The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-05

forbidden to speak to him; stripped of
his uniform of blue and clad in the
rough garb of the convict, he has lost
his identity even, and is known as NO.
1894 He will spend the next five years
behind the bars of the federal prison.
By the irony of fate he is compelled to
occupy a narrow cell in a prison which
he designed and built, and, worse still,
the only window in this cell overlooks
the ballroom and banquet hall where he
led the dance and INDUCED his epicur-
can tastes while officer of the post
few years ago.
man ever turned out by the nations
school for soldiers. and from bOyhood
fortune seemed to grudge him nothing
that ambition could dictate. He was
made a. cadet at West Point by special
appointment by President Hayes, after
having tried unSuccessfully in the regu-
lar way, and was a model student and
soldier, completing the four years
course with a higher average of scholar
ship than had ever been obtained be-
fore, and his record has not been equal
ed since.
From the day that he graduated until
the day that he was summarily ordered
back from London to stand trial before
d court martial he seemed to have the
ear of the war department, and was ad-
vanced rapidly in rank, and in the i'm
portant character of the work intrusted
to him.
Early in life he married the daughter
of a millionaire. Thomas S. Westcott OF
New York, and his Authoritative purse
was at his disposal from that time on.
Fortunately for her, his wife died be-
fore his sins found him out. Just before
the discovery of his enormous pecula-
tions-While he was military attache of
the American legation in LondOn-he
was named one of the three members of
the Nicaraguan commission, and there
was hardly a man in the army who did
not envy the distinctions showered up
on him.
This was Captain Oberlin M. Carter,
U. s. A.
Military prisoner No. 1904 is a vastly
different person. The prison barber took
him in hand within a few minutes after
his arrival at Fort LeavenWorth, and
removed the gracefully curled mustache
and waving locks which had contribu
ted much to his distinguished appear
ance. Then his hat. clothes, and shoes,
each article made to order and of the
finest material, were taken from him
and he was given suit of dark gray
homespun with the figures 2,094 stamp
ed in large red letters on the front and
back of the coat, and each leg of the
trousers. under garments of heavy cot
ton stuff, rough shoes fastened with
buckles, and a big straw hat
He was promptly assigned for duty
as bookkeeper in the factory depart
ment of the penitentiary and works
eight hours per day He rises at 6 a NJ,
ready within ten minutes. At $50 he
falls in line with murderers, thieves, in
cendiarieS, deserters, and criminals of
every other class, and marches in to a
breakfast consisting of hash, bread
without butter), and coffee. He may
not speak at meals under any condition
and at no other time except when spO-
ken to, or in the discharge of duty.
At o'clock he marches out with the
other prisoners and works until noon,
when he sits down to another meal
consisting of soup, boiled beef, potatoes
and bread. Then he goes back to work
till p. m. when the supper bell rings
and he sits down to stewed fruit, bread
| and coffee. BY 8 O'Clock he must be in
bed, whether sleepy or not, and at that
hour all the lights in the building are
! turned out.
Each Friday afternoon he and forty
/ nine others are marched to the bath
! room, in which are fifty tin tubs filed
| with warm water. Beside each tub is
8. cake of common yellow soap and a
! towel At the word of command he
must strip with the crowd and scrub
| his whole body with the sticky soap
/ and be ready to dress and march out
/ again when the word is given. Once in
| four weeks he may receive visitors, but
they win probably be few. Within a
| dozen rods of his cell are the homes Of
a number of army officers, who know
| him well, but to them Captain Oberlin
I NJ. Carter is dead, and any army off
| Ger of high or low rank who dared ex-
| change one word with No. 1904 would
| be court martialed and cashiered in
/ short order
Like almost every noted criminal
/ Carter persists in declaring himself
innocent of the charges upon which he
was convicted. Despite the overwhelm-
| ing weight of evidence he cries: II am