The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-20
CAPTAIN OBERLIN M. CARTER.
. . to-o-2-

Of documentary evidence that had ac-
cumulated
Nearly four hundred exhibits have al
readv heen Introduced before the court
aud the end is not YET. These papers
have included many checks on the sub
Treasury in this city drawn by captain
Carter 10 the order or the contractors
and which had passed through dinerent
hanks for collection. one fact was eNl-
dent-the person TO whose order thsy
were made had rarely deposited them
TO his own account. The endorsements
o,, IN hack varied 10 some extent, but
the checks. in changing hahds' never
went outside of q small circle OF friends
an connected with the Atlantic Contract
ing Company.
There were suspicious that some OF the
r,onev ultimately reached the hands or
Captain Carter but the Judge advocate
realized the difficulty of establishing the
fact The first obstacle in his path was
the peculiar mpOtency of a court mar
tial Civilians may be compelled 10 AT
tend the court as witnesses, but theIe the
oovrer Of the court over them ceases.
They may defy the court with lmpuhlty'
as there is no power to punish theii LOT
contempt.
II II had been possible to trace the
,,o,ev received on Captain Carriers
checks the Judge advocate could nave
completed his case in this city in very
short time. hut the officials OF the banks
and trust companies have taken auNdh-
taee of the weakness OF the court anu
have declined TO divulge the business OF
the,r customers. As Colonel Barr says,
II is extraordinary that a tribunal nav
ing power 10 inhct the death penalty
shouid not be able 10 obtain all the in
formation it needs in proper hVesu-
cation.
INVESTED FOR MR.. WESrCOTT
While CAPTAIN Carter lived in Savan-
| nah he made frequent trips 70 TINS CITY
10 attend to private business. II Is -
mitted that he left kilograms signed IN
blank with his clerk in the South 10 DC
forwarded 10 Washington as the occa-
sion required. His explanation is that
for the sake Of the record ne "lsheu 10
| have all the official dispatches relating
10 the affairs OF his department eman-
| ate from the same place. lie enjoyed
| the full confidence of his wealthy tather-
in-law. and. with his power OF attorney
made large investments for MI west
! colt. 81
| Colonel Barr, however. made the as
| covery that in at least one instance zap
tain Carriers name appeared as pur-
| chaser I'm the books Of the brokerage hIHi
i of Reed A. Flagg In three days in Oc-
| tober. lS95-about the time that payments
! were being mace on the Southern con-
| tracts-he bougf' railroad stock costing
| more than 10000. making one payment
| of S33 90 in cash. The broker was caileu
| as "A witness, and swore that he believed
| that the Captain had merely acted as
| agent for Mr.. Westcott In the transac-
| ton. lie refused TO give further Informal
| ton. and General Otis solemnly adJudged
! him in contempt OF court-which Is ABOUT
| as effective as an angry mans anathema.
| involving no penalty and having only a
moral sting.
So far there has been no evidence that
| Captain Carter was directly interested
J in the Atlantic Contracting Company a
West Virginia corporation, having cap
ital Of $4,000. He had long been intimate
with some OF the leading members OF
the company. and an effort is being made
| 10 circumstantially connect him with
those who prohted through the contracts.
SOME PECCLIARirIES.
Captain q. D. Greene, formerly Of the
regular army, had been his bosom friend
and there was no secret about his ac-
ouaintance with A. NJ Bangs and The
Gaynors-John r, William T. and Ed.
ward H.-the others in the concern.
The members OF the court martial could
not fail 10 notice when the checks were
being introduced In evidence, that while