Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-12-05
BROOKE TESTIFIES
AGAINST CEN. WOOD
Retired Officer Charges Him With In.
subordination in Cuba
IGNORED SUPERIOR OFFICERS

Washington, Dec. 1.-Major General
John r. Brooke. retired, former SOW
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 viii have to
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 to make
improvements in Santiago and to sub
nit 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 allealtio
that General Wood had neglected to
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 Brookes ad.
ministration. General Brooke read
number of these attacks and also his
recommendation to tue war depart
ment that the papers be suppressed I'M
less they desisted.
One of the extracts from the indie
3endencia, pub ishod at Santiago. which
was read. was 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 affairs of
the island by which receipts from all
custom houses were ordered sent to
Havana. The article among other
things said that if carried into effect
the order soon would prohibit the peo-
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order rescinded.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 Cen
eral Wood be instructed to prohibit
the publication of such articles during
the period of military government. He
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
a necessary part of the education OF
the Cubans TO fit them to conduct a
liberal government.
In the course OF General Brooke S
testimony he said that General Wood
became unduly excited when the Gu
bans held indignation meetings at San
ta5o for the purpose of protesting
against the Capitalization order The
witness laid before the committee a
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 Cuhans
The members of the committee took
a great interest in General Brooke's
testimony, and steps were taken to
have copied number of the papers he
offered in evidence.