The evening times., 1899-02-23
SAVANNAH RIVER SCANDAL.
Charges Of Forgery Brought by q
Prominent Contractor

Syracuse. y. Y. Feb. 23.-The Syracuse
HERALD of last evening renewed its attack
of the day before upon the methods Of
Capt o. NJ. Carter and the contractors on
the harbor work at Savannah, Ga.
Eli Bangs, one of the oldest and best
known contractors in the United States.
and stanch friend of former President
Cleveland, the paper says, confirmed the
statements made in the Herald" last
evening concerning the famous Carter
case. and made other charges today At
the time of the court martial of Capt.
Oberlin VI. Carter the names Of John F.
Gaynor and William T. Gaynor, OF Fay
etteville, and Edward II. H. Gaynor and
Anson NJ. Bangs, of New York, and the
Atlantic Contracting Company. were being
mentioned as being benefited by Carter's
collusion. Mr.. Bangs goes on to tell how
II came about that the name of his son
was mentioned in this connection He
said that at the time bids were being re-
ceIyed at the Government engineers office
in Savannah for contracts for the improve
ment Of CuGberland Sound-in which
something like 100000 was involyed-the
name of Arson VI. Bangs was used Ac-
cording 10 Mr.. Eli Bangs, just a few min
Utes before the time advertised for the
opening of the proposals on the work. a
contractor named Ross, formerly of VIII
mington, \. c. sent in a man with his
tRossD proposal.
1T is said that Ross feared unfair treat
ment if he presented the bid himself, SO
he placed it in the hands of another The
appearance OF Ross man at the engineers
office. Mr.. Bangs said, caused the greatest
uneasiness on the part of John F. Gaynor,
Benjamin Dwight Green and Captain Car
ter. and they were very anxious to know
whom the proposal was from
so. il is alleged, the envelope which
contained the bid was taken, and its end
was cut and the paper taken out. 1t was
found that the bid from Mr. Ross was less
than that Of the Contracting Company, of
which, IL is said, John +. Gaynor is rresi-
dent and Captain Greene treasurer. 1t is
further alleged that bid for the work in
question was then forged-the name of
Anson NJ. Bangs being used-and that this
was done without the knowledge or consent
Of a. NJ. Bangs. A bond was fixed I'D in
the engineers office and everything done
TO make the transaction appear regular
The work was done by one of Captain Car
ter's clerks.
The contract was subsequently awarded
TO Anson NJ Bangs, and the work on it
was begun. Anson NJ. Bangs remained in
total ignorance that he had been awarded
on the subtreaSury were forged and the
Government paid them, wholly unknown to
Mr.. a. NJ. Bangs. In fact, Mr. Bangs did
not find out the forgery until it came out
in the proceedings of the court-martial
ELI Bangs then went on to speak of the
conferences which were held at the Hoff-
man House, in New York, and at which
the plans for overcharging were made. He
said that he advised against them.
Mr.. Bangs then determined to wash his
hands of the firm and of the whole af-
fair He says he then announced that he
would ask for a division of the property
which was owned jointly, and that he and
his son would go North, and that Mr..
Gaynor could go South. 1t was agreed
further. it is said, that the two firms were
not to bid against one another-the former
10 bid in the North and the other in the
South. This compact has never been brok-
en- on the part OF either party. divis-
ion Of the property was subsequently made.