The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-20
Charges Of Conspiracy Among Army
Officers Made BY Carter.
COURT MARTIAL MAS 4 FARCE,
Saptain Garter Says He Was Condemn
ed and Sentenced On secret Iesti-
mony-Otis and Members of The
Curt Martial Accused OF Eateriny
Into Conspiracy to Send Him TO
'aii-Attorney General Grigss Said
to be Corrupt.

chicago. October discharges of
conspiracy among army officers made
by Oberlin NJ Carter who was con-
victed of embezzling $4,000, 900 from
the government. enlivened The pro-
ceedlngs before Special Examiner
Wyman today. In reply to questions
by Assistant United States Attorney
General Erwin. Carter asserted that
the finding of the court martial which
declared Carter guilty was the result
or a conspiracy among the officers
constituting the court martial
/ was condemned and sentenced to
prison on secret testimony at a hear
ing where neither myself nor my at
torney was allowed to be present. -
said Carter. That is why 1 was in
sistent on obtaining-a trial in a court
of Justice. where l could confront my
accuserS and summon witnesses
why should the government give
you another trial after a military court
martial. after three months investiga-
ton had found you guilty and you
were serving the sentence in prison ?''
asked Assistant Attorney General
Erwin.
Because 1 never had a fair trial.
shouted Captain Carter. THE investi-
cation by the court martial was an in
famous farce. General Otis, the pre-
siding officer of the court martial. was
found one night in the office of the
prosecuting attorney plotting to have
me convicted. My attorney and my
self learned that General Otis had left
the hotel secretly to consDire with the
prosecuting attorney. and we made an
Investigation and found him and other
10 NO pfI0 n
secret conference with the government
attorneys
You charge then that General Otis
and other members of the court mar
tial entered into conspiracy to SEND
You to prison"
II do and I know what I am talking
about" replied the witness. The late
President William Mckinley. was an
honest man from the top of his head
to his toes. but I was advised that At
tOrney General GriggS was corrupt
How do you know Attorney Gen
eral Griggs was corrupt" asked AS
sistant Attorney General Erwin.
Because a high official of the Penn
sylvania railroad told me-" replied the
witness. He said his road ran through
New Jersey and he had reason to know
Of Mr.. Griggs' character. He advised
me to have nothing to do with him.
Carter described the IIdHuer III
which his books and private papers
were seized by the government officers
while he was absent in Europe in Oc-
tober 1897. Certain papers. which. he
said. he intended to use to prove that
many of the prosecutions witnesses
committed perjury at the investigation
by the court martial are missing. he
accused the officers of the court mar
tial and board of inquiry with having
taken them. in order to deprive him
of use of the documents at his defense
He accused Captain Gillespie. men,
ber 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 Ct
ficers of neglecting to return several
pieces of personal property Which ne
highly priced One of these was a
piece of the flag which 1oated 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 lock of her
hair