The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-10
CONNOLLYS CLAIM
CARTER AGREED TO PAY HIM $500
A MONTH AND EXPENSES.
DECLARATION FILED IN COURT.
LEVY ON TOWBOAT co. STOCK
STILL STANDS.

Former Secretary of Former Captain
of Engineers Says Carter Agreed
to Remunerate Him Literally for
His Services in Collecting Evidence
and Finding Witnesses for Use Be-
fore Court of Inquiry and Court
Was Furnishing MOney-COnnOlly
Waited UntiI.WestcOtt said He Had
Nothing to Do With the Case.
The declaration in attachment In the
case of NJ. A. Connolly against Oberlin
NJ Carter, was filed yesterday in the City
Court. The attachment proceedings, of
which the declaration forms a part, were
instituted, before Magistrate M Naugh-
tin last August.
1t will be remembered that the affidavit
in attachment which Connolly then made
recites that former Capt Carter is in
debted to him in the sum of A,52S. The
Morning News published at the time OF
the levy of the attachment an authorized
statement of the nature of the PLAINTIFF S
claims. This statement is borne out and
amplified by the declaration filed in the
City Court
The declaration makes interesting read
ing. After briefly reciting the facts that
in 1898 Capt. Carter was the engineer Of
ficer in charge of river and harbor work
in this district, that for ten years MIR.
Connolly had been a stenographer ana
clerk in the engineers office, and that
the former is now residing, under confine-
ment, in the state of Kansas, the declara-
ton continues in substance:
Subsequently, on Aug. 15 1897, Capt.
Carter, who was then in London, as Uni
ted States military attache at the Court
OF St James, was accused, in collusion
with Benjamin D. Greene, John F. Gay
nor and divers other persons, of swindling
the United States out of large sums of
money, about $2,OOO,0OO, in carrying out
contracts for the improvement of the har-
Dor of Savannah, and of Cumberland
sound, and as a result of this accusation,
court of inquiry was instituted by the
War Department, to investigate the
charges, and Carter was directed 10 APP
pear before the court of inquiry.
THE court of inquiry met at Savan-
nah, and subsequently at New York, in
vestigated the charges against Carter.
and, recommended that he be tried by
court-martial. AS a result of the recon-
mendation of the court of inquiry, the
Secretary of War ordered that general
court-martial be held at Savannah, TO try
Carter, among other alleged offenses, on
the charge of conspiracy to defraud the
United States, of large sums of money, in
all aggregating about $2,O0o,0 900. The court
met Jan. 5, 1898, and was in session until
April 80.
At the time the court of inquiry was
ordered held, and at the time the charges
were made against Carter, Mr.. Connolly
was employed as Secretary of the Mica
ragua Canal Commission. at good salary,
and was temporarily stationed at New
York. At the time the accusation was
made, Aug. Is, 1897. Carter was in Eu-
rope, and was not aware of the accusa-
ton until informed by Connolly, Sept. 6,
at New York. Upon his return from Eu-
rope on that date. realizing the serious
nature of the accusation, Carter employ
ed Mr.. Connolly, on account of his famil-
iarity with matters pertaining TO the
Savannah District and his knowledge of
the law, to aid him in preparing a de-
Tense to the accusation in collecting evil
dence. finding witnesses, preparing pa
pers and in general, to do anything and
everything legal and proper to disprove
the accusations, Garter then and after
ward agreeing to pay Mr.. Connolly $500
a month, for the time the case would be
pending, to commence from Sept.
10, 1897, agreeing TO pay, IN ad-
dition to this salary, "a large
sum of money. which, however. is not now
sued for, for sacrificing his ambition ana
future prospects and for severing his con-
nection with the Nicaragua Canal Com
mission, on account of his connection with
the said case, should the exigencies re-
ouire that he should at any time be
obliged to give up his position TO aid Car
ter in his defense, which he eventually
had to do.
In pursuance Of these several prom
ises" says the petition, your pc
titioner entered upon his duties as out
lined by Carter, gave up his position with
the Nicaragua Canal Commission. there
by hurting his future prospects with the
United States, and was continually en-
gagged in the service of Carter from Sept.
10, 1897 to May TO- 1898, and faithfully per-
formed the services agreed to be done by
him.
Garter continually, from Sept 10, 1897,
until April 2 1899, promised TO pay for
the services rendered by him the sum of
$4,000. but petitioner has never been able
to collect any part Of said amount and
said sum of $4,000 is still due your petit
toner.
THE petitioner further shows that from
his first connection with the case until
May 10, 1898. he made by Carriers direc-
lions various journeys the object being
to procure evidence 10 aid Carter in de-
Tending himself before the court of in
uuiry and court-martial. Carter agreeing
and promising at the time he first en-
ployed defendant, and subsequently, In
Washington, and upon numerous other oc-
casions. TO pay in addition to his salary Of
$500 q month, all transportation expenses
incurred in making journeys and all ex-
penses in connection with his defense, and
in addition thereto 20 allow s. per diem
for hotel and incidental expenses while
away from his home, which was at that
time in New York
I'm making these journeys your petit
TONER was put to an actual outlay or
s2s3 which. together with the per diem
of FIVE dollars agreed to be paid by said
Carter, aggregates the sum OF Sl02S, of
which amount there has been paid the
sum of $500. leaving a balance still due
Of S52s Petitioner further shows that
when he would apply TO Garter for the
moneys due him, as aforesaid, Carter
would tell your petitioner that he could
not nav him Just then, as he had no
funds but he would do so as soon as ne
was able. as he would eventually get Vt
from his father-in-law, r. +. Westcott,
.,or,, ,toaItbv man DptitfOpcr