The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-06
CAPT. CARRIERS SENTENCE.
TIE OPINION ON WEIGH THE PRES
IDhNT BASED MS LPPROTAL.

Auorney-General GrigEs Gives an Account
of Carriers Rapid Rise to Wealth During
tho Time He Was In Charge of Contracts
at savannah-Ths Explain alton, the At
torney General Says, stnEGers CrsdulitJ.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 5-The text OF Attorney
General Grisgs opinion. which was used by
President Mckinley as the basis of his approval
OF the sentence against Capt Oberlin NJ.
carter. has been made public. The most inter-
estinE part OF the opinion 10 that giving an ns-
count OF Capt. Carter's rapid rise to wealth
after being put In charge OF the army contracts
At Savannah. The Attorney General discusses
FULLY the evidence OF Capt Carter to the effect
that tho large sums Of money he handled on
mis- personal account belonged to his father-in-
law. Robert =. Westcott. OF New York. whose
daughter he married In 1890, but holds that
this evidence Is merely part Of tho falsity Of
all OF Capt. Carter's statements. The Attorney
General also points out the fact that the dates
that Capt Garter made his LARGEST deposits Of
money are simultaneous with those upon
which payments were made to the contractors
Tor army work. In reaching the opinion that
Capt Carter is guilty Of the charges and spsci-
hcations. the Attorney General gives the
following account Of the accused mans rapid
rise to wealth:
In October. 1890. Capt Carter married tho
daughter Of Robert r. westcott OF Now York
city. man Of considerable wealth. but just
how much II does not appear. In 1901 he was
receiving a Captains pay OF 1862 81 per month
beginning with the year 1901 and continuing
down to 1897. his personal expenditures in
creased at a very rapid rate. For 1891 they
were s8.047S3 for 1892. $3.50 "a; for 1893.
$l4.56a.14: for 1904. $14,4103l; for 1895,
S2O.ll3.02; for 1896. $40. OIL 81. II Is conceded
that at the time OF his marriage Capt. Car
ter was possessed OF no real or personal prop
erty worthy Of mention.
In October. 1895. his holdings had increased
to S37S.OO0. par value. the market value being
$483.OOO. producing an annual income OF
$22.435. From October. 1895 to Novem Der,
1885. tho amount OF bis holdings seemed to
remain stationary. During that period there
were only few small payments made to the
contractors at Savannah. probably not more
than S36.o7745. In the year 1899 there was
deposited to Carter's credit over $22. 900 de-
rived from interest coupons and dividends
collected on securities which he had control Of.
Tho possession OF this large amount OF
securities. accumulated In so short period.
required from Capt. Carter an explains nation,
and he attempted to give one. He testified
that his father-in-law. Robert F. Westoott,
after his marriage to his daughter. conceived
for him very strong personal attachment.
and on account Of his satisfactory man.
agement OF q delicate family matter, In
volvinR business transactions with another
daughter OF Mr.. Wsstcott. had been led
to repose great confidence in Capt. Car
ter's business intelligence and ability. and
that. therefore, he 10 a large extent turned
over to him the management OF his finances.
including the purchase and sale OF his securi-
ties. In proof OF this. the accused produced
two powers OF attorney. executed by Mr.. Wcst-
colt to him. giving to him unusually full
authority to transact his father-in-aw's busi-
ness. including the power to sign checks and
buy and sell securities.
Capt. Carter. during the absence OF Mr..
Westeott in Europe for the period OF about A.
teen months. had charge Of Mr.. Westcott's
bank account in the Union Trust Company and
signed and drew checks against 1t. signing
theN r. T. Westcott per O. NJ Carter. Attorney
Out OF this bank account was paid the parchase
money OF many OF the securities bought by
Capt Carter during this period OF fifteen
months and to this aocoun : was credited during
the same period many large sums OF money
deposited in cash. as we'll as coupons
cut from securities. Tho checks upon
this account. however. are not sufficient to ae-
count for the purchase money Of the large
during that period. and he accounts Tor the re-
mainder by saying that Mr.. Ws.tcott had left
in hls charge his safe deposit box. in, which he
colt had left more than 100000 in United
States gold certificates, and that from this
to make up whatever balance over aud sboys
the drafts on the bank account was needed to
pay for his a n%Irshas 90. OF ' S
from time to time actually presented to him
large sums OF MONEY in cash. hut that Mr.
to Capt. Carriers individual bank account, all
Mr.. Ws.tco,t rspossd con idencs in Capt. Car ar.
testified to by a son Of Hr, WSstcott and
another witness, but neither OF them seems to
the amount thus donated Was more G " or .ss
Capt. Carter testifss that most II not ali, oil
these seo9TItiss traced to his possession be-
The above is substantially a statement of
Capt; Carter's account OF mis- accession OF
amount OF securities His bank account and
the papers connected herewith prove that he
collected and deposited to his own credit tho
II this eh pl.nation given BY 6apt Garter is
Of it, it is an unusual and improbsble story tSS
It was Incumbent upon him for his own pro-
lection e sustsin II by all attaineble test;
com. upon the witness stand and corrobora ted
the story, u would probably have been. SUM-
cItnIi Dut NJ ulQ not come. II IL commended
behalf Of Capt Carter that Wsstcott was at
the time OF the trial In Europe with a sick
daughter and was In = nervous state himself
80 that he naturally shrunk from the annoy.
ance and trouble to which he would be su b.
(ectsd by coming homo to testify in his son in
III II be true. as commended. that Mr.. Vest
colt has suoh an e1travagant affection ard
regard for his son-in- law as to induce him to
confde to him so great . trust and to max
him the donse OF such large sums OF money
then the natural suggestion would be that he
would be interested Intensely in tho result OF
the trial in which the honor as we'll as the lib.
srty OF his son-in-Aw was involved. One would
natural thin that q father in-law. 90 regard
full Of hs son-iA- laws interests. would be quick
to rush to his defence. and By his oath to add
confirmation to the story. which. II true would
exoulpats him from these serious charges
1T 10 said that Capt. Cdrter made great Nt-
forts to secure the attendance of Mr.. We1toott
as a witness, but there is no proof Of IL Thers
Is no evidence that he wrote him or requested
him In any wise 70 aEEsaras a witnsss before
testimonny would not have benefited Capt
ibis conclusion. ard, therefore. finding that the
ono witness in all the world who could have
created conviction In the mlnds Of the court
as to the truth, OF this extraordinary story
withholds h msSlf, and that there Is no salts
factory evidence that the defendant made any
eXertion to produce him. We must conclude
that his testimony would not have been use
full; ltis also noteworthy that Westcott can