New-York tribune., 1903-06-07
WOOD AND RUNcIE ONCE MoRE.

The old charge that General Leonard Wood
was a partner in the Runcie attack on General
John R. Brooke In "The North American Re
view" has appeared in q new form. Some
weeks ago "The New-York Evening POST
brought it forward, alleging that General Wood
had revised the manuscript with his own hand
before publication. When called upon by The
Tribune to prove or to retract a statement re-
fecting so seriously on the character of high
officer in the army, "The Evening Post" con-
fessed that it had no proofs and honorably made
suitable apology. Now comes THE NewYork
Sun which while noting that THE Even
ing POST was mistaken in detail to the evi-
dence of General Woods participation in the
attack on General Brooke repeats the substance
of the charge on the alleged authority of Major
Runcie himself. tThe Sun" says:
The substance of statements which we have
reason TO believe have been made by Major
Runcie to various persons at different times,
all of them earlier in date than the so-called
withdrawal of the charge" by THE Evening
Post last month, is that he, Major Runcie,
then General Woods closest friend and unoffi-
cial counsellor and legal steerer at Santiago,
prepared the article attacking General Brooke
at General Woods request that Wood had told
Runcie it was highly desirable to get Brooke
out of the island as soon as possible; that
Runcie, likewise in good faith believing that
Brooke ought TO be ousted, wrote the attack
at the special suggestion of Wood and intrusted
T the manuscript to person whom Runcle had
never seen before and never thereafter,
this person being at that time and for that
purpose brought TO him and introduced by
Wood: that Runcie's understanding that
his name not 70 appear in connection with
the matter he had prepared at Woods request;
that when the article was published with his
name and General Brooke Indignantly demand
ed that Runcie be court martialed, the de-
mand was by President McKinleys direction.
referred TO Wood at Havana, who reported back
TO Washington that ms understanding was
that while Runcie had written the attack. the
author had not intended it to be published as
an article but had gwen II 10 ff1end or ms
(Runcie's) TO be used as the basis Of editorial
comment in some newspaper; and that this at
tempted evasion by Wood Of his own initial
responsibility for the article in The North
American Review a shock to Runcie,
practical betrayal Of him by friend whom he
had trusted implicitly, and the occasion of the
break in the close relations previously existing
between them.
Such is the origin of the charge of which The
Tribune says that il II is true General Leonard
Wood ought to be court nartialed. We agree
with neighbor in that respect.
We add equally emphatic opinion that II
Mr.. Runcie has been libelling General Wood in
his repeated statements concerning that officers
share in the transaction. 1t is Runcie who should
be hunted down and severely punished. He is
within reach of military discipline, being lieu
tenant the retired list, and still governed by
the articles of war and the rules Of the War
Department.
The situation seems to us to be perfectly sim
pie. II IS question either Of the full vindica-
tion of Wood or OF the deserved punishment or
Runcfe the truth may require; and the Of
nciaI ascertainnlent of the truth is the plain
road to even and impartial justice as between
General Wood and Major Runcie
This is a most serious charge. 1t is unques
tionably true that If General Wood participated
in the Runcie attack and then denied his share
In it he should be court martialled If Major
Runcie has been bearing false witness against
General Wood he should be punished If any
third party has been circulating injurious libels
about either he should be exposed. The truth
about this affair should be made known. THE
Sun" stands to-day as the responsible author Of
the charge that Major Runcie accuses General
Wood Of completely in his offence. and It's mani
fest duty is 10 publish evidence to support that
statement or withdraw it. When and where
and to whom has Major Runcie said any such
thing? Who was tlis person introduced by
General Wood 10 Major Runcie the proper
recipient of his manuscript? Somebody knows,
or thinks he knows, or has invented most cir
cumstantiaI story. In their turn it may become
the duty of General Wood and Of Major Runeie
to deal with it. First however, 1t is proper to
follow the story it is published to its origin,
that the two persons, the honor Of one of whom
is accused by it, may know whom and what
they have TO meet
Let the accusers be dragged into the open
and made 10 stop stabbing in the dark. 1t is
not merely q question Of 'the full vindication