The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-01
CASE AGAINST WOOD
HAS MORE LIGHT THROWN UPON
1T BY BROOKE.
INSTRUMENTATION OF W00E
is DESCRIBED BY HIS SUPERIOR
IN CUBA.

Gen. Brooke Claimed That Gen.
Wood Violated Orders and Also
Acted Contrary to Military Regu-
1atiOns and Ethics - News Paper
Men Considered Wood Used Them
to Exploit His own Deeds.
Washington, Nov. 3O.-Maj Gen. John
r. Brooke, retired, formerly governor
general of Cuba, to-day gave testi-
mony before the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs, which charged insu-
bordination against Gen. Leonard
Wood.
Gen. Brooke was before the commit
tee more than two hours and occupied
the entire time in telling of Gen.
Woods conduct at Santiago. The wit
ness offered, in support of his state
ments, many documents, taken from
! records at the War Department and
several papers from his personal COL
! lection. At the close of his testimony
a member of the committee said that
it is probable Gen. Wood would have
to return from the Philippines and
testify.
One of the charges made by Gen.
Brooke is that Gen. Wood violated
the order, which required him in max
ing improvements in Santiago to sub
NIT estimates to the governor general
AS evidence of this violation, Gen.
Brooke called attention to the build
ing Of barracks at Santiago, near the
Moro, without Gen. Wood first hav-
ing given notice to the department
at Havana, Gen. Brooke said also,
| that Gen. Wood continually sent COM
| munications 20 the War Department
over the head of his commanding Of
| ficer. The witness assured the COM
| mittee that he cared nothing for the
| ignoring of his authority but said that
the proceeding had been detrimental
| to military discipline.
| Gen. Brooke called to the attention
| of the committee, in support of an all
| legation that Gen. Wood had neglected
to work in harmony with the military
! government, the matter of Gen. Wood s
attitude towards the newspapers at
| Santiago, which repeatedly made at
| tacks on Gen. Brooke's administra-
| ton. Gen. Brooke read a number of
these attacks and also his recommended
ton to the War Department that the
papers be suppressed unless they de-
| sisted.
Criticisms of Brooke.
| One of the extracts from the Inde-
| pendencia, published at Santiago.
which was read, contained bitter de-
nunciation of Gen. Brooke under the
| caption of God Save Cuba" The ar
ticle was the result of Gen. Brooke's
| order for tho Capitalization of the af-
fairs of the island by which receipts
from all custom houses were ordered
sent to Havana The article, among
other things, said that if carried into
erect the order would soon prohibit
| people from breathing without permits
sion from Gen. Brooke; that it was a
matter of life and death to the prov
ince of Santiago to get the order re-
| scinded.
Gen. Brooke read a letter, which he
had sent to the adjutant general of
the War Department, asking that
! Gen. Wood be instructed to prohibit
! the publication of such articles during
the period of military government. He
also read Gen. Woods reply to the ad-
jutant general, which, the witness
said, had been sent over the head of
his superior officer, saying that free
| oom OF speech, untrammeled criticism
of the military government, and abso-
! lutte independence in all matters was
a necessary part of the education OF
the Cubans to fit them to conduct a
| liberal government.
Gen. Brooke told the committee that
on Jan. 4, 1899, Gen Wood, without
consulting his superior officer, obtain
| ed permission to visit Washington.
even though he left in allegiance mat
ters needing attention.
Horatio S. Rubens of New York was
before the committee at the morning
session. His testimony tended to corr
roborate the statements made to the
committee by Maj. ]. E. Runcie In
reference to the knowledge Gen Wood
is said to have had of the Runcie mag
azine article criticising unfavorablv
the administration of Mai. Gen. Brooke
as governor general of Cuba.
Wouldn't Take Woods Word.
One of the most important state
ments made by Mr.. Rubens was that
Gen. Wood visited him after the pub
LEGATION of the Runcie article and that
their conversation showed that Gen
Wood had previous knowledge of II
Mr.. Rubens said Gen. Wood admitted
that he had told Runcie that the arti
Gle put him wood in an awkward
position.
The witness detailed the relationship
between Gen. Wood and newspaper