New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-16
THEFT OF THREE MILLIONS.
STARTLING CHARGES AGAINST CAPTAIN
OBERLIN NJ. CARTER.
OFFICIAL. ACCUSATIONS TIE MOST ASTOUNDING
AN AMERICAN ARMY OFFICER WAS EVER
CALLED TO MEET-ENoRMous STEAL
INGs IN CONNECTION WITH
SAVANNAH HARBOR WORK
ALLEGED by THE WAR
DEPARTMENT.
inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl

Washington. Jan 1.-the official charges
against Captain Oberlin NJ. Carter corps Oh Ell
gineers. now before a court-inartlal at 'a'a"
nah which have just been made pubic oS U"o
War Department, disclose more star'lihs III
dictmcnts than have heretofore been even hh'eu
ot and nresent the most astounding formal al
legations that have confronted an Ar"y
officer in the history Of the service the pecu'a
tions involve an amount closely approNiina'hs
S3OOOOO0 Of which. however all put ABOUT
SGO0W WO occurred at least two years ago anu
may therefore. oe barred under the statute vi
limitations in the Articles Of War, behind which
CAPTAIN Carter has already claimed protectioh
be fore the
THE CHARGES IN DETAIL.
Charge No is that of conspiring to defraud
the United States in violation Of the SiXte'h
Article of War Under it, specification NO al
leges that ths accused devising and intending
TO defraud the United States and to aid the
Atlantic Contracting Company, corpora'Io"'
and John +. Gavnor. William T. Gaynor Ed
ward IT, Gaynor. Arson NJ Bangs ana divers
other persons. all of whom were likewise with
him. the said Carter, devisng and intending TO
defraud the United States, did, on or about
August 1892 and thereafter to June =. lh9b,
with the corporation and persons named, un-
lawfully combine and cOnspire to defraud the
United States of divers large sums or money py
aiding the said corporation and persons 10 oo-
tain the allowance Of certain fraudulent claims
to the total amour. OF 50 80 956 81: and being
the officer or the United States In local charge
Of the river and harbor district usually caieu
the Savannah district. and Of the Improvement
by the United States Of rivers and harDorS III
said district did with tho knowledge and con-
sent Of the said other parties named. so adver-
I for
Of Improvement in Cumberland Sound. Savan-
nah Harbor Ga: Jekyl Creek. Ga; Altamaha
River. Ga; Darien Harbor, Ga, and INSIDE
water route between Savannah. Ga. and Fer
nandina Fla and go manage and conduct such
advertising and the matter of giving out infor-
nation in regard to the contract to be le'' ana
the matter Of receiving proposals and awarding
the contract as to enable the said parties TO
secure the contracts for the work. Ana, In pur-
suance of this conspiracy, the said parties put
into said work certain mattresses. stone and
other material which were different in kind and
character from those contracted for. and very
r,uch less costly to the said parties. as we'll as
Of less value to the United States. which cap
tain Carter received and accepted for the United
States and caused to be paid for out of the pub
lie money.
-,ociacation . contains similar charges. in
.
FALSE AND FRAUDULENT CLAIMS
Charge . gives ten specifications Of causing
false and fraudulent claims to be made against
the United States. This contains matters of
roc1nt date which the court will have to
slider.
Charge 3. conduct unbccoming office and a
gentleman includes twenty three specifications
the first two Of which relate to Charge l.
oh submitting
Inmates to the Chief of Engineers of the cost of
i,nproying Savannah Harbor Captain Carter
made the following statement:
"In the specifications only 2OO,DO square
wards of mattresses are given; but. as new
soundlngs show that 100000 square yards viii
be required this estimate has been changed as
provided in paragraph Il of the specifca-
lions" which statement false in fact, as no
new soundings had been made.
Specification charges fraudulent indorse-
ment Of false payroll the amount being $50 90
December, 1896
DEFRAUDINCi THE CITY OF SAVANNAH
Specification charges that in conjunction
with said Atlantic Contracting Company, j. +.
" r and +. ". Gaynor y. NJ. Bangs and
others devisng and intending to defraud the
city Of Savannah Of large sums OF money cap
tain Carter did wrongfully compel the city to
DISPOSE Of certain valuable rock owned by IT, un-
der unfavorable circumstances TO II, in order
that the said Atlantic Contracting Company
might be enabled u purchase the same from
the city at price far below It's real cost ana
value The rock had been allowed to lie in
rnvigable water under tho revocabe permission
Of the Secretary Of War and Captain Carter is
charged with using his official position to iniu-
enca the Secretary to revoke the permission and
al If he being
bv false and misleading letters, statements ana
Inducements.
Spccidcation charges false statement in an
endorsement referring the purchase Of GER
tqin lands on Hutchinson Island, neaf SaNan-
nah the Endorsement being "When operations
were to begin excessive rentals were demanded
by property-Owners. some OF Whoh h'u tihen
II sscsslOn OF wharves "a speculaticn, with Il
,ic,y to obtaining excessive damages. The work
would have been delayed and Its cost Increased
ty about $4,000 and ii was therefore aDan-
doned."
FALSE SWEARING ALLEGED.
speclncatiol 10 charges false swearing in CIV
ing testimony before jury regarding delivery
OF rock.
Specification II alleges that the accused has
failed to account for Sl32 exacted from one Al
fred uirt. who delayed returning Government
diving outfit.
Specification T. charges that the accused
caused a telegram to be sent to the secretary
Of War about May -. 1871 purporting to come
from him in Savannah. intending to deceive the
secretary as to where the accused was. he being |
on that date in New-York city.
Tho succeeding nine specifications relate 10 let |
tore cont to the chief Of Engineers. dated Sa- |
varnah intending to deceive. IN" accused being /
on tho occasions specified. during me years lS?i /
aad isoi i'm Montana. New York. ST. Paul. yell |
iorstonc National Park and Cincinnati respect /
jvclv The twenty second and twenty-third /
specifications made similar allegations. giving |
tbo dates Of March 81 and May II, lS9I.
cborcc 4 Ia that OF emDezZeInent. ana IT'S |