The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-12-03
WOODHEARINCRESTNED
General Brooke Testifies Before SEN
ate Military Committee.
CHARGES AGAINST GEN. WOOD
While In Cuba He ignored Superior
Officers and Neglected TO Work In
Harmony With Military and Added
10 Disauiet Of cubans.

Harmony With Military and Added
TO Disquiet Of cubans.
Washington. Dec. MAJOR General
John r. Brooke. retired, former gov
ernor general OF Cuba. gave testimony
before the senate committee on mill
tary affairs which charged insubordin-
alton against General Leonard Wood
AT the close OF his testimony a mem
Der of the committee said that II Is
probable General Wood will have 10
return from the Philippines and tes-
tify.
One OF the charges made by General
Brooke is that General Wood violated
the order which required him 10 make
improvements in Santiago and to sub
init estimates to the governor general.
General Brooke said also that General
Wood continually sent communications
to the war department over the head
OF his commanding officer General
Brooke called TO the attention Of the
committee in support Of an allegation
that General Wood had neglected 10
work in harmony with the military
government the matter OF General
Woods attitude toward the newspa-
pers at Santiago. which repeatedly
made attacks on General Brooke's adj
ministration. General Brooke read a
number Of these attacks and also his
recommendation TO the war depart
ment that the papers be suppressed un-
less they desisted.
One OF the extracts from the indie
pendencia. published at Santiago. which
was read. was a bitter denunciation OF
General Brooke. under the caption OF
God Save Cuba" The article In ques-
ton was based on General Brooke's
order for the Capitalization OF a1alrs OF
the island by which receipts from all
custom houses were ordered sent to
Havana. The article among other
things said that II carried into e1ect
the order soon would prohibit the PEG
pie OF Santiago from breathing with
out permission from General Brooke.
that It was a matter OF life md death
to the province of Santiago TO get the
order rescinded A large number OF
kilograms of indignation sent TO Presi-
dent Mckinley were appended to the
article.
General Brooke read a letter which
he had sent to the adjutant general OF
the war department asking that Gen
eral Wood be instructed to prohibit
the publication Of such articles during
the period OF military government. lie
also read General Woods reply to the
adjutant general which. the witness
said had been sent over the head OF
his superior officer saying that free
dom OF speech. untrammeled criticism
of the military government and abso-
Lutte independence in all matters, was
necessary part Of the education OF
the Cubans to Mt them to conduct
liberal government.
In the course OF General Brooke 3
testimony he said that General Wood
became unduly excited when the Gu
bans held indignation meetings al San
tiago for the purpose OF protesting
against the GENERALIZATION order. The
witness laid before the committee
copy OF telegram he received from
General Wood. saying that the Cubans
looked upon the order as approaching
a calamity, and that discomfort and
profound business depression existed.
Finally General Wood prayed that
the customs receipts be left under To-
cal control. The witness declared that
the attitude OF General Wood was re-
sponsible TO a great extent in adding
to the disquiet OF the Cubans.
The members OF the committee took
a great interest in General Brooke's
testimony and steps were taken TO
have copied a number OF the papers he .
offered in evidence.
Horatio S. Rubens. OF New York, !
formerly a member OF the Cuban jun
ia. when called to the stand. said, In
answer 10 a question put 10 him by q /
member OF the committee. Il am sorry /
TO say that | could not accept the word /
Of General Wood for any statement /
that he might make TO me not under /
oath" His testimony tended TO cor
roborate the statements made to tho |
committee by Major J. Z. Runcie in
reference 20 the knowledge General
Wood is said to have had OF the Runcie
magazine article criticlzing unfayor-
ably the administration Of Major Cen
eral Brooke as governor general OF
Cuba.