The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-02


WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE finding
Of the court-martial that convicted
Captain oberlln N. Carter of embez-
zIlng sl,GOO,OOO of government Funds
and making false returns. and imposed
A sentence. Of I'VE years imprisonment
and the payment Of fine of 5000,
has been approved by President Me-
Kinley, after a delay OF IS months. the
verdict having been rendered in June,
1895 st'
Assistant Adjutant General Simpson
was ordered to New York to place Cap
tain carter under arrest. The latter
MAS taken to Governors, Island and
handed over to Captain 3, II. Roberts,
The commanding officer, With orders to
keep strict guard and put Him In close
%1ntInement The captain Is now in
one OF the upper casemate cells in Cas-
iIe William. He Will be notified OF his
dismissal from the army, and VIII be
handed over to the civil authorities in
New York. The finding OF the COURT
martial in detail foltows;7
"Ard the court does therefore sem
tence the accused, Captain Qberlln M.
carter, corps of engineers, United
States army, to be dismissed from the
service of the United States, to suffer
n fine OF $1,000, to be confined at hard
labor, at such place as the proper au-
thofi;y may direct, for five years, and
the crime, punishment, name and place
OF abode OF the accused to be published
in the newspapers in and about the
station and the state from which the
aNs N
sides" r.rs
The Presidents approval in full fol-
lows: 1.-The findings OF the cOurt-mar-
;ial In the matter OF the foregoing pro-
ceedings against Captain Oberin NJ.
carter. corps OF engineers. United
States army. are hereby approved as TO
all except the following Is Charge H.,
specifications Z. S. ana 10; charge Ill,
specifications 3, 4, 5, 6. T.. ., II and %,
which are dIsarproved. And the SEN
teuce imposed by the cOurt-martial
upOn the defendant, Oberlin Nj. Carter.
is hereby approved"
Appended 10 the orders above Is the
following: by direction OF the seere-
tary Of war, Captain 0berlih NJ. Carter,
corps of engineers, United States army,
ceases To be an officer of the army from
thts date and the United States penlten-
tilry at FIT. Leavenworth, KAN, Is de-
signated asthe place OF his confinement,
where he VIII be sent by fbe command
Ing general. department. " the East.
uHGer proper guard.
The Charges .which. are lisap9roved
by the President are Of minor Import
ance, and relate to smaller Items "
river and harb0r works In which IL was
alleged Captain Carter had defTauded
the government.
Thus Ia brought to a close what is
perhaps the most remarkable case In
the history OF this government, for
while the accused was considered clear
ly guilty. he enjoyed. rs no man ever
did. tho fun need Of the official and
social protection that wealth and IN
tiuence alone AFFORD.
The charges were preferred by Gem
cral John NJ. Wilson, chief Of engineers.
on December 10, 1897. after an inyesu-
CATION by board OF engineers Of the
river and harbor works at Savannah,
Ga, and other points In that district
which had been under tins supervision
OF Carter. Taese mainly consisted Of a
declaration that Carter had entered
imro a. conspiracy with other persons TO
GefFaAh the Utited States OF Immense
sums, The trial OF the charges by n
cOurt-martial, over which General Otis'
now tUlnUllLuuAlE III NuI Ah1'Abf'tl-Si
presided lasted several months. The
Judge advocate of The court was Colonel
Thomas F. Barr. and the court itself
consisted OF officers in nearly every
branch OF the service and OF high rank,
The trial resulted in the verdict and
sentence TINT WAS approved to-day.
The finding was submitted to Presi-
dent Mex nley for approval, but Car
ter's Influential friends set to work In
the captains behalf. The papers in the
case went from the Judge advocate gem
eral to the adjutant general. skipping
the headquarters OF the army. BY him
they were sent to the secretary OF war,
Under pressure he delayed some time,
but finally approved them, and they
went to President Mckinley. From him
they were sent to the attorney general
4 brief was asked for from Carriers
counsel: next a reply from the Judge
advocate generals Office. Ex-senator
Edmunds reviewed the case for the
government. and sent in n bill for 5000,
Finally Wayne MacVeagh. counsel for
the convicted man. made lengthy ar.
geIneut before Attorney General
Criggs, Offering 20 reasons why the
finding should not be approved. Yesterr-
days approva! indicates that his words
-