The Van Buren press., 1899-09-30
GAP[.0.N. CARRIERS CASE
Hon. Wayne MacVeagh Given a
Hearing by Att'y-Gen. Griggs
at Washington.
A JUDICIAL HEARING is ASKED FOR.
Number of Erroneous Reports Corr
reetcd-sOmeone VIII he Called
Upon TO Explain "Positive Inven-
tiOns" TINT Have Been Retaiied to
Newspaper Correspondents.

Washington, Sept. 2s.-Att'v.-Gen.
Griggs gave hearing to Hon. Wayne
MacNeagh, counsel in the court mar
tial case of Capt. O. NJ. Carter, OF the
army. Mr.. MaeNeagh asked for II
judicial hearing in the ease, saying
that if the president affirmed the pro-
eeedings he would be guilty OF an act
of great cruelty and wrong. The rec
ord was, he eontended, so saturated
with errors of law that it is impossi-
BILE in country governored by law to
affirm the finding.
Erroneuous Reports Corrected.
Before proceeding with his argu-
ment proper, he corrected what he
designated as erroneous reports con-
cerning the case. The first of these to
which he gave his attention was Il
statement that Secretary Alger had
allowed the attorney for Capt. Carter
to take away and keep possession of
the record i'll the ease. This was, Iie
said, absolutely untrue. The counsel
for the accused had never seen the
original record, and had received no
favors. 1t was also false that the rep
resehtatives of Capt Carter had im-
portuned the president in the cap
tain's behalf.
Where the Pressure Came From.
On the contrary, the only pressure
brought to bear upon the president
was from the other side, for the af-
firmation of the finding. He reeited
II instances of what he termed posi-
tive intentions, retailed to the CORE.
spondents of the newspapers during
tho past IS months. Sooner or later.
he expected to reveal the authorities
of these reports and expose their mo-
tives, and then to hold somebody re-
sponsible for proving their truth He
had thought of asking the new secre-
tary of war to signalize his entrance
upon his duties by posting this notice
over the doors of two of the divisions
of the department.:
mo falsehoods shall be disseminat.
ed from this Office during Office hours"
Another Denial.
Mr.. MacVeagh also denied that the
finding of the court had been unan-
imous, notwithstanding, he said, the
war department had so stated.
In asking that the court-martial ver-
dict be set aside, Mr.. MaceNagh urged
the unfitness of such a court, composed
of men unframed in the law, to deal
with questions such as those involved
in this case. The findings Of such a
court have no validity and carry no
weight. The findings were based on
a jumble OF incongruous and discord-
ant charges, ranging from embezzle-
ment and deceit in the smallest mat
ters to charges of conspiracy of inn
mense magnitude.
Only II Fair Trial Asked.
In reply to a question from the at
torney general, Mr.. MacVeagh admit
ted that no objection to the missioner
of charges had been made in the court
martial. Mr.. Griggs suggested that
the objection should have been made
at that time, adding that he was ex-
pressing no opinion upon the merits
of the points at issue. Continuing,
Mr. MacVeagh said that only a fair
trial was asked, and fair trial could
not be had upon such collection of
charges as had been made in this case.
Fragrant Violation of LAW.
Mr.. MacVeagh also dwelt upon the
point that the charges were brought,
Notwithstanding the statue of limta-
tions.
He contended that the fragrant vio-
lation of this act of congress was suf-
ticient to vitiate the proceedings"
He had no doubt that Capt Carter
was convicted from the time he plead
ed this statute before the court, but
this was done under advice, and was
at least legitimate.
FOUNDER OF WICHITA DEAD.