The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-14
VOUCHERS AND PAY ROLLS.
LEADING FEATURES OF CAPT. CAR
TIERS CROss-EXAMINATION.

Asked the Question Again and He
Answered It Had Permission
From gen. Casey to Go Away
without Reporting - The Idaho
Trim Talked Of-TOOk the 1896
Checks to New York at the Re-
auest of the Contractors.
Capt. O. NJ. Carter was the only witness
on the stand before the court martial yes
terday and he was stll under the cross eX-
animation by Col Barr when the court
adjourned.
Capt. Carriers testimony was interesting
throughout. The court room was crowd
ed as usual, and close attention was paid
10 every detail of the case. There were
two or three interesting little passages be
tween Capt Carter and Col Barr, all of
which, however wound up in explanations,
and amounted to nothing serious.
Capt. Carter was asked about the case
in which Chief Clerk j. w. o. Sterly fail
ed to deduct the 10 per cent. from the
amount due the contractors some years
ago on the Cumberland sound. He found
out the error and had it corrected. He
did not consider 1t was intentional on the
part of Sterly, he said, but rather mis-
take in making up the voucher. He did
not remember that the Cumberland sound
voucher was made out in any unusual
haste; he always had the vouchers made
out promptly
: 'If you had discovered then that Mr..
Sterly made out fraudulent and false pay
rolls, you would have discharged him at
once?" Col. Barr asked.
IF 1 had known there was anything
fraudulent about any of them l would
certainly have discharged him." was the
reply.
Then he was in very great danger"
Col. Barr suggested.
He appears to have been" was the re-
plg
Col. Barr then took up lot of biils for
materials, payment for which was made
on a pay roll This was the pay roll intro
duced sometime ago. At that time all of
the men, who had signed the roll as labor
ers, were called up as witnesses. They
testified to having furnished some mate
their money after signing the pay roll
Capt Carter did not recollect the cir
cumstances of the pay roll except that he
signed 1t. 1t was brought to him marked
20. X" by Chief Clerk Sterly. as were
numerous other vouchers and rolls, and
upon Mr.. Sterly's statement that il was
correct he signed it,
How many vouchers did you sign dur
ing year," was asked.
nd
signed about 1000 vouchers and pay rolls
since have been disbursing officer"
During thirteen years?'
mo. during about nine years"
And you never certified to a voucher
unless il was marked o. k by MIR
Sterly?"
1T may have been that l did, but usu-
ally 1 did not"
A pay roll for $6n was exhibited, and
Capt Carter was asked how he knew il
was correct, as Mr.. Sterly's initials were
not upon it. 1t was a snagboat pay roll,
and Capt. Carter said it was possible the
roll was submitted by the captain of the
boat. II was sometimes the case that rolls
were submitted by others, in which case
they certified to the correctness of the
roll.
"And with that number you did not have
time to make an investigation of them?''
II ndQ Qoile SO, WOQlu nave ndQ very
little time for my engineering work"
Now, Capt. Carter, do you not know
that those initials of Mr.. Stery's were
not placed upon the vouchers until after
their payment, and that they were put
there merely to show that TIE computa-
tons were correct before being sent 90
Washington" Col. Barr said
THAT statement is absolutely false, +"
was the reply.
There has been no statement made,
Capt. Carter. asked you question"
Il beg your pardon, colonel. VIII you
repeat the question:"
Col Barr, after a moment repeated the
question, and Capt Garter said that he
did not know any such thing. and that il
was contrary to his instructions 1t was
possible MIR. Sterlys initials were not put
on the voucher in question until after
ward. but that was not The practice
Speaking of the snagboat pay roll Col
Barr asked:
''Mr Burnett appears 10 have been thu
captain of one of these boats. 10 YOU
know which one?'
Mr. Burnett had charge of severa
boats in the district"
HE left the government service?"
Yes,
about the time the 1896 bids were
opened?"
81 do not remember now just when. Th'
records of the office will show"
"Have you seen him since?"
YES"
do you know where he is now?''
81 do not"
Another pay roll was exhibited. Col
Barr asked if the names of James Win
ship and George Jenkins thereon were no
fictitious. Capt Carter did mot think
possible since they had signed tie pa!
rolls and got the money.
Capt. Carter was asked If he had no
said his reports to the chief of engineer
were flexible. Capt Carter said he ha'
not made such statement. lie had use
the word flexible, but said he would pre-
fer TO have his language read from I'll
record. A little time was spent in hunt
ing 1t up.
Capt. Carter had made the statemen
that the titles such as surveyor" appe N
ing on the pay rolls were somewhat fexl
bile. For instance man who carried a.
instrument in the field might be put dow
as a surveyor He might sometimes q
work In the Office.
''Then your reports to the chief of en-
eineers were fiexible?" Col. Barr asked.
...No: l do not so conceive it," was I'll
reply. 1.-The chief of engineers has bee
A., CHARGE of district work himself and h