The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-05
C0WARDLY STABS AT CARTER
HIDDEN FOE FIGHTING HIM IN THE
WAR DEPARTMENT.

substitution of Col. Barr for Col
CIOus Looked Upon As One of the
Moves In the Case to Leave No
stone Unturned to Secure Convfc-
tion If POssibIe-IdentIty OF the
Enemy i'm the Mask a MyStery-In-
nuendO the stiIIetO of the Tn
known Assassin.
Washington, Jan. 4.-The secret Of the
postponement of the court-martial of Capt
Carter for a week beyond the date named
in the original order is out. Lieut.. Clous
who is named for judge advocate of the
court, is relieved and Col. Thomas +. Barr
has been detailed to serve as Judge advo-
cate of the court. Two weeks ago il was
stated in these dispatches that Col. Clous
was to be relieved from duty in the Car
ter case, but it was denied at the war de
partment. Orders were issued to Col
Barr yesterday. and it is evident that the
postponement was designed in order to
give Col. Barr time to prepare himself to
conduct the case against Capt. Carter.
From the very beginning of this remark
able case an air of mystery has surround
ed the war department, whenever it was
mentioned Many of the most prominent
officers in the service on duty at the de-
partment have, on every occasion, express
ed the warmest friendship for Capt. Car
ter, and at all times have declared that
the trial would demonstrate that Capt.
Carter is not only an honorable officer and
a gentleman, but an engineer of brilliant
capacity and experience.
In spite of all these outward indications
of friendliness. there has been a hidden
foe always on duty at the department to
spread insinuations rejecting upon Capt.
Carter calculated to prejudice his case in
the minds Of his superior officers The
newspaper reporters who look after infor-
nation at the war department. have, with
few exceptions, been impregnated with a
feeling that Capt. Carter is guilty of more
than is charged against him by Capt Gil
lette. 1t is impossible to locate this secret
foe of Capt Carter's, but he has been ac-
lively at work ever since the admin!stra-
ton honored Capt. Carter with appoint
ments to the London embassy and mem
bership on the Nicaraguan canal comm.s-
sion.
Whether it is prompted by professional
or personal jealousy, or desire to dis
credit "a bright and gallant officer still le-
mains a mystery. The fact remains that
some one of powerful influence in fight
ing Capt. Carter from inside the breast
works.
When Col Clous was designated as judge
advocate for a court martial 1t was i'm
mediately suggested a the war department
that he would not be able TO cope success
fully with the able counsel who would de-
fend Capt. Carter. The field was surveyed
and Col. Barr, who Is now stationed at
Governors Island, was selected to take
the place of Col. Clous, and the latter is
allowed TO plead Illness as the reason for
his relief
Col Barr is a sharp, shrewd military
lawyer, who was military secretary to the
Secretary of War during the administra-
ton of ex-President Harrison. His long
experience in Washington ana New York
is supposed to render him equal to meet
the attorneys of Capt. Carter on sspmething
like equal terms.
1t begins to look as though the enemies
of Capt. Carter are afraid they will not be
able to sustain the charges they have
made against hirc and they propose 10
make desperate hight to try and discred-
it him in the estimation of honorable men.