Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-06
Minority Of Senate Committee For.
mulates Reasons For Their
Opposition.
cFNtLAL ABUSED HIS AUTHORITY
S.,ooth and Last Count Deals With
Testimony Regarding His
veracity.

Washington Jan. 1.-THE views OF
mo minority Of the senate committee
on military affairs, protesting against
,be confirmation OF Brig Gen. Leonard
Wood TO be major general have been
o,eparad In the form OF brief to be
r.sd by the opponents OF this nomina-
finn when the reports of the commit
,ss are presented for the action Of the
senate in executive session. The brief
,oIlows the testimony introduced before
,bo senate committee IN the investiga-
,ion which was begun on Nov 10 and
continued until Dec, II, directing the
siientlon OF senators 10 the passages
IN the printed report of the testimony
asd enphaslzIng the charges made be-
so,a the committee. 1t Is declared most
~ mo important matters brought out
IN Inc hearing came to public knowl-
aJga subsequent to Gen. Woods promo
Nm 10 the brigadier general, and that
M competent investigation has yet been
m,de in regard 20 the actual facts of
Gep Woods military career and ex-
Prlence' - o., A..
nrpose Of meeting the argument of
Senator Foraker that objections to
csn Woods advancement should have
bsan made when President Mckinley
tsS under consideration the matter Of
,,on,otlng him to brigadier general.
first submitted In the brief Is the
s,gment that II is not denied that
,ss orders to the courts, which were In
,roauced by Mai. Il. @. Rathbone, were
schally issued by Gen. Wood. These
or5ers we're for the admission of ex
Y,r,e testimony and In that connection
s,,ention has been called by the min
Sritv 10 an order issued by the secre-
,aw II war in which Gen. Woods or
Sefs are declared to have been a per-
version Of Instructions
Secy. Roots order was promulgated
nv col Scott az adjutant general on
yoy. a, 1901 and transmitted to the
conrt on Nov. Is, 1901. In this mill
tary order the prosecution Is instruct.
ID that II It has any intention or
usIng as evidence in the trial OF the
nostal cases testimony applied for In
he United states steps would be taxi
An 10 mined lately inform the proper
judicial authorities that this cannot be
allowed
The minority says that to get around
,hs order Gen. Wood used his authorl-
~ as military governor to change the
entire judicial system of the island.
The second count in the brief OF the
testimony relates TO the pardon OF w.
II Reeves and his testimony In the
pstal cases. In this connection the
attention OF the senate Is directed TO
ne statement Of Gen. Wood In an
ssr TO the charges filed by Maj. Rath-
hne Gen. Wood tells the ciroum-
Stances under which Reeves surren-
dered money received from Nicely in the
Cuban postal frauds and afterwhrd
turned states evidence in the trials,
Gen Wood said that In pardoning
Reeves he believed he had the right to
Constitute him a witness for the state,
for although Reeves had been a de-
fendant, he had confessed freely and
fully concerning the frauds committed
10 the p0stoillce department" 1t is
charged further that Gen, Wood failed
10 inform the court that he had prom
ised to pardon Reeves, and that In con-
sequence Of such failure the court re.
sarded Reeves as a defendant and per-
nltted him TO testify without the So
kmnlty Of an oath.
Gen, Wood II charged In the third
count with having violated a promise
made TO Maj, James l.. Runcie not TO
cause the arrest Of Corydon NJ. Rich,
Who had been an assistant TO Mr.. Nicely
~ the finance bureau of the department
u posts
The Runcle magazine article IL the
subject Of the fourth count. With
many references to the printed testl-
monies for the purpose of supporting
NE argument, this statement Is made
Klnce swears that arrangements
were made between himself, Ray STAN
hart Baker and Gen. Wood for Runcle
% write an article covering all Cuba,
'nd Gen. Wood understood that the
NIlcle would be criticism of Gen.
n'ooEes administration. He also swears
lhal after II was written Gen Wood
SSed MIN II IL had been written and
tent 10 Baker.
BAKER states that Gen. Wood was
WY ifank In his expressions of cirtl-
sns OF the Brooke administration,
Nl mat az a general result OF his visit
. cuba h. found that Gen. Wood Was
irallOn.'