Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-01
GEN. BROOKE TESTIFIES
RELATIONS WITH GEN. WOOD
WHILE GOVERNOR OF CUBA.
Charges the Latter With Practices Pre-.
judicial to the Discipline
of the Service.

Mai Gen. John r. Brooke retired for
merly governor general of Cuba, yesterday
afternoon gave testimony before the Senate
committee on military affairs which
charged insubordina ton against Gen. Leon
ard Wood General Brooke was before the
committee more than two hours, and occu-.
pied the entire time in telling of General
Woods conduct at Santiago. The witness
offered in support of his statements many
documents taken from records at the War
Department and several papers from his
personal collection. At the close of his
testimony member of the committee said
that it is probable General Wood will have
to return from the Philippines and testify.
DR.. Pablo Desvernenie who was secre
tary of finance under General Brooke's ad-
minstration. will be called to tell what he
knows concerning orders issued to the
courts by General Wood which are alleged
to have brought about the conviction of
Major Rathbone. 1t was decided also to
recall Gen. Tasker II. Bliss of the general
staff of the army
The committee will make requisiton on
the War Department for all correspondence
and documents between the War Depart
ment and General Wood regarding the Cas-
toneada electric lighting and power conces-
sion for Havana
A subpoena was issued for Burt A. Mil
Ter OF Canton, Ohio, an agent at Havana
for Maryland bonding house. He will be
asked concerning General Woods alleged
influence on court instructions.
subpoena was issued for Corydon NJ
Rich of Muncie, Ind who was chief of the
bureau of finance, department of posts
during American occupation of Cuba The
committee adjourned until Thursday
Charges Violation of an Order.
One of the charges made by General
Brooke is that General Wood violated the
order which required him in making i'm
provements in Santiago to submit estimates
to the governor general AS evidence of this
violation General Brooke called attention
to the building of barracks at Santiago near
the MORO without General Wood first hav-
ing given notice to the department: at Ha-
vana. General Brooke said also that Cen
eral Wood continually sent communications
to the War Department over the head of his
commanding officer The witness assured
the committee that he cared nothing for the
ignoring of his authority but said the pro-
ceeding had been detrimental to military
discipline.
General Brooke called to the attention of
the committee in support of an allegation
that General Wood had neglected to work
in harmony with the military government
the matter of General Woods attitude to-
ward the newspapers at Santiago, which
repeatedly made attacks General
Brooke's administration
General Brooke read a number of these
attacks and also recommended to the War
Department that the papers be suppressed
unless they desisted.
One of the extracts from the Indepen-
dencia published at Santiago which was
read was bitter denunciation of General
Brooke under the caption of God Save
Cuba The article was based on General
Brooke's order for the Capitalization of af-
fairs of the island by which receipts from
all custom houses We're ordered sent to
Havana. The article among other things
said that if carried into effect the order
soon would prohibit the people of Santiago
from breathing without permission from
General Brooke: that it was a matter of life
and death to the province of Santiago to
get the order rescinded. A large number of
kilograms of Indignation sent to President
Mckinley were appended to the article.
Ignoring Of Brooke.
General Brooke read letter which he had
sent to the adjutant general of the War
Department asking that General Wood be
instructed to prohibit the publication of