The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-10
THE CHECKS READ AGAIN.
Engineer Cooper Called to Testify as
to Gufde PIIing.


Documentary evidence may have fur
nished the members of the Carter court
martial considerable food for thought yes
terday, but it proved of little interest to
the many spectators who assembled, and
! they soon began to thin out.
1t has been the belief for some days that
the prosecution was about nearing the end
OF its rope. but each day it breakes forth
with more testimony, though it cannot be
said that 1t is with new life and energy.
The testimony now being adduced, may be
considered important in many respects,
and 1t no doubt has some important bear
ing on the case from the view of the pros
ecution. 1t seems that that bearing, how
ever, will be developed only by the sum-
ming up of the case when the Judge Ad-
vocate rises to make a few remarks to the
judges and the Jurors upon what he con-
siders the evidence dlscloses.
Chief Clerk ]. w. o. Sterly was on the
stand again. but only for ten
minutes. Nevertheless he had his turn
for the day. He was called to testify as
to contract for work in the Savannah
river in 1886, the object being to show the
difference in the price of mattresses then
and now.
The price bid for mattresses then was So
cents per square yard the contract having
been awarded to John r. Gaynor. Fol-
lowing this there was a supplemental con-
tract on the same work under which the
price was $l.10 per cubic yard. This is
pretty near the same price as SS cents per
square yard. The price in the contracts
MON n-.-a IA F@. If,r,,
berland sound and IS cents per square yard
for Savannah harbor. Under this con-
tract the amount of mattresses actually
used was much smaller than that used to
canvass bids, and the total amount ex-
pended was about $17, 800
This concluded Mr.. Sterly's testimony
and Col. Barr, the Judge Advocate, an
nounced that he would now read and put
in evidence the copies of Capt. Carriers
checks certified to by Assistant Treasurer
Jordan of New York. Mr.. Blair said that
much of the information contained on the
checks had already gone on the record,
having taken up twenty pages of it. He
suggested that unless there was something
new to be brought out, the copies of the
checks might be introduced in evidence
and the reading of them dispensed with.
Col. Barr said there was other informa-
ton in the checks which he wanted to
bring out, namely, the Endorsements on
them, which were not read at the time
Mr. Jordan gave his testimony Col. Barr
continued reading the checks, including
about everything on them, diverse and re-
verse sides, for about an hour and half
So far as could be seen the reading brought
out nothing except what has already APP
peared. Most of the checks were made
out to the Atlantic Contracting Company,
one of the Gaynors, or to Arson NJ. Bangs
The checks to Anson M. Bangs on the
Cumberland sound contract of 1894 were
Endorsed to d. d. Green in some instances
and in other to John F. Gaynor, the At
lantic Contracting Company having done
the work under the Bangs contract.
Engineer A. S. Cooper was again put on
the stand this time to testify as to speci-
fications under the second charge of the
payment of false claims. It. has been al
legged that Capt. Garter said the contrac-
tors for a lot of guide piling which was
driven for the purpose of aiding them in
sinking their mattresses, and not for the
benefit of the government. h
Mr.. Cooper testified that the contractors
had asked him to report his piling for
payment and said he had refused to do
so. He made no report of IL whatever
until finally he got an order, he said. to
report it from Capt. Carter. Then he said
the guide piling was all paid for, and
that all used prior to that time was also
paid for. He stated that this piling was
solely for She use and benefit of the con-
tractors.
On the cross examination, which was
conducted by Mr. Blair, Mr.. Cooper said
the piling was driven primarily for the
use Of the contractors, but
IL had proven of benefit
to the government, he said, In marking
the jetties and pile dams. This piling kept
great many small boats from running
on the jetties and dams. which in many
Instances, would perhaps otherwise strike
them. He considered the piling of princi-
pal benefit to the contractors, however
About 1,100 of these piles had been driven
in Savannah harbor, he said
The evidence for the day was concluded
at this point and the court adjourned with
premonitory visions of more documents
at IL o'clock to-day.