The sun., 1903-12-17
The WOOD INQUIRY CLOSED.
SENATE COMMITTEE TO VOTE ON
THE REPORT TO-DAY.

Secretary Root, the Last witness. Defends
Gen. Wood. but Not rs vigorously
assWas Expected-The Ma Jority Report
VIII Doubtless Clear Gen. Wood.
WASHINGTON, Dec. l8.-The Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs closed its hear
ings on the Gen. Wood case tonight and
will hold another meeting tomorrow morn
ing to take vote on the report to be made
to the Senate. The committee. while not
directly passing upon Senator Hannas
request that Gen. Wood be summoned
from the Philippines to answer the charges
against him, by its action tonight In CLOS
ing the hearing in effect denied the request
The result of the investigation will un-
questionably be majority report clearing
Gen. Wood of the charges and recommend
ing that he be confirmed as MaJor-General,
and a minority report making contrary
recommendation The whole question will
thus be thrown into the Senate in executive
session. The hearings before the commit-
tee will not be made public unless by order
of the Senate.
Secretary Root was the only witness
before the committee to-day. The morning
session lasted two and half hours, and the
evening session continued until lll5 o'clock.
Secretary Root at the morning session made
a presentation of Gen. Woods side Of the
case. His talk was largely in the nature
of an argument although he was fire.
quently interrupted with questions bearing
on the testimony offered by other witnesses.
At tonight 5 session the hearing took
anot her turn Senator Teller propounded
to Secretary Root a lot OF pointed questions
bearing on the Rat hbone affair, the Runcie
incident. the Jai Alai scandal and the mat
tain in the Medical Corps to Brigadier-
General in the line. Some OF these ques-
tions found Secretary Root totally unpre-
pared. and his replies, it is understood,
were not nearly as clear as the committee
desired
At the morning session Major Rathbone
submitted statement to the committee
in writing, complaining that certain Wit
nesses asked for by him had not been sum
moned. Among these witnesses, VINO are
information. are the following: Col. Lebo,
Fourteenth Cavalry. who Is one OF the
few men in the army who know Gen. Woods
exact whereabouts on the first days
Eht at orsnda SandsssoD DeEer OK july o Havans Ss
Y. A'1S Nathan 'a'%' Of Denver. H' Lieut.. Brooks,
and ". NJ. Lancasher.. former auditing
officers in Cuba, all of them familiar with
Woods alleged irregularities in accounts;
William Cairns, formerly Chlei SPeclai
Agent at Havana, who made trip to florida
to look into the penitentiary record OF
Woods intimate friend, Capt. Belalrs, ana
whose report has ne yer seen the light or clay.
and Bert A. Miller and Corydon A. Kich,
who are familiar with certain matters
affecting Gen. Woods record in Cuba in
connect ion with the postal cases.
The committee gave no answer 70 MAJOR
Rathbone, and from present appearances
will close the hearing arbitrarily without
admitting the testimony called for. MAJOR
Rathbone also asked that Francis r. Leupp,
Washington correspondent of the New
York Euening Post, be called upon to testify
regarding an interview he had with Gen.
Wood in which Wood reflected upon Gen.
Ludlow in severe terms concerning the yel,,
low fever situation in Havana. Gen. Wood
repudiated the interview, which led 70 cor
self self '
Secretary Roots defence of Gen. Wood
to-day was much less vigorous than ex-
pocted He assumed responsibility for
Gen Woods action in the postal cases,
saying that the War Department had
directed vigorous prosecution OF the
that Gen Wood had issued military orders
nullifying .he laws of Cuba by admitting
ex parte evidence.
He explained this by saying that the
methods of obtaining evidence under Span.
First Instance to 90 out himself and take
depostions and to act. in effect, IA n prose-
cuor in the gathering of evidence 'ien
Wood said Secretary Root, had not I'M.
properly influenced the Judges IN 'he pos'a'
cases
In the matter of the .Iai Alai concession
Secretary Root told the committee that.
Gen. Wood had merely granted permission
to the Sociedad Anonima 'Iai Alai 70 erect
additional buildings. and that nothing in
I ba cppcacsicp IarIniftpd gambling.
Members of the committee asked Secre.
tary Root regarding Gen Woods approva!
Of the gambling regulations OF the Jai
Alai concern, but either the Secretary OF
War was ignorant on this point or his mem
ory was defective, as his replies were not
clear whether Gen. Wood had advised the
War Department of his actions or whether
the Department had approved of them.
Gen. Wood in the matter of the silver tea
set presented to him by the Jai Alai con-
cessonaires According to Mr., Roots YER
sion, the gift came from other persons, as
we'll as those interested in the gambling
concern
He knew little or nothing, apparently.
of the silver toilet set presented to Mrs.
Wood by citizens of Havana, mainly those
INTEREST," ed in the Castaneda concession.
Mr. Root did not deny that these presents
were ade but he advised the committees
tina. there was no improperly in their ac-
ceptance by the Miltary Governor OF Cuba
Nearly one hundred questions were pro-
pounded to Secretary Root tonight by
Senat or Teller They bore on many phases
of the charges agains. Gen. Wood Mr.,
Root in some instances made reply to these
quest ions, and when his memory was at
fault he referred the committee to the
record.
Voluminous documents were submitted
to the committee by Mr.. Root, who was
at work during the afternoon preparing
for to-night's ordeal. Mr.. Root told the
committee that much Of the difference of
opinion raised regarding the alleged ir.
have been avoided by the printing of Gen.
Woods reports which had been forwarded
to the Senate.
InJFR gnJ'RS Talk ~ THE HOI'SE