The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-20
WAITING. FOR THE BOARD.
THE COMING HARBOR INVESTTGA-
TION Is MUCH DISCUSSED.

Members of the Investigating Board
Expected 10 Arrive TO-daY--They
VIII Begin Work Tomorrow
Morning-Its Sessions VIII BE BE-
hind Closed DoOrs-ScODe of the
Bonrd's Authority a Wide one.
Much Interest in the Case.
Outside of the question of quarantine
there is none that Is more freely discussed
in Savannah to-day than the coming in
vestiga9ion of the charges preferred by
Capt. Casslus z. Gillette against the ad-
mnlstration Of the United States engln-
eer's office here by Capt. o. NJ. Carter.
It Is expected that the members of the
board of investigation, Col. George L.
Gillespie and Majs. Charles ". Raymond
and Henry NJ. Adams will arrive in Savan-
nah to-day, since they are required by
the order from the war department to be-
gin their work at 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning. The session of the board of in
vestigation VIII be held in the United
States engineers office, which was re-
Gently removed to the top story of the
Citizens Bank building There all the rec
dence, should they be desired.
Capt. Carter will be present during the
investigation and Will, no doubt, be rep
resented by counsel. Messrs. Charlton,
Mackall & Anderson will probably appear
for him in this capacity. Outside
of the members of the board and those
directly interested in the proceedings be-
fore il, no one else will be allowed to at
tend its session. Such Investigations are
usually, or pretty nearly always conduct
ed in secret. The work of such board
is merely preliminary, its duty being to
make a report to the department of the
status of affairs as it finds them, and such
a report is made the basis of decision
as to whether or not there should be a
court martial In the case under considera-
ton
There have been some comments upon
the fact that the board is composed en-
tirely of engineer officers, the intimation
being that some other branch of the ser
vice should have been represented in or
der to insure impartiality. The fact that
this is merely an investigating board
however might aid in dlsputing that crit
icism, it is said, since the object in MAX
Ing 1t up OF engineer officers was, no doubt
to put on it men who are familiar with
the branch of the work under considera-
ton
While the case was much discussed yes
terday, there were no new developments.
All parties interested are merely awaiting
the arrival of the board until which, of
course, nothing can be done. No doubt,
however. evidence is being prepared on
both sides to be presented to the board,
and considering the magnitude of the
work in question, that evidence viii per-
haps be quite Voluminous. The board of
Investigations powers are quite extensive,
and it is said In its inquiries it is not
limited to the strict legal rules governing
the admission of evidence. The extent of
its inquiries with regard to the works
named in the order may be said, there
fore, to be practically unlimited.
The interest that attaches to such an in
duiry is national in It's extent. A captain
of engineers is usually an honor graduate
of his class at West Point, and in this in
stance, Capt Carter led his class The
positions of such officers are important in
every way, and it is only natural that
matter of this kind should attract wide
spread attention. The general interest in
this particular case will undoubtedly be
more marked by reason of the fact that
Capt Carter was recently made the mill
tary attache of the American embassy in
London. and also a member of the Nicara-
qua canal commission.