The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-05
LOOKING INTO THE CHARGES.
FEDERAL GRAND JURY CONSIDER
ING INDICTMENTS AGAINST
CONSPIR ATORS.

III Nht VI " AASh
OberIin VI. Carter Has Been Found
Guilty Are Now Holding the At
tentiOn of the Federal Inquest.
Four Hours Session Held to Start
the Ball I'm MotiOn-A DenthliiSe Sc
crecy Broods over the whole Pro-
cecdine-ContractOr Department
tai Clerks and Engineer Officers
Among the witnesses.
The grand jury of the United States
Court spent but a few minutes tcge her
after listening TO the charge OF Judge
speer yesterday morning. This time was
occupied in consultation with District At
torney Marion Erwin end an adjournment
was then taken until afternoon.
When The jury reassembled it began its
session in The room st apart for its use
on the bird floor Of The government buiii-
ing. District Attorney Erwin and A. sist-
ant District Attorney Leaken were present
to conduct the examination of The viii
nesses and TO assist the members Of the
jury, in all proper ways, in the transac-
ton of the business entrusted to their
care.
When the session began there was no
announcement of the business under con
sideration, but none was necessary. Had
ID been made II would have been a purely
superluous form. The air of subdued ex-
citement that animated every official and
messenger even of the court. the pres
ence in the witness rooms and corridors
Of large numbers of Witnesses, known to
be familiar with the details, or some Of
them. of the case against Oberlin M. Car
ter. the occasional conferences between
the prosecuting attorneys and Capt. Q. e.
Gillette, the note of warning sounded in
the charge of Judge Speer 10 the grand
jury and the bulky documents that were
being borne in and out Of the room In
which the session was being held, all pro-
claimed its character and it's purpose Evil
dence against the alleged co-conspiralors
was being pres ed. and their indictment
by the grand inquest was being sought
by the officers of the government
The first and principal witness who APP
peared before the gtand jury was MT. Ed
ward /. johnson of Washington, special
representative of the department of JUS
tice who made his headquarters in the
private office of the clerk of the court and
wendell his way in and out of the jury
room with heavy bundles of official docu-
ments IN his arms. 1t appeared that the
evidence in the possession of Mr.. Johnson,
either oral or documentary, was of much
importance, for he held the floor during
the greater part of the afternoon Nearly
three hours were consumed in listening to
his evidence.
AIr. johnson was followed by Mr..
Charles F. Graham, proprietor Of the Pu-
laski House, who is thought 20 have had
something to say about conferences be-
tween the alleged co-conspirators said to
Iol Of 1aa pr1a
some evidence to this or the like effect
when the Carter courtmartial was in prog
ress. The examination Of Mr.. Graham
consumed only few minutes, so that his
evidence, though important, possibly, could
not have been distinguished by its length.
James l.. Gallagher, formerly an inspec-
tor under Capt Carter latterly and now
holding the same position under Capt.
Gillette, was the third witness. He also
managed to get through in a few min
utes and then Mr.. johnson was recalled.
He remained until the jury, shortly be-
fore o'clock, adjourned its session until
this morning.
There was a comic opera air of solemn
mystery about the whole proceeding that
would have done credit to the court scene
from Trial by Jury" Some of the holder
spirits among the witnesses, by dint of
hard questioning, could be induced 10 ac-
knowledge that they remembered their
own HdlltS ana QdEeu TO confess LldL iney
retained recollection of the positions they
occupy or the business in which they are
engaged. These, though, were the eXcep-
tons, and rare ones at that. Most of the
witnesses and all the officers of the court
would blink solemnly whenever they We're
asked question, and in the next moment
smile knowingly and ask their Guestioner
10 wait two or three weeks for his an
swer. Then, in some mysterious manner,
everything is 10 be made clear
There seems to be a concealed opinion
though. that there will be quite number
OF indictments against quite a number of
people. The story is going the rounds and
gradually gaining credence that PROM
trent New Yorker, not hitherto connected
IL the public mind with the approDria-
ton Scandals is, also to be presented to
the grand jury for indictment. The opin-
Ion is current that Messrs. Greene and
Gay nor, who are confessedly being pre-
sehieo' are having their records in these
matters investigated, but that number
OF others, not so prominently connected
with the contracts that are being attacked
are the objects of suspicion by the dis
trlct assistants and that Indictments
against them also are being sought. II
Is further conceded that one at least Of
the eX-employes of the engineers oftica
at Savannah viii be presented.
Mr. Abram ]. Rose of New York who
dls1lnguished himself as leading counsel
for Capt. Carter in The celebrated corr
Inalflal case was a prominent igare in
the court room He is in crested as A.
torney for Greene & Gaynor Mr. Rose
SAD last night that his interest is rather
OF an indirect nature as he is not aDpsar-
ing here in The character of attorney for
the defense. There are other parties con-
cerned IN whose affairs Mr.. Rose is ia
iterested and his mission here is 10 keep
occur. '''''
In speaking Of the Carter case Mr.. Rosa
said: Capt Carter is wen and In good
spirits and Is protesting his innocence as
he has always done. Time viii vindicaIe
him In his position though the Injustice
which has been done him can never he
righted The appeal, which is nov pend
ing before the United States Court of An
peals' VIII probably he heard within
the next month"
Mr.. Rose said that The questions which
are TO be argued before the Court of An
peals are chiefly whether the offensss
charged against Capt. Carter come uuder
n.. ISL 3 &. %.