The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-12-04
THE TESTIMONY
AGAINST Gen. WOOD
MAJOR RUNClE TEsTIFGEs BE-
FORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE
ABOUT MAGAZINE ARTICLE.

| Havana, probably the most important
witness that will he offered by the op-
ponents Of General Leonard Wood in
their attempt to prevent his confirma-
| ton to be Major General.
| Major Runcie was on the stand sew
eral times during the day, telling the
| committe of a dinner at Santiago,
Cuba, attended by himself, General
| Wood and Ray Stannard Baker, a
| newspaper man, at which, 1t is al
| legged, was planned the magazine ar
/ ticle attacking Major-General Brooke
that has figured so 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 of which he had
personal knowledge This did not eX-
clude his story of the dinner incident,
which resulted in the issue of subpoe-
mas for three other witnesses, among
whom is General Brooke.
In his testimony Major Runcie eX-
| planned that he had acted as the con-
fidential adviser of General Wood for
nearly two wears and that they lived
together at Santiago. 1t was while
they were livin- in the same house
that Baker went to santiago in search
of MARTIAL for a magazine article "A
meeting was arranged between the
men and a dinner followed, testified
Major Runcie, at which they discussed
the plan to have published an article
which would exploit the success of
General Wood in dealing with affairs
at Santiago and draw a comparison
with the situation at Havana unfavor-
able to the administration of General
brooke.
Major Runcie declared that General
Wood asked him to write the article
and 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 Cen
eral Wood knew what the article con-
tanned and that they had correspond
ence about it as result of the furore
created by it's publication. He offered
to produce copies of letters which he
had written to General Wood concern
ing his own defense. 1t was not until
after General Wood succeeded General
Brooke that the article was published.
The effect wa sa severance of the re-
latiOns between the witness and Cen
eral Wood. Major Runcie then began
the practice of law at Havana and has
been there ever since.
The witness said that when the Sec
rotary of War went to Cuba following
the disclosures to the War Department
the suggestion was made, either by
tile Secretary or General Wood that
he be court martialed for writing the
article, and that he had, in effect, in
vited the court martial.
The committee Informed Major Run
Gle that he would be called again some
time next week. He left Washington
tor light for Cleveland. He is expected
to return within three days and hold
himself subject to the call of the COM
n ittce His connections in Havana
make it necessary for him to appear
before thu committee to testify con-
cern' * matters other than the writing
of the magazine article.
1t is said he has knowledge of Cen
eral Woods order for the arrest of
Major Rathbone, and as the agent at
Havana for a Maryland bonding COM
pany. can give information in regard
to Rathbone's charge that General
Wood used his influence with the courts
in having Rathbone's bond fixed at
figure he declared to have been I'M
reasonable.
The purpose of the magazine article
of Runcie was to secure the promotion
of General Wood to the Governor
Generalship.
Other witnesses called by the COM
mittee to testify today were Major
G. l.. Ladd, United States Army, who
audited General Woods Santiago ac-
counts; Wallis Chairman, a former en-
ploye of a New York jewelry house,
who made the sale to the Jai Alai
Company of the silver set which was
given to General Wood, Inl an en-
ploye of the Bureau of Insular Affairs,
who explained the character of the
game and the manner in which specu-
lation is INDUCED in by the specula-
tors. Baskets, rackets and other
paraphernalia were used in illustrating
the manner of play.
Chairman 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 Quesada and re-
ceived the purchase price, $500. He
was not asked whether duty was paid
on the set.
The second time he was asked con-
corning the charge that while negotia-
tons were progressing between the
purchasers and the jewelry company
q telegram was received by the pur-
chaser telling him not to close the deal
until notice of the granting of the
concession to the Jai Alai company
had been published in the official ga
Zette of Havana. Chairman said that
he had never heard of such a tele-
gram. 1t was brought out through the
testimony of another witness and by
inspection of the articles of the Jai
Alai Company that Zaras Quesada was
a member of the board of directors.
Reticence was manifested by all the
members of the committee concerning
the testiony of Major Runcie. The
committee concluded with him and
adjourned until II o'clock tomorrow,
when it is expected that Horatio Ru-
bens will testify. If not he will be
heard on Monday, when General
Brooke also is expected to appear.
Rubens was connected with the Gu
ban junta in this country previous to
the Spanish war, for a part of the
time during the military occupation
he being employed by the War De-
partment in Cuba.
CUTTER COMING SOON. !
Judging from a personal letter to |
Collector Stackable this morning, |