The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-12-03
SAYS WOOD ASKED HIM TO WRITE
ARTICLE REFLEcTlNo ON
GEN. BROOKE.
HAS SOME OTEtR THINGS TO Ttu
SUBPOENAS ISSUED FOR GEN
BROOKE AND TWO OTHER
WITNESSES.

Washington, Nov. 20. - The senate
committee on military affairs yester
day heard Maj. James e. Runcie Of
Havana, probably the most important
witness that will be offered by the Oh
ponents of Gen. Leonard Wood In
their attempt to prevent his confrma
ton to be major general. Maj. Runcis
was on the stand several times during
the day, telling the committee Of a
dinner at Santiago, Cuba, attended by
himself, Gen. Wood and Ray Stannard
Baker. Il newspaper man. AT which. il
is alleged, was planned the magazine
article attacking Mai. Gen. Brooke
that hassfigured conspicuously in ths
Wood case. Maj. 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 exclude his
story of
The Dinner Incident,
which resulted in the issue OF subpoe-
mas for three other witnesses, among
whom is Gen. Brooke. In his testt
mony Maj. Runcie explained tnat no
had acted as confidential adviser Of
Gen. Wood for nearly two Years, and
that they lived together at Santiago,
1t was while they were Twin. in the
same house that Mr.. Baker went to
Santiago In search Of material for a
magazine article. A meeting was ar
ranged between the men and dinner
followed, testified Maj. RuRcie. at
which they discussed the plan TO have
published an article which would ex-
plot the success OF Gen, Wood in deal
ing with affairs at Santiago and draw
a comparison with the situation az
Havana untavorable to the administers
tion of Gen. Brooke.
Wood Asked Him TO Write II.
Mai Runcie declared that Gea.
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
Maj. Runcie. He asserted that Ten
Wood knew what the article contained
and that they had correspondents
about it as the result of the Juror ere
ated by its publication. He offered to
produce copies of letters which he had
written TO Gen. Wood concerning MS
own defense. 1t was not until after
Gen. Wood succeeded Gen. Brooke
that the article was published. Inc
effect was a severance OF relations be-
tween the witness and Gen. WOOD
Maj. Runcie then began the practice oil
law at Havana, and, according to his
testimony, has been there ever since
The witness said that when the secre
tary &c war went to Cuba i
Following the Disclosures
to the war department the suggestion
was made, either by the secretary or
Gen. Wood, that he be court-martialed
for writing the article, and that he
had, in effect, invited the court-mar-
tial.
The committee informed Maj, Run
Gle that he would be called again some
time next week. His connections In
Havana make 1t necessary for him to
appear before the committee to testify
concerning matters other than the
writing of the magazine article. 1t is
eaid he has knowledge Of Gen. Wood
order for the arrest of Maj. Rathbone.
and as the agen at Havana for al
Maryland bonding company, can give
information in regard TO Maj. Rath-
bones charge that Gen. Wood used his
influence with the courts in having his
(Rathbone's) bond fixed at a figure he
declares to have been unreasonable