The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-03
FROzE THE GENIAL CURRENT.
COLD HELPS MAKE THE COURT
MARTIAL UNINTEREsTING

Them the Salaries of VI. A. COnnOl-
ly and j. w. o. Sterly-CRpt. Car
ter's Accounts Introduced 40 show
That sI32.1O Received From Al
fred Hirt Was Not Accounted for.
Looked Upon as the Most ImpOr-
tant Case That Ever Went Before
Court Martial in This Country.
The cold courtroom in which the Car
ter court martial held its session yesterday
was not warmed even by the presentation
of spicy testimony, and the absence Of all
kinds of heat made 1t altogether some
what of a disagreeable day. Some of the
officers wound themselves up In their
overcoats and waited for a recess or hd-
journment for an opportunity to get near
fire and thaw out Some of them wanted
to adjourn before the closing hour, but
business was looked upon as even more
important than heat, and the motion was
lost
Chief Clerk j. w o. Sterey was on the
stand again yesterday identifying more
Office records in connection with the con-
tract work in the Savannah river near Au-
gusta. About the only point brought out
was with reference to the office expenses
in Savannah charged against Capt. A j.
Twiggs under the supplemental contract
for completing the work near Augusta.
{ Subsequent testimony relating to a spec
ihcaton under the third charge, that OF
conduct unbecoming an officer and gen
tleman,' was introduced to show that the
accused had failed TO account for $lS2.lo
received from Alfred Hirt. This amount
was paid for the use of one of the snag-
boats in raising boat that was sunk in
the Altamaha river. The, specification al
leses that Capt. Carter received this
amount but failed to account to the g9v-
eminent for it. This testimony consisted
simply in the introduction of Capt Car
ter's accounts from December, 1885, to
July, 1897, inclusive, for the purpose OF
showing that that amount was not among
them.
Twenty-Five more subpoenas for gov
eminent witnesses were made out yester-
day to be served, and nobody appears to
know yet how many more will be wanted.
There are only 100000 people in the
United States, as an officer of the court
was heard to remark, and considering
what has been done. it may be said some
little progress has been made.
II is the opinion of those interested in
the trial, and those who have followed it
closely, that this Is the most important
case that ever went before a court mar
tial in the United States, both as to the
principle and the magnitude of the inter
ests involved. 1t is "A case in which the
entire army is interested from many
points of view. Ii seems 10 be for these
reasons that Col. Barr is going so thor
oughiy into the case, his idea being to
bring out all possible points that can be
presented.
The prosecution is clearly laying much
stress upon the contract for work in the
Savannah river near Augusta After hav-
ing gone thoroughly into the methods of
doing the work, and comparing 1t with
other work the Judge Advocate yester-
day brought out all the vouchers in con-
nection with that contract, more particu-
larly those relating to the supplemental
contract the work under which was done
by the government with Mr.. e. r. Conant
as superintendent
In connection with that supplemental
contract each account was gone over and
each voucher connected with it was ex-
amined Capt. Carter went up to Angus
ia four times on this work and his vouch-
ers for expenses each time were $2l12.
while the vouchers for inspectors on the
same trip were $l0.42. The vouchers for
laborers and materials were taken up In
the same way and gone over in detail.
These vouchers were brought out by Chief
Clerk j. w. o. Sterly. Mr. Conant paid
his laborers from so cents TO $50 a day.
The most interesting feature in these
vouchers was the bill for office expenses in
Savannah charged to Capt. A ]. Twiggs,
an account of the supplemental contract
under which the work was done by the
government. The amount charged to Capt.
Twiggs under this head was $4S3.52. Those
to whom salaries were paid from this
amount were NJ. A. Connolly, ]. II. Grun-
=
Mr.. Counoly's salary of $50 month for
about two months. Mr.. Steflys salary for
half month, amounting 10 $3.50, and 9TH
ers were charged in the amount of office
expenses against Capt. Twiggs.
who is Mr.. Connolly" Col. Barr asked.
''He was a clerk in the office employed
in checking reports filing them, attending
to correspondence and similar duties" was
the reply.
Did he do this solely i'm connection with
the Twiggs' contract?" was asked.
mo, SIR" was the reply. HE did the
same work in connection with other con-
tracts, and carried on the regular routine
OF the office work.
Ibid he spend all of his time during
those two months upon work in connection
with the Twigg's contract?"
mo, sir, he attended to other matters,
also" was the reply.
''Your salary for half a month was
your time was employed on that work.
II cannot tell exactly" was the reply
There were other works going on at the
same timer was asked.
Eyes, sir there ives work going on in
Savannah harbor, both dredging and jetty
work. besides other smaller works." Mr..
Sterly said.
who was Green?" Col Barr asked.
1.-THE porter" was the reply.
WAS he employed especially on ac-
count of the Twiggs contract" was ask
ed.
mo, SIR" said Mr.. Sterly. He is kept
there as porter all the time"
Col. Barr then took up the contract for
the work in the Savannah river near Au-
gusta in 1891, and went over all the docu-
ments in connection with 1t as he had done
with regard to the other contracts. These
papers Included the act appropriating $685.
600 for the work, the project and it's APP
prevail the advertisement requests for
specifications and answers, the abstract
OF bids, and the recommendation that the
work be awarded to John f. Gaynor of
Fayetteville, N. Y. he being the lowest
bidder The bond given by Mr.. Gaynor
for this work was also introduced. 1t
was for $4,000 and was signed by h. d.