Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-19
CARTER CHARGES PLOT
SAYS HIS CONVICTION WAS DUE
TO ARMY CONSPIRACY.

Charges OF conspiracy among army Of
ficers. made by Oberlin M. Carter, who was
convicted Of embezzling $1,000 coo from the
government, enlivened the proceedings be-
fore Special Examiner Wyman in Chicago
yesterday, as briey recorded In The Star
yesterday.
In reply to questions by Assistant United
states Attorney General Erwin, Carter as
serted that the finding Of the ourt-martial
which declared him guilty was the result
OF a conspiracy among the officers consti-
futing the court-martial.
was condemned and sentenced to
prison on secret testimony at a hearing
where neither myself nor my attorney was
allowed to be present" said Carter That
Is why l was insistent on obtaining a trial
In court of Justice, where 1 could con-
'front.' my accusers and summon witnesses
II could have met my father-in-law, R. f.
Westcott, In open court, know he would
nave told the truth. AS it was he was A.
leeoie Ola man, and the government repre-
sehtatlves worried him into signing the
statement which Is now used as his testi-
mony.'
Never Had Fair Trial
WY should the government give you
another trial after a military court-martial
AFTER three months investigation had found
you guilty and you were serving the SEN
tence in PRISON. asked Assistant Attor
ney General Erwin
because never had a fair trial." shout
ed capt. Garter. THE Investigation nv Tho
court-Inartial was an Infamous farce Cen
GUS the presiding officer of the court-mar-
t t,ai' was round one night in the office of
the prosecuting attorney plotting to have
me convicted. My attorney and MYSELF
learned that Gen. Otis had left the hotel
secretly to conspire with the prosecuting
attorney, and we made an investiqa tio9
and found him and other members Of The
court-rnartlal in secret conference with the
government attorneys. They walked mile
ana then climbed five fights of stairs after
alone" ~ NC
you charge. then. that Gen. Otis and
otherN members of the court-martial entered
INTO conspiracy to send you to prison?"
Says Mckinley Was Honest.
l do, and 1 know what I am talking
ABOUT, replied the witness 1.-THE late
PRESIDENT William Mckinley was an hon
est man from the top of his head to his
toes but L was advised that Attorney Cen
eral Griggs was corrupt"
HOW do you know Attorney General
Grlggs was corrupt" asked Assistant At
torney General Erwin
Because high official of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad told me-" replied the wit
ness. lie SAID his road ran through New
Jersey, and he had reason to know of Mr..
Grlggs character He advised me to have
nothing to do with him."
Witness was questioned at length regard
ing contract made with his uncle l. D.
carter in 1897. to pay him $4,000 a year
to work for his release from prison The
government attorneys showed that l.. d.
Carter had about 0,000 worth of the de-
PENDANTS securities at the time he was
supposed to be drawing salary of $1,000
year for legal services
Books and Papers Seized
Carter described the manner in which
his books and private papers were seized
by government officers while he was absent
In Europe. in October. 1897 Certain pa
pers, which, he said, he intended to use to
prove that many of the Prosecutors wit
nesses committed perjury at the investiga-
ton by the court-martial, are missing He
accused the officers of the court-martial
and board Of inquiry with having taken
them In order to deprive him of the use Of
the documents at his defense He accused
Captain Gillespie, member of the court
martial, and others of having copied many
of the personal letters while the documents
were In their possession.
He also accused the government officers
OF neglecting 10 return several pieces of
personal property, which he highly priced
One of these was piece of the flag which
fioated over Fort Sumter when the fort
was first fired upon In 1861 and another
was. a letter from his wife, signed Sweet
Ann and containing a lock Of hair