The record-union., 1899-09-04
Says He Made No Charges Of
Perjury
And Suhonailon Of Perjury Against Gen.
eral Otis.
The Affidavit Cannot Be Stretched
to Support Such Statement,
and Was Only Intended to Show
Prejudice OF the President oR
the Carter Court-Martial.

CHICAGO, Sept. 3.-The Chronicle"
tomorrow will say: Publication of the
proceedings of the Captain Oberlin NJ.
Carter court-martial, whose verdict is
in the hands of President Mckinley for
approval or rejection, has been the cause
of number of sensational statements
during the past week, the widest of
which is that Frank p Blair counsel
for Captain Carter, has charged Cen
eral Elwell S. Otis, now commanding
the army in the Philippines with per-
jury and subornation of perjury. In
connection with the statement Mr..
Blair has been quoted as emphasizing
the accusations.
Il have made no such charges against
General Otis,' said Mr. Blair last night.
Reading of the affidavit does not, by
the farthest stretch of the imagination
support such a statement as has ap-
peared as coming from me. The affi-
davit was filed with the President
along last fall when the review of pro-
ceedings were referred to Senator Ed
munds.
''The affidavit was filed as an essen
t1al part of the demand for a setting
aside of the verdict and simply states
Savannah, Ga, during the sitting of
the courtmartial. 1 overheard Judge
Advocate Colonel Thomas Barr read
some document to General Otis and
Colonel Gillespie of the court-martiaI.
and conclude by saying he would read
it to counsel, and General Otis re-
marked That will be good. The affi-
oaVlt was proof that the two men,
pers OF the court-martial had exceeded
their province in discussing the case
with the prosecuting attorney. In, any
legal proceeding such an act is suffi-
Gent TO throw out the verdict of a
jury; and the court-martial is only a
jury
In connection with the assertion of
the making of charge of perjury
against the President of the court-mar-
tlal, the counsel is quoted as having
had an interview with President Nc
Kinley on the matter and that the Pres
ldent had said the charges would ne
cessitate the recall of General Otis from
the Philippines. Mr.. Blair also repu-
dated having made such a statement.
L never talked with the President
about the affidavit" he said. II do not
even know if he read it, The story is
absurd The affidavit was filed to show
the prejudice of the President of the
court-martial My accusation against
General Otis goes that far and no
FARTHER. l believe that he was infu-
enced in his judgment in the matter by
something or somebody outside of the
evidence. That is evident to any
reader of the evidence.
1 believe Captain Carter is the VIC
tim of a conspiracy to degrade him.
1t is an American parallel to the Drey-
nus case. The same general features
are in both cases The accusers and
prosecutors of Carter are of the gem
eral staff of the army as are those of
Dreyfus. Jealousy and a deliberate at
tempt to carry out the wishes of SUI
periors, to pander to- political infu-
ence has actuated the majority of the
men on the Carter court-martial. Secret
conferences, such as that set out in my
afhdavit, were the illegal methods to
secure conviction of Captain Carter"
Mr.. Blair intimates that Carter was
singled out as a victim of the wrath
of the men who have been promoting
the Nicaragua Canal scheme.
Garter was named a member of the
canal commission to investigate the e1-
act conditions of the scheme" added
Mr.. Blair. ''He was selected because
OF his known ability. At the Army and
Navy Club at Washington, he said he
proposed to get at the bottom of the
scheme and show it up. He was then
sent to England as Military Attache of
the American Embassy. On his return
he was placed under arrest, charged
with defrauding the Government.
I believe that if he had never an
nounced his intention to prick the plans
of the promoters he would not have
been accused"