Arizona republican., 1903-05-04
In Justice to General Wood.

It is clear to us that the New York Sun is doing 8 great injustice to Briga- dier-General Leonard Wood. Says the Sun of April 27:
 AS accumu;ating facts indicate the extraordinary close relation which for merly existed between Gen. Leonard Wood and the ex-convict of the many names Edgar G. Bellairs]. and the part which the latter has borne in the surprising fortunes of the former, it becomes more and more important that the travelling student of colonial con- ditions and administrative methods should interrupt his studies long enough to state clearly, in justice to his own reputation, whether he knew or had reason to suspect at Havana that the palace intimate and press agent of the military governor of Cuba. was a iailbird.''
 General Wood Is thousands of miles from home, or his way to take up the onerous duties connected with the com mand of Mindanao. and is in no posi- tfon to de:end himself against the numerous intimations which have been liidAC NAleAN AuA ms llLS SNA fAtC AAA CNO@S he knew or had reason to suspect that Bellairs was a swindler. Indeed, it is very doubtful whether the general yet knows anything of the Bellairs record which the Sun has exposed, or knows of the manner in which his name is consistently linked with the Bellalrs case. It happens, however. that The Republican is able to settle the Suns doubts, and has thoroughly satisfac- tory evidence that during the period in question Wood was ignorant of Bel lairs' record. This evidence Is fur nished by two letters from Wood to Bellairs. These letters are now in our possession. and we print them here with
 When Bellairs hurriedly left Arizona a few weeks ago. Ostonsibly for New York for the purpose O; bringing suit against the Sun for libel, he failed to take all his private papers with him or at least failed to take these two letters, which were found next day by Mir. Claude Burson, who for awhile
 
 ness. MT. Burson forwarded them to us, and in view of all the circum- stances it seems advisable to disregard the ethics wEich ordinarily forbid the publication of private correspondence. The first letter reads as follows:
 Headquarters Division of Cuba,
 Havana, November 3, 1900. Capt. F. G. Bellairs.
 Representative Associated Press,
 Manila, Philippine Islands.
 My dear Bellairs: Your kind letter of September 22d just received. Sorry to hear that you got in too late to see what was going on. Miss Condit- Smith is now on her way home and we expect she will arrive in New York in December. l am glad that everything is going on so well with you.
 You will probably hear details of some queer reports, which all your friends consider as attempts at black mail. which were circulated after your departure from Havana. They died natural death and need give you no concern.
 We arc now on the eve of the con stitutional convention, which bids fair to pass off as quietly as the elections during the last few months.
 T trust that you will meet with every success in your work
 1T returned yesterday from the states. and am rushed with good deal of work
 With kind regards. and trusting to hear from you,
 Yours very sincerely
 LEONARD WOOD" The second letter reads;