The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-11
CARTER GAVE $450,OOO IN BONDS
TO ROBERT Il. WEsTCoTyr
WHO PUT 1T IN DEPOSIT BOX.
MONEY LOANED IN SAVANNAH BE-
LONGED TO CARTER.

Powers of Attorney.
New York. Aug. 10.-The hearing in the
proceeding to secure the removal of John
and Benjamin ID. Greene, accused of CON
spiracy to defraud the government. TO the
jurisdiction of the Georgia courts, was
continued before United States Commits
sioner Shields to-day.
Mr.. Kellogg. of counsel for the defend
ants. announced that he had produced,
as called upon, a book of the minutes of
the meetings of the Atlantic Contracting
Company for 1891 and 1892.
j. w. o. Sterley, chief clerk of the en-
sineers office at Savannah, the first wit
ness questioned by United States District
Attorney Erwin of Georgia. said he mad
seen Ex-Capt o. NJ. Carter on Aug Is,
1898, at the University Club in this city,
and there conferred with him as to speci-
fications for certain work to be done at
Savannah. He was cross-examined and
excused.
The prosecution then sprang an entire
surprise on counsel for the defendants by
calling to the witness stand Robert f.
Westcott, former Capt. Carters father
in-law. During Carters court-martial
and prior thereto he claimed that many of
the bonds and securities in his possession
and which he hypothecated for various
sums of money had been placed in his
hands by Mr.. Westcott, and also claimed
TO have power of attorney from his
father-in-law. During the proceedings of
the Board of Inquiry Mr. Westcott went
to Europe.
Defense Was Surprised
Mr. kellogg of counsel for the defense,
SAID when Westcott was called:
We are not prepared for this and find
ourselves much embarrassed We were
prepared to cross-examine Can't. Gillette
lot Mr. Westcott."
Mr.. Westcott, after being questioned on
preliminary points said Capt BENJAMIN
d. Greene met him at the Hoffman House
ana handed him package of bonds, ask
ing that he take care of them
Garter told me about the hoard of In
curry ana that he expected to be arrest
Cd" said Mr.. Westcott, and asked me IL
| would receive the bonds from Greene I
demurred. He insisted, and finally an
ssnted. Then Greene met me at the Hoff-
man House, Oct. II, 1897, and gave me
the bonds. / deposited them in the New
York Safety Deposit Company"
The witness said Carter asked him to
go before the board of inquiry and testify
that the large amounts Of money Carter
was spending were received from him.
But l told him." said Westcott, that
1 could not do that-that could not swear
to lie.''
Mr. Kellogg's objection to answers made
by Westcott precpitated personalities be-
tween counsel, from which Westcott ask
ed for protection. Commissioner Shields
assured Westcott he would be protected
as witness. and the examination was
resumed.
WestcOtt Took the Bonds.
1t was then brought out that previous
to the sessions of the board of inquiry
both Capt. Carter and Benjamin ID. Greene
had gone 10 Mr.. Westcott and asked him
to take the bonds and securities. This
was done, according to counsel for the
prosecution, because it was known that
Garter had money on deposit that he could
not well have made from his salary.
Consequently Westcott was asked to be-
come member of the Atlantic Contract
ing Company to account for his having
the bonds and securities This he refused
but placed the bonds in safety deposit
vault (carters). Then powers OF attor-
ney were shown from Westcott, which
gave Carter entire control of all West
cotts business affairs. The bonds and Sc
curities that were handed Westcott to
the amount Of $4,000. never appeared in
the board of inquiry proceedings
Westcott identified the powers OF attor-
rey given by him 20 Carter and told in
detail of receiving the $4,000 worth Of
bonds and securities from Carter and
Greene. He also Identified a number OF
checks drawn by him in favor of Benta-
min d. Greene. aggregating in amount
$4,000 The sums he paid at the request
of Capt. Carter. who pale them back in
various sums at different times.
Loans Made by Carter.
Witness met Capt. Carter in New York
in September, 1894, by request. and Car
ter gave him 100000 to take care OF I'M
III Carter returned from Georgia. II was
also brought out that different men in
Savannah have had loans of large
amounts, the money for which purported
40 come from Mr.. Westcott Mr. West
colt knew nothing about these Checks
for the amounts Of three of these loans
we're put in evidence to-day. as follows.
Beirne Gordon. $4,000; to John Lyons
$4,000. and to Mayhem Cunningham, siO.-
OO0
The contention OF the prosecution In this
matter is that money advanced on the
loans was not Westcotfs, but belonged 10
Capt Carter
Testimony was also given relative 20
existing between westcott
and Capt. Carter four years ago, from
which both had built residence houses in
Orange. N. j.. and the prosecution con-
tends that half the money for these con-
tracts belonged to Capt. Carter.
After the recess Capt C. r. Gillette
vino succeeded Capt. Carter in the United
states Engineers office IN Savannah, was