The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-06
which, If true, would exculpate him from
these serious charges
The One Witness Lacking.


1t IS said that Capt Carter made great
eIlofts TO secure the attendance of Mr.
Neseott as witness, but there is no proof
OF H. There is no evidence that he wrote
nun or requested him in any wise to ap-
pear as a witness before the courtmartiaI
Inc inference is that his testimony would
not nave benefited Capt. Carter If he had
appeared. Such is the Irresistible conclu-
SION ana, therefore, finding that the one
witness IN all the world who could have
created conviction in the minds of the
court as 70 the truth of this extraordinary
story, Wlthholds himself, and that there
Is no satisfactory evidence that the de-
iehdant made any exertion to produce
MIN, We must conclude that his testimony
would not have been useful. 1t is also
noteworthy that Wescott Cancelled the
power OF attorney which Carter held all
most Immediately after the accusation
of 1887" -''''
The Attorney General then shows bv
analysis of Capt. Carter's testimony that
IN MS dealings with his father-in-law he
rendered strict account to that gentleman.
ana that Carters funds in the ITnion
Trust Company were In excess. of these OF
Mr. Westcott during the entire time that
ne had control of the latter's affairs.
Clever Evasion.
''The testimony" he adds, does net
strike me as that of a man possessed of a
clear idea of the truth and determined to
tell 1t, but rather as a clever evasion of
one who is endeavoring artificially to ac-
count for the possession of moneys derived
from some other source
Mr.. Griggs also mentions other circum-
stances which he pronounces suspicious
including the fact that many of the checks
paid to the contractors were collected in
af a no -tpao
and the circumstances that Carter was
present in New York on July 6, 1897, when
the large checks were delivered to CAV
nor on that date, and that he was on many
other occasions, from 1892 to 1897 present
in New York when payments were made
to the contractors, He presents a state
ment showing the deposits of currency
made by Cept Carter simultaneously with
the cashlng Of checks given TO the con-
tractors in New York
On another point the Attorney General
says:
Carriers statement of the gold certif-
Gates contained in Mr. Westcotts safe de-
posit box, 10 the amount of over 5000 O.
is such an extraordinary story and so in
consistent with the methods of business
man, such as Mr.. Westcott is testified to
be, that it staggers credulity. If that
money was here in a box to which Capt.
Carter had access, it is more probable that
he put il there, using this means to with
hold temporarily from his own bank ac-
count large sums which he had received
from other sources. Such device as that
would be entirely consistent with the the
ory of fraud and concealment which is
maintained by the prosecution.
ResOrted to Many Devices.
Capt. Carter is admittedly a shrewd
and clever man, and it is apparent, from
an examination of these accounts that
he b~s 'reserted to various devices to cover
ks and conceal the true char
ao-.-4, transactions. Whether this
was one of them or not or whether the
whole story is a fabrication, cannot be de-
termined, but, in view of all the evidence,
the improbability of his story,
the failure to produce corroborative proof,
which was within his reach, the long con-
tinued possession of the large amounts of
securities which he admittedly apurchased
and the collection and appropriation by
himself of the interest coupons thereon
with various other considerations, which
tend to discredit the truth of his explana-
ton. the conclusion is forced upon the
mind that Capt. Carter, during these years
from 1892 to 1887, had enriched himself to
a large degree in some manner not ac-
counted for by his own testimony, and
the irresistible conclusion therefore. is
that the true explanation of this rapid ac>
cession of wealth is one that he could
not safely make, and that it is to be ac-
counted for only by accepting the theory
that he participated in the fraudulent pro-
ceeds of the contracts under his charge"
The statement concludes as follows:
81 am therefore fed TO the conclusion that
the courtmartial was justified in its find
ing OF gull upon the charges and specif-
cations relating TO the contracts of Sep en-
ber, 1856, and that the finding and sentence
tlo IA .cst,a
.x.