The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-08
MAY BE IN THE CUSTOM HOUSE.
Place For Holding the Court Martial
Left TO Judge Advocate General.


Left to Judge Advocate General.
Savannah having been selected as the
place for holding the court martial of
Capt. O. NJ. Carter there is much curios
ity to know in what building it VIII be
held. If it is to be conducted in public,
or II the public is to b. admitted at all,
according to the general expression there
is no building in the city large enough to
accommodate those who will want to
attend the sessions.
The general impression Is however, that
it will be held in the United States court
room in the custom house, unless the
United States court is in session at the
time. 1t is expected now that the United
States court viii be in session about the
middle of January, in which event it is
decidedly possible that 1t would interfere
with the court martial which is scheduled
to begin Jan. .. 1t is possible, however,
that the session of the United States court
miSht be held later on, since it will re-
quire two weeks or more, it is thought,
Tor the court martial to finish its work.
Should the United States court room not
be available the government would have
to hire hall. There are several halls
much larger than the United States court
room that could be secured, but the gov
eminent is hardly looking for the biggest
hall merely for the purpose of accommo-
dating the public. The matter of securing
a place for holding the court martial is
left altogether to the judge advocate gen
eral VINO represents the government at the
trial somewhat in the capacity of a soliC-
ltor general in a state court. 1t will re-
main to be seen what the judge advocate
general Will do in the matter when he ar
rives.
The interest in the coming investigation
is by no means tagging. 1t is a constant
topic of discussion. and will be for some
time to come. There are numerous opin-
IONS still being expressed by those, who
take most interest in the matter, and there
are many of these
Whatever be the result of the court
martial, so far as Capt. Carter himself
IS concerned remarked a gentleman who
has watched the matter closely, there is
no doubt that 1t Will be more far reach
ing than to affect him alone. There has
already been the suggestion of Congress
ional investigation into the matter of the
river and harbor contracts generally, and
there As possibility too as has been
reported, that congress may see fl to stop
further river and harbor appropriations
for the present. Should congress go fur
Their and stop the appropriations under
the continuous contract system, which APP
preparations are made IN the Sundry civil
bill, there is no question that the river
and harbor works everywhere would suf-
fer materially.
From these suggestions alone it will be
readily understood that the investigation
means much more than has appeared on
the surface. L would not be surprised
to see congress go into the matter of the
engineer corps generally and make an in
vestigation there. l do not know posi-
lively that anything has gone wrong here,
no more than does anyone else. but if there
has, [ am confident, from what l have
heard, that il is no more than has hap
pened elsewhere, within the ranks of the
corps. 1 am exceedingly anxious to see
what the court martial is going to devei-
OPP"
Several opinions of this kind have been
expressed among those who have watched
the affair closely. None of the principals
in the matter, and few of the Witnesses
are free from that discussion which nat
urally arises over a case Of sucAAuag-
nitude and importance. The outcome is
eagerly awaited, not only by Savannah
ians, but by people who are interested in
rivers and harbors and in the army, all
the way from Maine to California.