The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-29
in week had formulated the charges and
Specifications

in week had formulated the charges and
specifications.
During this weeks work on the part OF
Major Morrison, the man whom the con-
spirators seemed anxious to avoid thing
happened that has never been printed In
connection with this case. Mr.. Duane Fox,
an attorney OF this city and man who
has acted as the special attorney for Sec
rotary of War Alger, was given written
permission to sit in the office OF Major
Morrison during the preparation OF these
charges and specifications upon which car
ter was tried and convicted. He was there
as specia counsel for Carter. He tried
to muddy the waters for Major MORRISON as
much as possible, but he fell down badly.
Major Morrison Is a Missouri lawyer,
democrat, and was appointed as an as
'sistant Judge advocate general during
Clevelands first term, and he knows his
business thoroughly Not only was Mr..
Fox. the attorney for Carter, present, but
also MIR. Abram J. Rose, another attorney
for Carter and for Greene and Gaynor, the
contractors and the other conspirators in
this deal They demanded and received
press copies OF the charges and stood out
side the door of the judge advocate gen.
erals office and read them In company
with Carter. AS Major Morrison was 60
ing to his home that evening he was
stopped by Mr.. Fox, who remarked: THAT
was a wicked paper you prepared today,
Morrison" 'Ill bet 1t sticks" was all
Morrison had to say in reply. And 1t did
stick. Carter's dishonest practices had ex-
| tended over almost the entire period OF
| his connection with the Savannah improve
ments, and 1t was therefore urged by per-
sons who we're in sympathy with the &C
cused that nothing should be included in
! the specifications that would be excluded
| by the statute of limitations.
~
General Lieber could not be induced to
see any good reason for pursuing such a
course with an officer of the army whose
official and personal honor and integrity
were involved. and who was presumptive-
ly innocent of the grave charges made
| circumstances would not plead the statute
of limitations Major Morrison proposed,
however TO compel him to so plead If he
wanted to. and so he drew the wicked
paper to cover all the charges against Car
ter At the trial Carter pleaded the stat
ute in bar of all testimony, oral and docu-
mentary that would tend to establish facts
and reveal transactions outside the period
of limitation.
court martial was ordered by the
president on December 2, 1897, to convene
at Savannah January 5, 1898, The mem
bership of this court IS worthy of special
notice. 1t was composed of the following
officers: Brigadier General Elwell S.
Otis. United States army; Colonel Jacob
Kline, Twenty first infantry; Lieutenant
Colonel Samuel NJ Mansfield, corps OF en-
! gineers; Lieutenant Colonel Henry @.
Hasbrouck, Fourth artillery; Major Will
liam S. Stanton. corps of engineers; Major
Charles A. Woodruff, commissary of sub
sistence; Major John H. Tiernon First
artillery; Major William S. Patten. quar-
termaster; Captain Daniel M. Taylor, ord
nance department; Captain Samuel M
Mills, Fifth artillery; Captain Charles G.
Penney, Sixth infantry; Captain Theodore
f. Forbes, Fifth infantry; Captain Richard
p. Strong, Fourth artillery. Colonel John
w. Clous was detailed as judge advocate,
but before the court convened was taken
sick, and Colonel Thomas F. Barr sue
ceeded him and conducted the prosecution
with marged ability.
This is chapter No. 1 of this case. II
has too much meat to chop 1t off short and
IL is too long to write in one article. Chap
ter No. 2 tomorrow.