The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-01-08
THE RATHBONE
WOOD MIDDLE
REPORT SUBMITTED BY
SENATOR FORAKER.
1t is Generally Favorable
to Wood.
THE JAI ALAl SOCIETY
This is the Concern That Has Been
Alleged to be Gambling Concern,
but the Report Makes It out to be
a Legitimate Business-The Ceie-
brated Article Of Major Runcie.


Washington, ID. c., Jan. Accom-
panying the report of the senate COM
mittee on military affairs in favor of
the nomination of General Leonard
Wood to be major general, Sena-
tor Foraker of the committee, submits
a report in regard to the charges that
have been made against General
Wood by Major e. G.. Rathbone and
others and answering them in detail.
The report devots many pages to
the consideration of the conduct of
Rathbone trial and declares that no
evidence was produced to the COM
mittee In support of the statement
that Rathbone and others implicated
in the postal frauds did not have a
fair trial
On the contrary, so far as the mat
ter was brought before it. the COM
mittee is convinced that Rathbone
had a fair trial.
On the subject of the Jai Alai gifts
and the insinuation that General
Wood had granted that association
a concession in consideration of such
grants the report says:
There is no testimony whatsoever
that supports any such insinuation.
On the contrary the testimony facts
and circumstances are of such a
character as to warrant the statement
that such an insinuation is but base
less slander.
"In the first place, aside from the
testimony to support any such insin-
uation, the evidence afirmatively re-
flutes it. The record shows that Gen.
eral Wood did not grant any conces-
sion to the Jai Alai society of any
character whatsoever and that conse-
quently, to begin with, there was no
basis for any such charge. The So
ciety was duly organized under the
laws of Cuba and secured a grant of
its concessions from the municipal au-
thorities of Havana, with the APPROX
al of the civil governor of Havana
and never secured any concessions or
rights whatever from General Wood
as military governor or otherwise.
"Only two questions with respect to
it were ever presented to him. One
was as to whether or not the city of
Havana had right to lease certain
ground it owned to the Jai Alai socie.
ty, on which 1t desired to erect and
maintain its court. The secretary Of
war held that the city of Havana had
a right to lease it's own property, and
General Wood was directed by him to
approve the lease that was made.
General Wood was appealed to by the
society to confirm the validity of It's
concession shortly prior to the termi-
nation of the American occupation Of
Cuba, and refused to do so because
the concession had been granted by
the civil governor of Havana, and the
rights of the company were fully pro-
tected by the laws In force"
Referring to Runcie's letter to Ray
Stannard Baker authorizing him TO
make such use as he saw fit of the
article, the report says that Major
Runcie wrote General Wood, March
81. 1900. another letter in which he
undertakes to explain that that at
thority to use the articles was not
that on its face 1t purported to be.
1T is not necessary to comment on
this letter, except that to say to any
unbiased mind, the explanation or de.
fense which he thus undertakes to
make does not sustain his contention.
but leaves the authority of Mr., Bak-
er given by Major Runcie's letter Of
Nov. 26, 1899. unaffected.
In brief 1t seems clear that Major
Runcie wrote the article In question,
signed his name to it, and forward
ed 1t to Mr.. Baker with authority to
have 1t published. and If he. Mr. Bak.
er. thought it necessary to publish
1t over his name.
"rhe only question left is whether
or not General Wood made a truth.
full statement to the president when
he said he had no knowledge of the
letter prior to it's publication"
The report goes on to say that Mr..
Baker testified that he was surprised
when he received the article from
Runcie, and that he had no other re-
lation to 1t then simply TO receive It,
secure for Major Runcie as friend
ly service to him, a publication of it
in the North American Review and
collect for Major Runcie and send to
him the sum of $35, as payment for
the article.
On cross examination, Major Run
Gle admits that he prepared his article
while General Wood was absent from
Santiago and that he forwarded 1t to
Mr. Baker without having ever shown
1t to General Wood and without hav-
ing ever told General Wood OF the
nature Of It.
The committee holds that because
he was willing to attack General
Brooke annonymousiy or through Mr.
Baker which was neither : manly nor