The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-11
THE CURTIS CHARGES.
STRONG STATEMENTS AND Aft
DAVIS DENYING THEM.

Letter to the Chief OF Engineers-He
Says Thaf Mr.. Curtis, When Face to
Face with Greene Admitted That
Greene Did Not Offer 20 Bride Him
Curtis Said to Hate Greene Bitterly
Cfeene and Gaynor Swear That
They Never Attempted to Bride
Curtis - a Statement Til st Shows
There is Always Two SIDES to a
Case and That 1t Is Better to Hear
Both Sides Before Forming an Opin-
ion.
When Mr.. Curtis made charges against
the river and harbor contractors, Messrs.
Greene and Gaynor, and by Inference
against Lieut.. Carriers management Of the
river and harbor improvements, tn e MORN
ING NEWS asked Lieut.. Carter it he had
anything to say in reply to the charges.
He said that he would willingly furn ish any
information with regard to them in his
power, but that it was his duty first 10 re-
port the charges to his superior officer. He
said, however, that in reporting the
charges TO his superior officer be
should make a statement OF all the facts
bearing upon the charges in his posse, sion
were permitted to do 50 he would viii Ingly
furnish for publication his letter to the
chief of the engineer corps. Yesterday he
received permission to publish his letter,
which is as follows:
UNITED STATES EsGNEER CFFIcE, /
SAVANNAH, Ga, June g, 1885,
The Chief of Engineers, United States Arnty,
Washington, ID. c.
GESERAI.-I have the honor to invite your at,
tention TO the inclosed newspaper clippings and
q
erence thereto:
1t is alleged or insinuated in the inclosed arti-
Giles that one or more of the contractors en-
gagged upon works of river and harbor improve
ment under my charge approached an assist
ant engineer, then in my employ, with
proposition to lend himself to corrupt practices;
that funds appropriated for the Improvement OF
the river and harbor Of Savannah nave been
misappied. and that the government has been
robbed through collision between INSCRIPTIONS
contractors and corrupt inspectors.
THE SPECIFIC CHARGES.
The specific charges are three in number and
are preferred by q MIR. w. r. Curtis, formerly
employed by me for time as assistant engineer
upon the improvement of the Savannah river
Il. In the summer of 1888, while employed
by Iient Carter ia making surveys and doing
other engineering work was approached by
John NJ GaYnor, who intimated in unmistak-
able language that it would be to my pecuni-
airy advantage to accept the position Of engineer
or inspector the coming winter.
proposition of Gaynor, stating that he would
add to my salary $500 a month, and would get
Iieut. Carter to increase said salary. He said
1t Wasi his power to secure my appointment,
and that he had also the power to have Lieut..
Carter remove any obnoxious inspector, in
stancine Inspector G. w. Brown, who was re-
moved to Fernandina in 1885, and stating that
Browns successor was worth to him $50 day.
'3 desire to specify the cross tides dam as
one instance Of misapplcation of government
money or incompetent engineering"
m a
tions that took place between Mr.. Curtis, Mr..
Gaynor and Capt. Greene, have, of course, no
means of ascertalning. ], OF my own knowl-
the subject by Mr.. Curtis and by Capt.
Greene in the presence Of Mr.. Curtis.
The charges of Mr.. Curtis will be briefly no
ticed in the order before given.
GAYEoR's ALLEGED INSULATION.
l. In July, 1888, Mr. Curtis. who was then in
my employ, and engaged upon the survey of
the Savannah river came TO me and stated that
Mr. John +. Gaynor in such way as to lead
him to believe that Gaynor would If an oppor-
tunity ever presented itself. offer him bride to
lend himself TO corrupt practices. He went on
TO stats that no proposition had yet been made
by Gaynor. bat that he thought it was coming
and be wished 10 tell me and wait until some
thing definite was said. He further added that
he thought Mr. Gaynor had been sent to see him
by Capt B. ID. Greene, stating that Greene had
injured friend of his, that he thought Greene
thoroughly corrupt and bad man, and that if
would surely beinspired by Greene. cautioned
him to inform me at once il any corrupt propo-
sitions we're made to him by anyone, and he
promised to do So Inever spoke to MIR. Gay
nor about the matter.
CURTIS CHARGE.
=. In January, 1889, Mr.. Curtis came into my
private alice and said that he had been APP
preached about two weeks before by Capt. 3.
D. Greene. who desired him to enter into con-
spiracy to defraud the government, and who
had offered him $500 per month if he Curtis
could get to Fernandina, Fla. and, in
government work there, would render false iise
return Of work done pass inferior
work as conforming to the terms of the con-
tract, etc. He further stated that Greene had
said that he could have him discharged or
transferred at win, and that he had brought
about the transfer OF MIR. George w. Brown,
whose successor was worth to him (Greene) $50
per day. 1 asked Mr. Curtis why he did not
inform me at once of this proposition, and he
stated that he had been delayed because he had
been trying TO get it in writing, then sent at
once for Capt Greene and made Mr.. Curtis re-
lterate the charges in his presence.
Without going, at present, into the details of
this rather lengthy interview (which was re-
ported by me in fun to Col. w. 7. Craighil
corps of engineers, division engineer, southeast
division) Mr.. Curtis, when confronted by Capt
Greene admitted in my presence that Greene
had never used the language which he had at
tributed to him.
ANOTHER RETRAcTIoN.
He also admitted that no corrupt proposition
had ever been made to him by Capt. Greene
and that he had possibly been mistaken as to
its being intended, but turned to me saying. II
Inferred, however, that he meant to bride me. -
asked if Greene had used language bearing
upon the subject other than that stated by HIM
and which he now admitted was not used and
he replied that there was none other OF inn
portance
He stated that he hated Capt. Greene; thought
him dlshonorable man; had professed friend
ship for him Greene and had gone to his quarters
as his visitor, accepting his hospitality, with the
idea that some time he might induce him tc say
something which he (CurUis) could use against
him, and that he now thought he had succeeded
and had not been mistaken to the meaning
of the conversation at the time referred TO.
TAKEN TO TASK.
then dismissed Capt Greene, and when he
had left my office | said to Mr.. Curtis, in sub
stance: II do not understand this; you now
admit that you were mistaken as to the
language you attributed to Capt. Greene; that
he never asked you to lend yourself to corrupt
practices, or inUimated that he wished you to
do so, and yet you say you inferred he intended
to bride you" He replied that he was really
honest in his belief, but presumed that Capt.
Greene would now hate him for what he had
said and would try to injure him, and
that he thought he had better resign
and go away. 1 replied that he need not
resign on that account, that we all made mis-
takes and that should always give the fullest
protection to any of my employees who were
trying to do right. He then said that he should
like to think the matter Oyar Within V or