The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-29
TOWNSEND A GOOD TALKER.
GAVE GOsSIPPY TESTIMONY BE-
FORE THE COURT MARTIAL.

ing Chief Clerk sterIy-Capt. Town
send Had Considerable TO say
About Him-Aim of Defense to
Break Down the Chief Clerks Tes-
demonstrating Up Old stories
Against Him.
The court martial changed its quarters
yesterday, its sessions being resumed in
the United States court room in the Gus
tom house.
A number of ladies was present through
out the days session, but few in COMPARE
son to the number which attended the ses-
sions in the De Soto banquet hall. There
was a good crowd in the court room back
of the railing, and interest in the pro-
ceedlngs seems pretty well maintained.
Capt. S. y. Townsend, corps of engineers,
stationed at Grand Rapids, Mich was on
the stand throughout the entire days ses-
sion. Capt. Townsend has had considera-
bic experience in mattress and jetty con-
struction on the Mississippi river and was
called on by The defense as an expert wit
ness on these subjects as well as to Office
methods in the corps of engineers.
Capt. Townsend said he had built mat
tresses on the Mississippi by the mile.
There were two classes costing the govern
ment from So to 45 cents a square yard,
without including profit to contractor or
sinking. He considered that the new fas-
cine exhibited at the banquet hall in the
De Soto was constructed according to the
specifications. He thought the speciica-
20,
tor.
He said il had been his idea to adver-
tise for bids for thirty days usually, hut
il frequently occurred that his advertise
ments were published a much less time
He had been in the habit of sending in
answer to requests, usually one copy of
specifications. Bidders kept themselves
posted usually on contracts that were to
be let. An advertisement he considered
largely a matter of form.
Capt Townsend thought Can't Carriers
work in accordance with the specifications
He corrobora ted the testimony of Mr.. Wis
ner and Lieut.. Rees with regard to the
amount of brush on Hilton Head Island
beach, said to have been washed from the
Tybee breakwater He denounced Inspec-
tor S. M. Hale's statement that there
were $1,000 square yards there as ri1ic-
ulous and false, and said it was extreme
ly strange how man claiming to be an
engineer could make such a statement.
He considered that il was perfectly proper
under the specifications to put six or eight
couse mattresses into the work.
u. w. o. Sterly has figured extensively
in this case. Do you know anything about
him2" Mr. Blair asked.
Il am the originator of Sterly" was
Capt. Townsend's reply.
Capt. Townsend said he was detailed
about twelve years ago to go from Willett's
to Yorktown to lay out a camp ground
for the national guard in connection with
the centennial celebration. He carried
fifty men with him, and Sterly was one
of them. He had Mr.. Sterly do some
drafting for him while there. They were
together in a tent for several weeks, Ster-
~ using his tent
Sterly informed me, in talking to me
on that occasion" Capt. TowpSend said,
that he was a deserter from the German
army. He also informed me that he had
killed a man, and was a fugitive from
justice. He gave that as a reason why
he was a deserter from the German
army"
This concluded the direct examination,
and Mr.. Blair turned the witness over TO
Col Barr.
Sterly the vaporings of a loquacious MANI"
was Col. Bars first question.
mo" replied Capt. Townsend mot the
vaporings of a loquacious man, but con-
sidered ii the statement of a liar"
Capt Townsend said he had afterward
recommended Mr.. Sterley as a good
draughtsman. Col Barr then went into
the examination Of the witness upon tech
nical engineering questions. If he fell
inf afohf IN n afGt
he would not consider it in accordance
with the specifications. Col Barr handed
him some photographs of the river work
near Augusta.
Assume that to be a fascine," Col.
Barr said, pointing TO two stakes shown
in one of the photographs, could a con-
tractor be required TO furnish such fas-
cines under the specification
That's an absurd question" said the
witness THAT could not be considered
fascine at ALL"
Yes, and ! am going to repeat my alb
surd question again." Col. Barr said.
such thing could neither be required
nor allowed under the specifications,
Capt Townsend said.
If mattresses had been sunk at a cost of
10 cents a square yard. he would not nee
cessarily consider that the specifications
had been violated. He did not think a
specification fascine could possibly be
made for 2lA cents.
If a contra tor lived some distance away
and bids were 10 be opened in ten days, he
would probably send three copies of the
specifications on request The largest sin
gle contract he ever let was about $4,000.
II was advertised about q days as near as
he could remember. He thought sixteen
days would give plenty of time to contrac-
tors after the specifications were availa-
BILE He would not accept as a surety 10
the extent of $4,000 a man he knew 20 be
poor, but unless he absolutely knew It. he
would accept ii on the certificate of a
United States commissioner or notary. He
would probably make an investigation, he
said should a man he knew TO be fore
man for the contractors sign a bond for
SIS, coo.
He might call for stone by specific gray
tty or by weight, depending upon the OBJ
1ects for which IL was desired. If he want
ed a certain stone which would make a
compact mass when built up and cemented
together by the marine growth, he might
call for it by specific gravity
Capt Townsend s examination as TO the
mattress hearting in the Cumberland
sound jetties was carried to some length
IN both sides Can't Townsend considered