The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-27
OBERLIN CARTER FREE
Tomorrow He Quits the Fed
eraI Prison.
IN NEARLY FOUR YEARS
Is in Excellent Health with a
Gain in Weight.

the actual time Carter served within the
walls Of the penitentiary.
Carter was sentenced to five years i'm
prisonment by a court martial for alleged
frauds in connection with the Savannah
harbor improvements. According to the
federal statutes q government prisoner is
allowed two months off each year for
good behavior, which meant ten months
in Carters case. He was imprisoned
seven months at Governors Island y. Y,
before he reached the penitentiary.
Under the military code a prisoner g
time begins from the day his sentence is
approved, which in Carter's case was
September Is. 1889 He was able to keep
out of the penitentiary until April q fol-
lowing, or for seven months, on legal
technicslities.
While in the penitenuary Carter made
three efforts to get out on habeas corpus.
One habeas corpus case was passed on by
the United States supreme court Carter
made a study of habeas corpus trials and
read legal text books. He prepared his
own petitions in the habeas corpus suits
and, it is said, planned the arguments for
his attorneys. He prepared several ha-
beas corpus petitions for other prisoners,
and was so active in this line of work
at orc time that the officials found it
necessary to repress him.
Carter is in excellent health. He weighs
twenty pounds moro than when be enter
ed prison. He is a years old. During
his Imprisonment he has aged rapidly
There were only few gray hairs in his
head when he began his sentence and
now his hair is nearly white.
He has highly nervous temperament
and confinement was very hard on him
especially at first. The military surround
ing at Fort Leavenworth. where he could
hear trumpet calls and bands playing for
guard mount, constantly reminded him
of his old army life and increased the
mental strain. Frrim his cell at night
Carter could hear the music AZ Hope hall,
block away, where his former brother
army officers were dancing. From polish
ed army society to comradeship with de-
PRAYED and ignortna Indians and negroes
was very depressing.
When Carter entered the penitentiary
the tin. shoe, tailor and repair shops. This
job, keeping a single entry book of the &C
counts and the work of the shops, reQuir-
ed very little time. Carter did this work
quickly and spent most of the day brood
ing over his troubles. He became extreme
" nervous and was on the point of break
ing down.
The prison physician recommended out
door exercise, and he was put in charge
of the flower garden and lawns. He
pushed a lawn mower and greatly i'm
proved the appearance of the prison yard.
Later he was placed in the hospital, where
he acted as nurse and kept the records for
the physicians
Carter soon became an efficient nurse
and for the last year he has been teach
ing the new prison nurses their duties.
Carter never associated with any prisoner
aside from Captain Deming, another army
officer prisoner, who was released on ha-
beas corpus. but he was kind to the pris-
oners who wee Injured or i'll. BY living
at the hospital he obtained better food
than was furnished to prisoners in the
construction gangs.
He has been a model prisoner and has
the respect of the prison officials. He has
talked to the officers considerably about
his suit for the property in escrow, and
most of them believe he VIII win It.
Carter is anxious TO obiiterate all mem
DRY of his prison life. He will depart
wearing the suit which he wore when he
came here. y discharged prisoner is en-
titled 10 have a suit made to At him and
TO choose from several neat brands OF
cloth.
The plan is TO have a prisoner leave Sc
that he coDnot be distinguished as for
mer convict. Carter has declined TO &C
cept a suit made in the penitentiary. He
is entitled TO a discharge at any time
after midnight on the morning Of Novem-
Der Is. and may leave SO as to catch tbs
quarter after o'clock train for Kan
sas City. 1t is said that one of his Chi
cago attorneys will be here and meet hin
I at the prison with a carriage. Carter i.
anxious to avoid further notroiety, and III
viii not give out any statement regarding
his prison life or his suit With the govern
ment
There is another indictment in the cour
hanging over Carter in connection Wit
! the Savannah hGrbor frauds, II is tn
/ same as the one against Gayuor aa'
/ Green. Carter does not fear arrest on hi
( release
Hisimilitsry trial and Imprisonment 70
! this same offense bars any further Grim
( inal action against him. II is said. how
/ ever that he is viii to asst the gov
eminent in trial against Caynor ant
I Green. who. re feels. badly treated him.
Carter viii leave Tor Chicago or the ds,
( of his release After spending one ia,
/ il Chicago with relatives and his attor
news. he will go on 20 New York for tw
weeks when lie VIII return 10 Chicago &
/ prepare for his big civa suit against tn
4 government lie does not talk much Q
his future plans
During the last year he has bees study
ing mining engineering. and ST he : sue
cessful In the Chicago trial h. wiB spen4
considerable Of his time in Arizona an
New Mexico vhere ~ and lis u2cie J.
u. Carter. ~ Danvlle Kan. have *
teusive mining interests. carter has bee
forwarding directions 10 emplos - AZ th
Arizona nine recently as 20 the proPe
manner Of developiag It
The winning u The SUR in the Cnise
States courts in Chsesago Is "a matter q
supreme importance To Carter The suE
Of $3.50 Is involved Moreover II Car
Ter wins - VIII st up TIE claim that \
was unjus5iv convicted by The milisar
tribunal BY winning This SUit ~ NJ