The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-26
NOT A SUSPICIOUS ACTION.
CAPT. CARTER KEPT NOTHING Sc
CRET, SAID LIEUT.. REEFS.

in Accordance with the HeguIa-
tions-He Lived Then within His
/ SuIary-<nevv OF Capt. Carter's
Friendship for Capt. Green, But
Never saw Anything to Suggest a
Conspiracy. .ra.-
The testimony presented before the
court martial yesterday was rather more
interesting than that which has been COM
ing for the last week or more.
Lieut.. Thomas H. Rees occupied the
stand the greater part of the days ses-
sion. Having been with Capt. Carter for
! nearly four years, and being familiar with
the office methods and work, it was ex>
pected that his testimony would be inter-
| esting and in many points it was decided
| ly so. At it's conclusion, Col. Barr sought
to discredit the witness.
Mr.. Alexander E. KastI was the first
witness on the stand his testimony be-
ing brief and principally upon engineering
points. Mr.. KastI testified as to the ac-
ouracy of surveys made by Mr.. Wisner.
Mr.. Ripley and himself.
The banquet room at the De Soto con-
tinues to be a sort 81 rendezvous for many
guests of the hotel, as well as many Sa-
vannahians. Some of the ladies listen TO
the testimony for hours. carrying with
| them their crochet work with which to be
| occupied in dull moments, but they are
ever on the alert for whatever may prove
of interest.
Col Barr was feeling quite badly when
court adjourned yesterday, and there
| seemed to be some doubt last night
whether he would be able to take up the
| case to-day, as he remained in his room
| ell the afternoon. 1t is hoped that he will
have recovered this morning and will be
able to be in attendance on the court.
| 1t is understood that the court will re-
| sumo its sessions in the United States
| Court room on Monday. Judge Speer has
| finished his work here and has returned
| to Macon. There is no reason now why the
| court martial cannot again take possession
| of the court room, and it is stated that
| II will be done within a day or two at
| least Col. Barr particularly desires the
| change. Tt Is very pleasant at the De Soto,
| he says, but he prefers trying a case in
court room to trying it in a parlor.
Mr.. Kastl, who had been sworn the day
before was the first witness. Mr.. Blair
examined hirn in the first place as to his
! experience. MIR. Kastl is now located at
| Clinton, Mass, where he is one of the en-
| gineers in charge of the Metropolitan wa
ter works of Boston. Mr.. Kastf was en-
gagged for three years in the work of ietty
| construction at the mouth of the Brazos
| river, Texas. He also took part in the
building of the jetties at Tampico, Mexico.
The character of the mattress work used
In the work within his experience was sim
| liar to the multiple mats used by Capt.
Carter. The character of fascine used by
| Capt. Carter, he said was preferable in
engineering work to those fascines in the
| mattress across the river built under direc-
tons Of Capt. Gillette. Mr.. Kastl also
testified to the accuracy of the surveys
made by himself. Mr.. Wisner and Mr.. Rip
ley. To the extent to which these exam
| nations went they were as accurate as
they could possibly be. Mr.. KastPs ex-
animation was brief lasting only about
/ half an hour, but he made good witness,
his particular examination being as TO the
| recent surveys upon the work.
First Lieutenant Thomas H. Rees, corps
| of engineers. assistant professor of civil
and military engineering at the military
academy at West Point. followed Mr..
| Kastl on the stand. Lieut. Rees was To-
Gated in Saynnah with Capt Carter some
thing over FIVE years ago
Lieut.. Rees first testimony related to
the brush washed upon Hilton Head Island
beach. He examined carefully the strip
in which Witness Hale said there were
50, 1888 square yards of brush, and estimated
that there were not over As to 55 cubic
yards Of brush in the strip. There were
not more than 70 cubic yards all told on
the beach. One whole fascine examined
was still in good condition. Witness Hales
statement he characterized as ahsourdly
false.
Lieut.. Rees left Wlllet's Point the latter
part of 1889 and came to Savannah re-
naming here until 1893 He had 70 make
inspections of the work during that time
throughout the district. Lieut.. Rees re-
membered discussing the harbor line at
the quarantine station with Capt Carter
on several occasions. He remembered dis
tinctly the advantages of the new chan
mel proposed, by which ii would be re-
lieved of three changes of direction, max
ing it of much more value, commercially.
The proposed channel at that point, ne
considered, nearer the natural channel.
Lieut.. Rees said he fully familarized
himself with the manner of conducting the
office by Capt. Carter when he first came
here. He knew that 1t was the custom to
send out in most instances only one COPY
of the specifications; there was no con-
cealment about II. He had done the same
thing himself in Capt Carriers absence.
He described the opening of the bids for
the big contract in 1892 He had frequent.
ly heard Capt. Carter give instructions TO
his inspectors and assistant engineers to
follow the specifications and to protect
the interests of the United States. He
knew that Engineer Cooper had received
such instructions from Capt Carter at
various times, as well as other employees.
Capt. Carriers duties outside of his Of
flee were numerous. well were those
within IT, II would have been impossible
for Capt. Carter TO check and scrutinZe
every voucher and pay roll, II he attended
to anything else,
1T would have been an easy matter"
Lieut.. Rees~said, for dishonest chief
clerk 10 present false vouchers and pay
rolls"
Lieut.. Rees had visited the brush camps
at Fernandna. He had seen the cholkers
used, and they were much larger and
strongr than that introduced by the pros
ecution. The new fascine on exhibition
in the court room he considered made In
accordance with the specifications. The
expression "well-trimmed' was used in all
the specifications. the idea being that the
faseine should be well bound and Tfearly
cylindrical in form. The actual cost of