The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-15
SOUGHT TO SHIELD
THE EX-JA|L BIRD
Woods Intimacy With
Be!Iairs Well Aired.
He REFUSED TO HEAR
Witnesses Say That When Men Would
Have Revealed the Alleged Base
ness Of BeIlairs, Re Stopped
the Words on Their
Lips.
(By the Associated Press.)

washington, Dec. l4.-When the senate
Committee on Military Affairs today re-
ported its investigation of charges against
General Leonard Wood, witnesses were
waiting to be heard Those were DR.. C.
Fisher, of Chicago and j. o. LaFontisee,
city editor of the Jacksonville, Fla,
Times Union, managing editor and city
editor respectively of the Havana Pest,
published during American occupation:
L. H. Morrison, of New York and General
John r. Brooke. retired.
Mr. Fisher told the story of General
Woods intimacy with Bellairs and at
tempted to show that General Wood
knew of Bellairs' bad record. DR.. Fisher
said that in September, 1900 he accom-
panied General Wood on a trip to the Isle
of Pines. and there told him of an article
which he had ordered printed in the
Havana Post, exposing Bellairs. The
witness said that General Wood told him
he did not want the story printed. and
that it had not been used on account of
that request. DR.. Fisher said he took
charge of the Havana paper at the re-
quest of General Wood. ad that he also
had acted as the correspondent for the
Associated Press for a short period
DR.. Fisher testified that he told General
Wood all he had learned of the character
of Bellairs, and that he had offered to
General Wood to produce witnesses who
could prove Bellairs indecent immortality.
He said that General Wood told him he
did not care to know anything about the
stories; that all he asked was that they
not be orinted in Havana.
Mr.. LaFontisee corroborated the testi-
mony given by DR.. Fisher He said that
before General Wood and DR.. Fisher start
ed on their trip to the Isle of Pines the
latter instructed him LaFontisee) to
write the article concerning BeIlairs. Mr..
LaFontisee said he took the question
under consideration and decided that as
the matter would be highly sensational,
and in case of libel suit it would be neces-
sary to summon witnesses fro mthe United
States to prove the charges, he would not
print the article. He said that when DR..
Fisher returned he was greatly agitated
and asked:
You did not print that article. 1
houe?"
When Dr. Fisher learned that the ar
ticle was not printed, he was greatly re-
lieved and said General Wood did not
want it used
In addition to his corroboration of Dr.
Fishers testimony Mr.. LaFontinsee told
Of the manner in which he had learned
of Bellairs' character and swore also that
General Wood knew all about it. He
said he learned from persons who went
to Havana from Florida that Bellalrs had
served five years in Florida convict camps
three years in one and two years in
another. The crime of which he had been
convicted was forgery on branch OF the
Bank of England.
Mr. LaFontisee said that in May, 1900.
a convict from Florida named johnson,
came to him and said that he had seen
Bellairs and General Wood together at
the races In Havana, and that he recog
nzed and spoke to Bellairs. who motioned
to him to keep silent According to john
sons story as told by Mr.. LaFontisee,
Bellairs excused himself and met Johnson.
asking him to remain quiet concerning
his criminal record.
After this incident, testified Mr.. La
Fontisee, General Wood sent for him and
asked what he knew of Bellairs' record.
Mr.. LaFontisee told General Wood Of
his talk with Johnson and also what he
had learned from other persons from
Florida. That was in June. 1900, and ac
cording to Mr.. LaFontisee, General Wood
tain whether he would leave Cuba AMI
remain away if his passage were paid to
New York, and money given him. John
said why do I want to leave? / have
too good a thing here bleeding Bellairs."
Mr.. LaFontisee returned to General Wood
and gave him Johnson's answer. Mr..
LaFontisee said that Later Bellairs and
General Wood went to New York.
When General Brooke was before the
committee two weeks ago he referred TO
two orders, one issud by the War De
partment and the other by himself to
carry the first in effect which he was
unable at that time to furnish. He went
on the stand today to present the orders
and undergo an examination concerning
them. The order issued by the War De
partment directed that all funds collect
ed in the provinces of Cuba should be
sent to the military auditor at Havana.
The charge was made that the order
had been issued by direction OF General
Brooke for the purpose of getting ho'd
of the funds collected at Santiago and
| to deprive that province OF Its own revc-
nues. The newspapers at Santiago were
particularly bitter. General Brooke told
the Military Affairs Committee today that
the order was issued at time when he
was sick in bed, and that he had had no
previous knowledge concerning it. The
other order filed with the committee to-
| day was one witness issued after his ce-