Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
THE WOOD NOMINATION
THE LATE SENATOR HANNA'a
BRIEF IN THE CASE.
Contended That the Presence ana
Sworn Testimony of the Accused
Officer Was Necessary.

general of the army.
A brief, prepared by Senator Hanna, sum-
ming up the testimony which had been
given in the hearings before the committee
on military affairs. was read. were sew
eral affidavits obtained since the hearing
closed.
Senator Foraker announced that he would
move to take up the case at every possible
opportunity.
AT the opening of the executive session
Senator Scott of West Virginia, who lends
the opposition, asked to have the clerk read
the documents which had been accumulated
by Senator Hanna shortly before his death
Senator Pettus objected to the clerk read
ing the papers, whereupon Senator Scott
responded that If it were necessary he
would read the brief and affidavits himself.
Objection was withdrawn and the clerk
read the matter as a part of Senator SCOTS
presentation of the contention of the oppo-
sit1on to confirmation. copy was furnish.
ed each senator.
Under such heads as the case of E. O.
Rathbone, the veracity of Gen. Wood the
Runcie article criticising the administration
OF Gen. Brooke military governor of
Cuba. the concession to the Jai Alai Com
pany to conduct a gambling establish ment
Gen. WOODS intimacy with and defense of
the convict Bellairs, Gen. Brooke's charges
that Gen. Wood was insubordinate. Gen.
Woods Santiago accounts and the Caste
NADIA case Senator Hanna discusses the
before the Senate committee on military
affairs, which he sums up in the opening
paragraph of his argument as follows:
Woods Testimony Called For.
'The testimony given before thu commit
tee has developed points to which TO an
swer is attempted by Gen. Wood In the
various ommunications submitted by him
prior to his departure for the Philippines;
nor can those communca tons be accepted
as refutation of testimony given by wit
nesses under the solemnity of an oath. To
accept them as a controversion of sworn
testimony would brand those giving such
testimony as unworthy Of credence. Among
those who would be thus branded are men
in the military and naval service of the
United States. 1t is impossible to accept
the mere statement of Gen. Wood, made
prior to his departure for the Philippines,
and covering only part of the matters at
ISSUE in preference to this sworn evidence.
Some of the testimony given by these wit
nesses has cast serious reflection upon the
veracty of Gen. Wood, and it would APP
pear that neither he nor the Senate, which
is asked to confirm his appointment, should
rest content until he has been given oppor-
tunity to dfsprove, specifically and Under
oath, the damaging statements nade on
oath concerning his conduct.
The facts to which attention VIII be
called would seem to make this necessary,
and the honor of the army would seem to
demand it,.
Inc hatQ D0ne prosecution.
In the matter of the complaint of E G.
Rathbone that he was not afforded a fair
and impartial trial for the offenses charged
against him by reason of Gen. Woods in
reference in the judicial processes in
Cuba, Senator Hanna said Gen. Wood in
many instances has made no answer ex-
cept to hold that the charges were irrele-
want.
1t is insisted in Senator Hanna's brief
that the real defense maintained for Gen.
Woods actions in connection with the
prosecution of the postal cases is that
besides being the prosecuting officer, he
was also the legislative power in the is
land, and so could do as he pleased. But
the point at issue is that he abused his
power to the detriment of Rathbone."
Gen. Woods Veracity.
The chapter of the brief devoted to the
subject of Gen. Woods veracity opens
with this statement:
Several witnesses whose sworn state
ments are not to be lightly impeached
have, in their testimony, reflected directly
upon the credbility and veracity Of Gen.
Wood. Statements made by him in vart-
Gus communications are fatty disputed by
witnesses testifying under oath, and doeu-
mentary evidence submitted by others dis
putes statements made over his sigma
ture.' p. a.
number of illustrations are given,
taken from extracts from the testimony.
Among these the testimony of Gen.
Tasker H. Bliss, Commander Lucien
Young, C. E. Fisher, Alexis E: Frye and
MAJ. Runcie
The Runcie Article.
In relation to the charge made by Mai.
Runcie that Gen. Wood was responsible
for the magazine article criticising the add
ministration of Gen Brooke as governor
general of Cuba, which article Runcie said
he was to write and turn over to Ray STAN
nard Baker as his own, Senator Hanna
said:
LAS the matter stands, the sworn state
ment of Maj. Runcie is not controverted
by either the unsworn statements of Gen
Wood or by the testimony of the witness
Baker"
The Jai Alai Concession.
In the matter of the establishment in Ha-
vana of the game known the Jai Alai.
Senator Hanna said that without betting
rules the game could not exist. 1t is impos-
sible to avoid a conclusion that Gen. Wood
did grant a concession franchise, in the
nature of a monopoly and in violation or
the Foraker law. to the Jai Alai Company.
The reference of the franchise to the judge
advocate general of the island and his adj
vice against the grant, the gift of a silver
service which the Jai Alai Company made
to Gen. Wood and the admission TO Cuba
of the gift free of duty, all are referred TO-
The Bellairs Incident.
AS to the Bellairs incident Senator Hanna
said 1T appears clearly from the evidence
of Witness Fisher that upon two different
occasions he told Gen. Wood of the charges
made against the character of Bellairs, and
that Gen. Wood ask him to suppress the
publication of the charges"
Secretary Roots Reminder.
The brief closes with review of the tes-
timony in relation to the concession TO
Castenada, concerning which Secretary
Root cabled Gen. Wood. as follows:
This permit would appear to be a con-
cession for ninety-nine years and to con-
travene the policy expressed in the Foraker
amendment; and the general order, No. 1SS.
adiutant generals office. December "A. 1898,
and the letter of the Secretary of War to
YOU dated June p. 1901
PERHAPS nowhere in the evidence pre-
scented In this case" said Senator Hanna,
has there been shown more conclusiveIy
the habit of INSTRUMENTATION the part of
Gen. Wood than in this instance. 1t became
necessary for the Secretary of War to send
a third command by cable before his orders
were carried out by Gen. Wood