ping, declined to print the expose
The Record Union" had declined to
publish Mr.. Woodbridge's communica
ton (Which was grossly abusive and
hbelous) without examination, because
it had no means of knowing whether
DR.. Wilson had made the representa-
tons to the Chicago Post" as re-
ported. AS soon as we were able to
reach him he declared that there were
Inaccuracies in the statement of the
Post; that he did not claim to have
been in the civil war, because he is now
only Al years of age, etc.
The Record Union now has in it's
possession the original of letter from
Governor Roosevelt to Dr. Wilson,
which clearly vindicates it's course in
declining to publish charges against a
man without investigation. 1t is evil
dent that when the Governor wrote his
first letter he failed to recognize the
party referred to because he was
spoken of as veteran of the civil
war.
Governor Roosevelt's letter is as fol-
lows:
State of New York, Executive Cham
Der. Albany, June %, 1S99
DR.. H. B. Wilson, care New Western
Hotel. Marysville, Calmly Dear DR..
Wilson,: have your letter of the 18th
instant. OF course remember you very
We'll indeed. 1 could not understand at
nrst what the man meant, especially
when he said you We're veteran of the
civil war. You were one of the men
who Joined US from Colorado. I was
sure that any statement about you to
your discredit must be false. Faithfully
yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
1t Is evident that DR.. Wilson did serve
with the Rough Riders in the Santiago
campaign and that the item in the
Chicago Post" was substantially cor
rect.