The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-17
THINK 1T LOOKS FAVORABLE.
CAPT. CARRIERS FRIENDS CONFI-
DENT OF HIS VINDICATION.

Two Views Taken of the Action of
the Secretary of War in Referr-
ing the Report to the Judge Adj
vOcate GeneraI-HeraId Cores
pendent Thinks He VIII Be Re-
moved From the Post of Military
Attache at LOndon-Capt. Carter
Attended to Mr.. WescOtts Bust
ness.
Various opinions were expressed yester-
day as to the Carter investigation. No
! subject has been more freely discussed in
a long time.
| Two views have been taken by the pre-
sentation of the report of the investigat-
ing board to the judge advocate general
the legal head of the army, for an opin-
ion as to just what course should be pur-
| sued.
On the one hand 1t is considered that the
action Of the Secretary of War In refer
ring the report to the judge advocate gen
eral does not auger well for Capt. Carter.
| This opinion Is based on the idea that if
| the report had recommended that there
be no court martial or no further pro-
ceedings, all that would have been neces-
sary would be for the Secretary of War TO
announce that conclusion at once, and say
that the investigation had closed in Capt.
Carters favor. The fact, however that
he thought it necessary to, have a legal
opinion as to certain matters in the report
has been taken to mean that there are
certain charges and certain testimony in
support of them which might make It nee
essary to continue the investigation
| further
There is another conclusion drawn from
this action, however, which would make it
| appear to be in Capt, Carriers favor. If
| the report had found that there was evil
! dence to support the main charges, such
as collision with the contractors and fall
ure to require the work to be done accord
| ing to specifications, there would have
| been no need for it to be submitted to the
judge advocate general for an opinion, as
under such circumstances a court martial
would properly have been ordered at once.
1t is considered by those who take this
view of the case that the investigating
board has given some attention to the min
| or charges, and Irregularities in connec-
ton with the office here, and the Secretary
of War is doubtless seeking an opinion on
these points
The board in its investigation, it is said,
went way outside of ordinary legal re-
| QQlTeIQCnlS III lnG HldLleI VI NdhlllS Ghi-
dence, and in some Instances opinions and
suppositions were stated by witnesses who
appeared before it. Such evidence as this,
of course, would not be admitted before a
court, and it may be that the attorney
general wants to know whether there is
proper evidence to substantiate any of the
charges which have been brought
Capt. Carriers attorneys, and his friends
here have heard nothing from him with
regard to the recent developments in the
case He is in Washington, but does not
appear to have secured any information
as to the steps now being taken. In spite
of all that has been said his friends feel
quite confident that he will be fully clear
ed of the main charges that have been pre-
ferred against him.
The Herald's Washington correspondent
writes as follows of some features Of the
| Carter case:
I'm addition to making an investigation
into the engineering features of the work,
the board inquired into several other al
| legged irregularities on Capt. Carriers part,
such as neglect of duty, absence from his
post without leave and carrying the names
| of fictitious persons on his pay rolls. The
charge of neglect was based upon the
captains alleged failure to properly inspect
all the mattresses; that of absence with
out leave, which he admitted was based
upon his action in frequently going to
New York to attend to the business of
den, N. j., and that of carrying fictitious
persons on his pay rolls grew out of the
5 action of the chief clerk of Capt Car
ter's office, who testified that he had been
instructed to take such action by his su-
peror officer, in order to secure money to
purchase office furniture.
mo matter whether further proceedings
are taken against Capt. Carter or not it
is said tonight that he will probably be
relieved from duty as the military attache
} of this government al London.
2 The testimony taken by the board, ac-
cording to army officers in this city, has
not been as conclusive as they would wish,
because of the failure of Mr.. Westcott to
testify as to the connection of Capt Car
2 ter with his business affairs Capt. Gill
lette insinuated that Capt. Carter, through
' his alleged collision with contractors, had
made a great deal of money. 1t is as
e serted, however, that the captain had pow,
ers of attorney executed by Mr.. Westcott
9 under which he had authority TO dispose
of all the realty, bonds and personal prop
= erty he possessed, and until Mr. Yves.
t colts return from Europe, including the
right to draw on Mr.. Wescotts bank ac,
count in New York.
b.. ut was the custom of Capt. Carter, his
friends say, to run over to New York every
few months, at his own expense, and at
tend to any matters In connection with
Mr.. WescOtt's business that might arise.
I Il understand the reason given by Mr..
WescOtt for his refusal to appear before
the board was his disincination to make
public his private business; He commune
| Gated with the board 1 am told, and con
l frmed the statement that Capt. Carter had
attended to his business through the pow.
ers of attorney executed in his favor
THE Savannah river Improvement has
e been the show engineering work of the
; Atlantic coast, it having been inspected
by many engineers of standing and pro-
] nounced by them thoroughly satisfactory
2 for the purpose desired
( Il understand that Capt Carter turned
2 over to the investigating board all of his
official and private papers, and assisted
e it in every way to reaching a conclusion
in accordance with the facts.
-e-9-S
nnoa NJ