The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-02
WOOD On TIE FRAUDS
Just Plain Theft and Confined
+, to Postal Service.
NO ORDERS TO HUSH UP
General Condition of the
Island Is Not Half Bad.

New York, June IA dispatch to the
World from Havana says: General Leon
ard Wood. military governor of Cuba
authorized the World correspondent to
cable to the World the following state
ment from him relative to the frauds in
the Cuban postal service and the general
condition of the island:
'I firmly believe that the Irregularities
in the Cuban postal service, which amount
! to plain theft only, are all that will be
discovered. The postal service has not
been under my jurisdiction 1 learned OF
the frauds, instituted an inquiry and took
steps TO secure the punishment Of the
men implicated. / have since inaugurated
a thorough investigation into all the de-
partments and am confident that the con-
dition Of affairs of the postal service does
not exist in any other branches. OF
course there have been many rumors, in
spired by the postal scandal, of fraudu-
lent transactions in the other departments
| THE customs service, the engineers de-
partment and the department Of parks.
| I have every reason to believe that these
| departments have been conducted in a
most business like and honest manner. If
there is one department I am sure of It
! Is the customs bureau. You can readily
understand that men who have been in
the habit of swindling the government
under the Spanish regime do not take
kindly to the introduction of the business
I ma i'm Tod hyr he nit tad
States. I think that on the whole the en-
tire public service of Cuba has been i'm
proved"
Should you discover The existence of
Irregularities in any other department,
general, what would be your action?"
81 would institute thorough investiga-
I ton and punish the offenders" replied the
general firmly.
Has an intmation been conveyed that
the administration at Washington would.
for political reasons, rather that no other
scandals be disclosed and that the full
extent of the irregularities in the postal
service be kept as secret as possible?"
was the next question.
81 have not received such an intima-
ton" was the answer. 1T is my place
to find out whether the government ser
vice is properly administered II 1 find
it is not 1 shall insist on the immediate
punishment OF any offender. no matter
who he may be or what influence, politi-
cal and otherwise, may be exercised to
protect him. I am responsible for the
honest conduct of the government, and
any person found guilty will be pun
ished."
hot hoxr - Ii,ar -
reports Of unwarranted extravaganza on
the part of officials sent by the United
States government"
There is nothing in the condition of
affairs to justify such a statement l
know OF a number of officials who have
been compelled to spend more money to !
maintain the dignity of their rank and
country than the United States has al
lowed them. They have drawn upon their
private incomes to do so, and the gov
eminent has not been called upon to foot
their bills
How many men have been found guilty
of fraud and either been quietly dropped
from the service or placed under arrest -
Very few, and with one exception al
were in civil branches of the service Out
Of 5000 soldiers sent to the island but
one man has been directly charged with /.
embezzlement. He was a volunteer Of /
ficer and the amount Of his stealings was /
$3.50. He was tried. found guilty and sen !
fenced TO three years. Aside from Nicely !
Reeves. Rich and the other men imoi
Gated in the postal scandal there are a
number of men awaiting trial for per-
petrating frauds in the customs ser
,raFvv h.
ished."
How about the general condition OF
the island?"
1T is most satisfactory. The revenues !
are in excess of the expenditures. There /
IS less discomfort than you imagine. and
while the advancement of the people is /
slow it is undoubtedly more satisfactory
than the old way. a most significant in
dication is furnished by the fact that
the preparations for the election of mu- I
nicipal officials, on June Is. have been I
conducted in a most orderly manner. I
have not received a single request for J
troops. The registration of voters foots I
up 10000, one-half Of the voting strength |
In order TO preserve the best feeling I de- |
cided to give the minority party repre- |
sentation on every board Of aldermen ana |
the other elective bodies. I do not antici-1
pate trouble Of any character as a result |
OF the elections"
Small in size and great in results are
DeWitt's Little Early Risers, the famous
little pills that cleanse the liver and .
bowels. They do not gripe. Gus saur. .
524 East Douglas avenue. Geo. Van Wer-
den, 22S North Main street