The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-28
TO BLAST BROOKE
Runcie Says That Wood
Sought to Ruin the
General.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, Nov. 27.-The Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs today heard
Major James E. Runcie, of Havana, prob
ably the most important witness that will
be offered by the opponents of General
Bernard Wood in their attempt to prevent
his confirmation to be Major General.
Major Runcle was on the stand several
times during the day, telling the commit
tee of dinner at Santiago, Cuba, attend
ed by himself, General Wood and Ray
Stannard Raker, newspaper man, at
which, 1t is alleged, was planned the mag
azine article attacking Major General
Brooke that has figured conspicuously in
the Wood case. Major Runcie was stopped
more than once during the course of his
testimony and told to give nothing but
facts to which he had personal knowledge.
This did not exclude his story of the din
ner incident which resulted in the issue of
subpoenaes for three other witnesses,
among whom is General Brooke.
In his testimony Major Runcie explain,
ed that he had acted as the confidential
adviser of General Wood for nearly two
years and that they lived together at San
tago. 1t was while they were living in
the same house that Mr. Baker went to
Santiago in search of material for a mag
azine article A meeting was arranged be-
tween the three men and dinner follow
ed, testified Major Runcie, at whcih was
discussed the plan to have published an
article which would exploit the success OF
General oWod in dealing with affairs nj
Santiago and draw a comparison with the
ion af nfay tn aI-
ministration of General Brooke.
Major Runcie declared that General
Wood asked him to write the article AMI
that he had done so. The article was
given to Baker and published in February
1900, over the name of Major Runcie. He
asserted that General Wood knew what
the article contained and that they had
correspondence about - as the result of
the furor created by its publication He
offered to produce copies of letters which
he had written to General Wood con-
cerning his own defense 1t was not
until after General Wood succeeded Gen
eral Brooke that the article was pub
lished. The effect was a severance of
the relations between the witness and
General Wood
Other witnesses called by the commit
tee to testify today were Major E. Ladd,
U. S. A, who audited General Wood
Santiago accounts; Wallis Chairman, a
former employe of a New York jewelry
house, who made the sale to the Jai
Alai Company for the silver set which
was given to General Wood and repre-
sentative of the Bureau of Insula At
fairs who explained the character of the
game and the manner in which specula-
tion is INDUCED in by the spectators. Bas-
f1et, raquets and other paraphernaIia
were used in illustrating the manner of
play.
Mr.. Clearman was twice on the stand.
The first time he told the committee that
after the purchase of the silver set he
took the ware to Havana and delivered it
to Zaras Queda and received the purchase
price, s5,100. He was not asked whether
duty was paid on the set.
The second time he was asked concern
ing the charge that after negotiations
were made between the purchasers and
the pewelry company a telegram was re-
ceived by the purchaser telling him not
to close the deal until notice of the grant
ing of the concession to the Jai Alai
Company had been published in the official
gazette at Havana.
Mr.. Clearman said he had never heard
of such a telegram.
1t was brought out through the testi-
mony of another witness and by inspection
of the articles of he Jai Alai Company
that Zaras Queda was member of the
oard of Directors.