Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-25
|GREENE-GAYNOR CASE
Two Hours Spent in Reading
Carriers Letters
At SAVANNAH HEARING
Amusing Situation Provoked Merri-
ment in the Court.
EFFORT OF PROSECUTION TODAY
To Show From Nature Of Correspond
ence He Was Constantly Watching
for a Good Thing.
EFFORT OF PROSECUTION TODAY

SAVANNAH. Ca. January 2J.-Upon the
resumption OF the Greene and Gaynor
trial today the admission OF certain letters
and kilograms OF Capt. Carter to various
persons was continued. The first of these
was to John F. Gaynor. asking him II he
knew of any one who wished to invest in
pine lands In Georgia. There followed two
letters to Benjamin ID. Greene indicating
the enclosure OF checks for small amounts
and representing that they be credited to
his account with Greene. Witness J. w
0. steriey identified the several copies.
Government Counsel Erwin called upon
the defense to produce the originals OF
the letters of which he submitted copies
p. w. Meldrim, for the defense. replied
that all Of the papers of Greene and Gay
nor had been turned over to the Attorney
General Of the United States.
I'VE are not admitting that" said Mr..
Erwin. do you state that the original
Of this particular letter (referring to one
to Greene) was turned over to the Attor-
ney General?'
In our custody control" Col. Meldrim re-
piled He said they had turned over to
the Attorney General letters that were rele-
want to the case.
Objection to Letters
The defense objected to the admission
of these letters to Greene. denying their
relevancy. to which Mr.. Erwin replied. ex
planning that they were designed 20 show
the relationship between Carter and the de-
PENDANTS. in that they proved that loans
had been made to Carter while engineer
officer here by Greene.
One of the letters to Greene relates to
several business deals between Greene and
Carter with Minis of Savannah and Gay
nor. Carter referred to Gaynor as John"
patent, made Greene an offer to go In on
a marble quarry deal. Say nothing TO
John about this" the letter read, las it is
another matter
Gaynor Is quite deaf and hears little that
goes on in the court room. He caught the
passage quoted, however, and glanced a.
Greene. sitting beside him. with
preston so droil that Greene shook with
suppressed laughter the spectators also
deriving much amusement from the sit
uation.
Gen. Clous on the Stand.
After two hours had been consumed in
the reading Of Carriers correspondence.
Gen John w. Cious of New York succeeded
Sterley on the stand He was judge advo-
cate OF the Carter court-martial until he
became i'll. when Gen. T. F. Barr succeed
ed him. His testimony related to the boxes
of papers found in Carriers personal file
case.
-
tiers was brief however, Mr. Sterley soon
being recalled. One of the letters had ref
erence to a pneumatic Jack that Carter
as sf w yas IN tss and and
Capt Carter was then looking to the jack
to supplant horse power and electricity in
street cars and to accomplish other won
derful mechanical triumphs. In this deal
were Carter, Greene, Caynor Clay" and
Minis
1t was the purpose OF the prosecution TO
show from the general nature of these let
tiers that Carter was constantly the
watch for profitable investments. and that
he and Greene and Gaynor were accps
toned to let one another in on any ''g Cd
thing that any one of them might dis
cover.
Carter Telegram Read.
The jury retired while a telegram of 1889
from Carter, through Michael A. Connolly
his confidential clerk was read. This re-
quested Greene to telegraph to a local
newspaper that the charge of Curtis" an
inspector of harbor work under Carter WAS
absolutely false. Another telegram indi-
ca ed that Curtis alleged hat Greene lad
offered to have his salary increased 500 a
year, and that he implied threat to have
him removed by Carter unless he should do
as Greene desired. Then followed another
appeal to Greene to make a most positive
affidavit of the falsity of the charge. Car
ter sending a telegram and giving the ex-
act language of the affidavit he desired
Greene to make. and mentioning Gen. E P.
Alexander as his adviser in the matter
Mr.. Osborne. for the defense. stated that
Curtis was a discharged employee of Carer,
as engineer, and that subsequent investiga-
ton had shown that there was nothing in
the charges he had brought against Greene
He argued against the admission OF this
matter as evidence.
Showed Collision.
Mr.. Erwin replied that Carter could not
and yet he was indicating to Greene Just
the character of the denial he should make.
This, he charged showed COLLISION and an
understanding, and later Capt. Carter APP
pointed at least one inspector upon the rec
ommendation of Greene himself Mr. Err
win said that whether the charges OF Cur
tbs were true or false. the evidence was ad-
missibe as showing the relationship be-
tween Carter convicted by a court-martial.
and the accused.
Judge Adams also argued the point for
the government, declaring that the tele-
grams were admissible because in proving
conspiracy a very wide range in testimony
is admissible He urged that an officer of
engineers nominaIly would investigate Wig
orously al once such charges against con-
tractor, and yet Carter took steps at once
to shield Greene.
Mr.. Osborne answered for-the defendants.
and the court said he would withhold the
evidence and reserve his decision
A letter of Carter to Greene dated Janu-
airy %, lS90. was read after the Jury had
returned. This expressed the entire salts
faction of the government with the defend
ants construction of the Tybee training
wall at the entrance to Savannah harbor
Went to Chile on Deal.
The government introduced letter from
Greene to Carter written In 1882 saying
Gaynor had gone to Chile looking after Il
S9 Go 600 contract that Gaynor hated IN
go just before election. but he had 20. He
urged Carter to let the Savannah contract
as quickly as possible In order that they
might conclude the work and he free to
handle the great Chilean scheme. He init
mated that there would be something of
value In the Chilean arrangement for Car
ter.
A letter from Greene to Carter relative
to a prospective contract with the New
York Central Railroad was read, a refer
ence being made to Mr.. Depew who was