The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-21
CAPTAIN CARTER
WAS EASY GAME
Opening Statement of the Prosecu-
/ tionzin the Case Against
Greene and Gaynor.
CONSPIRACY is CHARGED
LINE TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE
TRIAL.

Savannah. Ca, Jan. 20.-Assistant
Attorney Marion Erwin, upon the con-
vening Of the federal court today, in
dicated to the jury the course the gov
eminent would follow in presenting its
case against Greene and Gaynor. He
said that it would show in support Of
the charge Of conspiracy, that the de-
PENDANTS came together in an agree
ment to defraud the government and
that the overt act OF conspiracy had
actually been committed.
The government. he said, would seek
TO show that Lieutenant o. NJ. Carter
came here in 1884 under General Gil
more, and was connected with the river
and harbor work when appropriations
for river and harbors were not so large
Z as now. Carter was appointed in charge
upon the death of General Gilmore and
the government would show, said Mr.
Erwin, that he fell in with Greene and
Gaynor here.
Carter Was worked"
At an early stage Mr.. Erwin said the
contractors started to work on Carter
getting him into little side contracts
with them and making a little money
Tor him or at least so pretending;
then they commenced to lend him
money. He was a young officer who
mad no money TO speak of himself. He
would pay the money back and at first
the loans are inconsiderate, but soon
the amounts grew to as much as ST.
600; gradually the amounts increased
and he became involved in contracts
and enterprises with them. Their as
sociations were very close in the early
stages and they led him to believe he
was a second Eads, a man of great
ability and thai he could leave the
army and go IL with them in the car
rylng out Of great contracts in Chilli
and elsewhere. Mr.. Erwin implied that
the defendants never had any intention
OF carrying out these plans, but, by
entering into them, they made Carter
their man indisputably.
City Became Interested.
Then the alleged conspirators inter
ested the people of Savannah in get
ting a very large appropriation for
savannah harbor work, a great con-
vention being arranged to lend aid to
the enterprise. This overstepped the
Chilli scheme even and offered a spIen-
did opportunity for the alleged con-
splrators. Congress made this great
appropriation and in 1891 Mr.. Erwin
said, Carter went over to Greene and
Gaynor body and SOUL Just how he
was to be paid. the agreement in this
body and soul sell-out" does not an
t'Ce'A7 DAS. d 4lllie later. Wnen the pay
ments began upon the big contracts
\ made under the large appropriation
kfTsions of the money could be shown
- have been made at the end Of each
month as regularly as clock-worl1.
From 1892, continued Mr. Erwin. month
by month the balances from payments
after defraying the expenses of the
work and payments made to their CO.
constructors. the younger. Gavnors and
others involved were split IN nv
Greene. Gaynor and Carter in equal
amounts
Carriers Part in the Plan.
In the advertising of contracts Nj.
Erwin declared. Carter did not follow
the regulations, often on 81 .0OO. 600 con-
tracts. cutting down the time and so
managing as to suppress com etitfon
and leave the work necessarily to fall
to the Atlantic Contracting company.
Of which Greene and Carter were the
chief beneficiaries Many obsta cles
were thrown in the way of other pros
pecttve bidders. Carter was said to
have kept the specifications under
lock and key, guarding them carefully
and Knowing every man who got a
copy. Carter, said Mr. Erwin. adopted
means 10 stop the competition, the al
legged conspiratOrs- sometimes buying
off other bidders and leaving the work
to the Atlantic Contracting company
at eXOrbitant prices.