The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-25
AMBITION BROUGHT TROUBLE.
Engineer COOpeT'S Comment on Capt.
Carter.
WAS A BRILLIANT OFFICER.

vestigatiOn He Had BeGun-Hau
Nothing to Fear HimseIf-Took
Credit for the WOrk-Request That
Cant. GiIIette's Duties in Assisting
the Judge Advocate BE Put ON the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Twiggs Corrects
Some of His TestimOny-J. W. q.
sterIcy to Go on the stand This
Morning.
What promised to be a dry and dun ses-
sion of the Carter court-martal yester-
day was enlivened and made most inter-
esting by the appearance in evidence oil
that now famous personal letter from
Engineer A. s. Cooper to Capt. c. E, Gil
lette, written from Tybee Aug. Z, in an
swer to a letter from the latter.
It Is the much-talked-of boosting
along" letter i'm which the writer gives
his opinion as to Capt Carriers relations
with the contractors and their so-called
influence in aiding him at Washington. 1t
also refers to the writer's own work
on the harbors in the district, with regard
10 which he takes much credit to himself.
The letter is much more inter-
esting than was at first thought
from the limitations given before
1T was read. 1t is an argument pre-
sented with a view. it seems, to dissuad-
ing Capt Gillette from preferring charges
against Capt. Carter and bringing about
an investigation for reasons which the
writer gives
Mr. Cooper was cross-examined to
considerable extent with reference to the
letter by Mr.. Blair. The cross-examina-
ton was followed by a correction in the
testimony of Inspector p. E. Twiggs, who
stated positively that Capt. Carter had
given him instructions to look first after
the interests of the United States, and
then if he could do anything in legiti-
mate way to facilitate the work of the
contractors, he would be permitted to do
So.
Inspector T. J. Heating gave some testi-
mony with regard to the construction of
mattresses, and Mr.. Julius H. Grundel
identified some drawings of the jetties In
Cumberland sound and at Tybee and gave
explanations of them.
A request was made by Mr.. Blair that
1t be stated in the record in what ca
pacity Capt. Gillette was present as an
assistant to the judge advocate Capt.
Gillette not being in uniform. he inferred
he was there in his individual capacity
Capt. Giilette's presence was explained by
the judge advocate, and the information
went into the record.
The witness before the court to-day Will
be Chief Clerk J. w. O. Sterley of the en-
gineer's office. The keeping of a private
memorandum, i'm which was recorded
Capt. Carriers actions. personal and off,
cial as well as copies or private kilograms,
has been attributed to him, and il Is OK
pected his testimony will be interesting
Mr.. Sterley will probably be examined
first, however, with reference to other
matters.
The court began it's session with one of
the tiresome duties of a court-martial-
the reading of testimony. Witness Cooper
has had all of his testimony read TO him,
upon request to the court, for the purpose
Of making any corrections he thought nee
essary. The reading of his testimony was
concluded at yesterday mornings SEES
sion.
rections he desired to make when the
reading concluded. In a question by Mr.
Charlton he said he had been made to APP
pear as opposing his opinion to a board OF
engineers, and TO the chief of engineers
He explained that he had moi opposed the
opinion of the board nor of the chief of en-
gineers. He said he did not mean to say
loose brush had been used i'm any of the
wing dams, which was made 10 appear in
an affirmative answer TO a question from
Mr.. Charlton, as such was not the case.
Mr.. Charlton tried to make him appear
as the originator Of the famous term
bundles of brush" He was not the au.
thor of it, he said, and had letters to show
that the term came from Others and was
used frequently before Capt Gillette came
here. Several other corrections of minor
Importance were made, and then he sale
thai was all with the exception of his ties
timony with regard to his personal letter
TO Capt Gillette. He said he did not max,
the statement about Capt. Carter beinl
boosted along" to the board of inquiry
but told the board he had made such I
statement in letter TO Capt. Gillette
Col. Barr then insisted again on the in
PRODUCTION of Mr.. Cooper's personal lette
to Capt. Gillette on the ground that it ha,
been referred TO in the testimony and tn
way was opened for its introduction. Mr.
Charlton objected that there were n,
grounds for its introduction, since onl
the witness statements and not the con
tents of the letter have been brought GU
by the examination. Col Barr thought III
character of the examination justified tn
Introduction of the letter and the test
mony on the subject was read Mr.. Blai
then suggested that in accordance wit
the usual procedure the witness should h
asked what particular question he dc
sires to correct. Mr.. Cooper took In
stand again and said the only correctio
he wished to make was that he had mad
the statement about boosting along"
a personal letter TO Capt. Gillette, and No
10 the board Of inquiry.
Col. Barr then introduced the letter
evidence again, but Gen. Otis did NJ
think il proper, and the witness navin
identified the letter, Col. Barr was abo,
70 question him upon il when Mr.. Bla
made an argument against the letters &,
ing in as evidence in any way. The d,
Tense, he said, made no reference to a Ie
ter in the cross examination. and 1t we
not proper for the judge advocate
bring out the existence of the letter in h
examination. and then Introduce 1t as e,
idence. The judge advocate could not /,
troduce the letter simply upon the r,
quest of the witness for a correction
Col. Barr held that reference to the lie
ter having been made, and in view of II
line Of the examination, the defendant we