Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-21
RATHBONE'S CASE
Is Made Plain in Connection With
Opposition to Gen.
Wood.
SENATE COMMITTEE HEARS HIM
Serious Charges Made Against the
Omcer Advanced So Rapidlyi in
the Army.

Washington, Nov. 21.-Major Estes
G. Rathbone, formerly director of posts
in Cuba, was given a hearing by the
senate committee on military affairs,
which is investigating the charges
against General Leonard Wood, in op-
position to his confirmation as major
general. Some time ago, after Rath-
bones trial and conviction in Cuba en-
the charge of misappTopriation of
funds, he appealed to congress to i'll
some manner give him hearing in this
country, alleging that the trial at Ha-
vana was u travesty of justice. He
did not get a hearing, but the OppOsi-
ton to Woods confirmation has given
him his chance. There are other mo-
tives behind the opposition, however,
than anything Wood did in Cuba. Old
army officers were not at all pleased
when u civilian was promoted over
their heads to military positions, and
there are senators III sympathy with
these officers.
Charged with Accepting Money.
Before the committee Major Rath-
bone reiterated the charges made sew
eraI times before to the secretary of
war. the senate committee on relations
with Cuba and in public statements
following his trial in connection with
Cuban postal frauds. He filed specific
written charges with the committee.
He alleged that General Wood while
military governor of Cuba had accept
ed money from the Jai Alai, which
was. he said, a gambling concern, and
asserted that he had made u personal
friend and boon companion of an eX-
convict. He also charged him with Civ
ing instructions of an entirely uncOnsti-
tutional and unlimited StateSan char
acter to the courts.
other Serious Accusations.
Other charges We're made against
General Wood as follows: With COM
plicity with another army officer in the
preparation and publication of an ar
ticle refiecting discreditably upon an
officer who ranked both of them, liz
violation of an accepted canon of mill
tary service and constituting an Of
fense known as conduct unbecoming
an officer and Il gentleman" With di-
recting and causing the auditor of Gu
ba, by military order. TO violate the
law in the treatment of accounts, with
utilizing the services of an eX-cOnvict,
with whom he was in intimate per-
SonaI association. in an effort to dis.
place his superior officer, and by such
means to secure TO himself the vacancy
thus created. Rathbone says he can
prove all this and has submitted mucn
documentary evidence.
As TO Instructions to Courts.
With reference to the charge that
Governor General Wood had exceeded
his authority in giving instructions to
the courts Major Rathbone said that
the general had pursued this course in
the Cuban postal case when he (Rath-
bone was under prosecution. This was.
he said. in violation of article 3S7 of
the penal code of Cuba and in man
ner prejudicial to the rights and in
terestS of those under trial. He also
General Wood with authoriz-
ing the use of eX-paTte dispositions in
the postal cases, proceeding which
he asserted is contrary to law and the
principles of law and in this case con-
trary to instructions given by the sec
rotary of war