The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-22
JAI ALAI BOBS UP
GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT PLAYS
AN IMPORTANT PART
IN CHARGES AGAINST WOOD.
WITNESSES DECLARE THAT 1T
GAVE HIM PRESENTS.

Senate Committee on Military Az
fairs Heard Charges Against the
erals PIace-These Charges Al
Iege Various Observation-Disclosures.
RathbOnc Instructed to Give Out
no More Evidence.
Washington. Nov. 21-The Senate
Military Affairs Committee to-day con-
tinued its investigation of the charges
against Gen. Leonard Wood.
Maj. Rathbone. who filed many of
the charges. was the first witness. He
was asked if he had given out state
ments concerning the committees in
quiry. and admitted that he had done
so. He was requested in the future
to consider whatever took place inside
the committee room 10 be executive
and agreed to refrain from making
public any of the subsequent proceed
ings. The committee decided that all
extraneous and irrelevant evidence
should be excluded.
IF Gen. Leonard Wood were on trial
for his life he would not receive in
struction, from the court more favor
able than the rulings which have been
made by the Senate Military Com
mittee in the conduct of the present
Investigation. said a member of the
committee tonight, when asked con-
corning the methods used in dealing
with the various witnesses examined.
1t is believed that in the event of
a decision by the committee favorable
to Gen. Wood, the fight will be trans
ferred to the floor of the Senate. In
fact, notice of this has been given to
a member of the committee by one of
the senators who joined the protest
against Gen. Woods confirmation.
Havana Lawyers Evidence.
The entire afternoon was occupied
by the committee in examining Ernest
l.. Conant, a Havana lawyer. In con-
nection with the alleged acceptance
of presents from the Jai Alai by Gen.
and Mrs. Wood, Mr.. Conant told of
a telegram which was sent from Hav-
ana to New York. while the grant
ing of a concession to the establish
ment was pending. The story of the
telegram was told to Conant by G..
Lawton Childs, a shareholder in the
Jai Alai. He said that Pedro Galbis,
secretary of the establishment went to
New York to purchase a silver dinner
set for Gen. Wood, and while no
notice of the granting of the conces-
sion was printed in the Official
Gazette at Havana. the concession
was granted. a telegram sent Galbis,
and according to Mr.. Conant, the
purchase made at a cost of IS, 100.
Iar 1fCat1Ccinp ha
mittee ruled this testimony out of or
der. Galbis is dead. but it is said
the telegram can be produced and will
be offered to the Senate.
At the morning session Herbert j.
Browne, newspaper man, told the
committee that he had obtained the
afhdavits made by shareholders of the
Jai Alai Company which had been
filed by Maj Rathbone. In the af-
fidavits the shareholders declared their
stock had been assessed TOR the pur-
pose of paying the cost of presents
which were given by the gambling es-
adjustment to Gen. and Mrs. Wood.
wood Wasn't Ignorant of 1t.
Mr.. Browne was questioned also in
regard to the charge that Gen. Wood
knew the character of the Jai Alai
when he argued in favor of granting it
a concession to operate. When refer
enee to this charge was made by Mr..
Browne, he was asked by Senator
Cockrell to substantiate his assertion.
He did so by directing attention to off,
cial publications in Havana newspa-
pers, showing the nature of the Jai
Alai's establishment. These statements
included a copy of the company's by
laws. and it was declared that these
had been suppressed by Gen. Wood in
his statement to the War Department
concerning the establishment.
Mai. Rathbone was examined close
ly in regard to his charges that Gen.
Wood used coercion, and undue influ-
ence with the courts in getting in
structions which were unfavorable to
Mai. Rathbone on his trial in connec-
ton with the postal fraud cases.
Secretary Root. in response to a re-
quest from the Military Committee, has
sent a report upon the military record
of Gen. Wood. 1t is a strong COM
mendation of that officer. Secretary
Root does not make any reference or
reply to the charges that have been
made against Gen. Wood as military
Governor of Cuba.