The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-19

IT A WHEN tire hattleship Maine
/ " n II was destroyed in Havana
| NA\F harAor three days less than
| w w one year ago the minds az
| " the people were diverted
| from one OF the glost sert-
| Gus scandals that has ever touched the
| army OF the United States. Capt Ooer-
| lin NJ. Carter, OF the engineers, was on
| trial before a military court az the time.
| He was being tried on charges among the
| most serious that could oe alleged against
| an officer and a gentleman The Chicago
| Chronicle gives the following story OF
| the entire case:
Carter was accused under the sixtieth
| article OF war OF having perpetrated
/ frauds upon the government That ar
| ticie is most comprehensive in lis scope.
| embracing as IL does some ten specific
| paragraphs describing as many variations
| OF tho theme. Each crime therein set
| forth calls for not only dismissal upon
| conviction. bGt confinement in a conyict's
/ garb for term OF years TO be :ixed by
| the court. The accused was being tried
] for his honor under five and possibly SIX
| OF these ten sections. with a number OF
| specifications drawn under each. Mill
| ions were invoked in the case.
Charges were preferred after an ex-
/ haustive inquiry by a court detailed to
Investigate the assertions Of fraud against
| the handsome and talented young man.
| Officers OF his own corps, men OF rank
reputation III their profession and OF TN
| doubted reputation for prohlty. made this
investigation. and reported such a state
Of affairs as forced the cOurt-martial.
| The powerful influences behind the &C
cuSed officer were weak indeed in the
| face % this report. Secretary AIger was
:
| That court has tried the case. and while
| its verdict has not been made public
property. something which can rs done
| only by an executive order OF the presi-
| dent or the United States IL s. under
| stood that il found Carter guilty, sen
fenced him to dismissal ana also 10 serve
| term Of ten years in prison.
| Nearly nine months have elapsed since
| the court concluded it's labors. -Four
months were exhausted in the trial. The
| papers were sent TO Gen. Lleber judge
| advocate general % the army. for ex-
| animation about the middle of last May.
| Then an unusual course was pursued.
| The general fl Is said, sustained the ind
| ings from legal standpoint and recon-
Tuended the execution Of the sentence.
| Then George +. E,dmun6s. ex-senator
from Vermont. was called upon by the
president to pass upon them. He also
sustained the findings. in part at least
States was asked To give his opinion.
Papers Reach the White House.
Finally. after all this legal advlce-aa-
vice asked OF men in no manner con
nected with the war offce-she papers
were sent 10 Secretary Algeg for his ex-
animation He held them for long time
and in turn sent them TO President Nc
kinney for final action. Under the ar
ticles OF war no sentence OF dismissal
hfs tod f.4s.
! effect IN time OF peace without the ap-
prevail OF the president. Mr.. Mckinley
| became possessed Of these papers on oc-
tober - ISIS. lie has not decided the
| case yet.
Eat for the fact that Carter's case was
| lost in the hurry and excitement OF war
t it would have caused the greatest com
| motion In official circles OF the century
/ 1aymeu would scarcely comprehend how
4 has Yeuded the war department as II
has. No trial ever fought out before "a
military tribunal ever presented more q
the sensation than this. Dreyf uS' case
IS not more sensational, although there
Is on the surface scant reason for CON-
| pnrtson ~ the two In the abstract matter
az guilt or innocence. The noted How
! gate case 81 some twenty years ago vas
not So much % 81 sensation as this GER
/ tainly would have caused bait for the
/ drama ~ war.
srGu;led the government out ~ some
/ So. 81. Cartef's alleged crime was i'm
| having assisted IN defrau8lug the nation
out 81 nearly s. no f11 Io~rate die not
/ wait for the court - lock him up but
| took 10 the timber as soon a& ne saw ne
/ vas Il FOR an adverse decision. carter
| has pers3stentiy denied all criminal par-
/ poses ar even criminal negligence
Either Carter is tho most prosecuted ~
men or tire NEST guilty - wrefches. lie
| has asserted ffsne and again that changes
made tn the plans ~ work he was en-
| gagged Upon resulting ~ large Increases
tye exren9itureS were made with fan
/ knowledge - his superiovs
NJ case was ever fought wjte gveater
determination ~ birth sides two crnf-
/ rent law officers q fAe army appeared
as Judges advocate. One Tor years lHw
/ professor a. West po3nr-Cot John n
! tvnus an authority on all that pertains
/ 20 military law abariones the case early
tr the trial He said De- - SIS sex u IS
more than int3f1afaf5 that m. sturdy cta
osecer tackssf out - fhs II - because -
( was 50 hampere4 in hs@ proceedings 81
ri CHER ofaclals e ether departments that
. 30 could ro- IN TIRE cas. Justice Cos
/ Thomas E Barr. second n rsrk ia ria-
I t4rfs Department. succeeded and fought
! 80 eaee - Gnlsh wtth a 3oxxeA Per
,r9cfty Efe too Z ~ ALLEGED xas fs-
/ ,~rfa~.a wth eud eal3 ~va @se9 IN every
re~stely- ~aY vet it IL believed ~ corr
xk-fed a5s T2af.
Fall 81 Contradictions.
30 ease eyer heard presents ss nary
contradictions 80 the ouf@f4@r j. has
! been maintained that = powerful TaNtlrAi
/ casal - h~hlna Garter and FRA Il nas
VERY nearly succeeded sea Aafeaf3og tsF
r!ras On tae ofA ar hana y 5s st0st~
+ a. maintained thas no paHflra} - .=ai -
axaitsse th@ accused aa6 s. h@5aT ps~i
- RS o.vers- brow lest ethsrs h3ga Rs yaek
suffer e tAe latter - trfIe t1sr sx
+ ;~e-7eay skigisui ase has c@eG naasle - sge~
/ rsa~e~f Influence sc- n has h@cn rasas -
arr@ar tnat tae Influence h@ek - Garter
haz A.-ea ire rnvaT1naeEst's chies otstacie
a. HxAt8rG 1ae ra>e
--,s.s~ r.rrseesssfu. tasa rssee assert f'se
r-a55t rseee 9ees~@t-s say fest 11e a1t
sasnx comes oat q "a SAFet=az remark