The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-18
Alleged MisappIication OF HarbOr I'm
Developing Into N Scandal.
SAVING OF 100000 EFFECTED
BETTER CLOTHING TO BE FUR
NIsHED INDIANS THIS WINTER.
Hugh H. Hanna's Monetary Commits
sion Likely to BE Flooded with All
Kinds of Financial Schemes.
sneclal to the Indianapolis journal.


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-THE more the
accounts of Capt o. NJ. Carter, of the army
corps of engineers, are looked into the
worse they appear. and Captain Gillett, who
has been mainly instrumental in uncovering
the scandal has expressed the opinion to
his superiors in the War Department that
the case is one fer the courts and not for
army court-martial. The army board of in
duiry which has been ordered to investigate
the matter will convene in Savannah next
Tuesday, and, under sharp instructions
from the secretary of war, will make as
searching and comprehensive examination
as lies in it's power. The report which the
board makes to the secretary of war Will
form the basis for the court-martiai. 1t is
probable that the facts developed in con-
nection with this case will be brought be-
fore Congress in the form of plan to in
sure the better protection of the govern
ment in all river and harbor work, which
has heretofore been carried on under the
direction of officers of the engineering corps
of the army. 1t must be said for the army
engineers who have the supervision of this
work that the business and financial moral
ity of the corps is very high, and that such
an offense as a misapplication or misappro-
priation of public funds to their own profit
is almost unheard of.
Captain Carter was in charge of the river
and harbor works in the vicinity of Savan-
nah for about ten years and 1t was in lSs2
that he assumed charge of the Improvement
of the Savannah river and Cumberland
sound, which two projects Congress had
provided for under the continuous contract
nlan IT is said at the War Department
that he has secured the full depth OF water
at Savannah contemplated in the plan,
while the Cumberland SOUND project Is sun
CAPTAIN Carter was appointed military
attache at London early in the present al
ministration and subsequently was also
made the engineer member of the NIcara-
guam canal commission. The chle1 OF en-
gineers, General Wilson, learned OF the
charges of irregularity in the prosecution
of the Georgia work While captain Carter
was on his way home to the United states
from Stockholm, where he attended the IN
ternational engineering congress as the rep
resentative of the United States.
1t was felt to be proper to defer bringing
the matter to the attention of Secretary Al
ger until the officer had returned to this
country and had an opportunity 10 meet
the charges. So it was not until last Satur-
day that Secretary Alger was made ac-
uuainted with the facts, Captain carter
himself going TO the secretarys house IN
company with General Wilson for the pur-
nose of talking over the matter.
1t should be stated that the captain enters
a most emphatic denial that he has done
anything that was not in the InteresI ol ai6e
pointed to inquire into the matter is COM
sposed of the ablest men in the engineer
corps. Colonel Gillespie is president of the
mississippi River Commission, stationed at
New York Major Adams was for years the
right-hand man of the chief of engineers at
VVashineton and is also now stationed at
New York, while Major Raymond has
charge of the important works in Pennsyl-
Vania and the Delaware section.
THE amount of money lost to the govern
ment through Captain Carriers fault Is al
legged to be in the neighborhood or $l,UVV,UUO.
This however is merely rumOr.