Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-22
GREENE GAYNOR CASE
DEFENDANTS SIDE OF THE CASE
PRESENTED TODAY.

SAVANNAH Ca. January 21-In the
Greene and Gaynor case, which was taken
up at the opening of the federal court to-
day Col Meldrim. of counsel for the de-
Tense, made a statement of the defendant
side of the case He said that it was true
that Greene and Carter were on terms OF
friendship. as the prosecuting attorney. Mr..
Erwin. had asserted. but that there was
nothing surprising In that. as Greene. too.
had been an army officer and in the Engi-
| neer Corps He secuted the idea that Car
ter was dupe, a weak tool. pliable clay In
the hands of Greene, the statement being
dIsproved by Carriers attachments and his
appointment to places of trust and impor-
lance.
Col. Meldrim challenged the government
to prove that Greene and Gaynor ever loan
ed Carter cent. and that the only loan
was one of S1,600 made in 1885 by Greene,
which Carter had repaid within a years
time in driblets. Point by point Col Mel
drim took up the governments view as
given by Mr.. Erwin, and gave an explana-
ton. He said the Chilean project. in which
1t was alleged Carter and the contractors
were about to embark, had never material
ICED, and that the river and harbor conyen-
ton In Savannah was held long before Car
ter came here.
What Defense Would Show.
It was disputed that Carter advertised
for bids on contracts for much shorter per-
iods than the regulations required and said
1t was the custom of other engineer Of
f1cers, Colonel Maldrim saying he would
show that General Gilmore and others had
advertised for but as brief time as four
teen days. The assertions relative to the
strict guard kept upon the specifications
We're denied and 1t was declared that pros
pective bidders had no difficulty in secur-
ing copies.
Greene and Gaynor, Col Meldrim said,
got the contracts because they were on the
ground. knew all the local conditions re-
gardfng labor, dredges boats and other es-
sentials to be considered, and consequently
Were able to make the lowest bids.
OF the contention relative to the large
bank deposits made by Carter, the defense
would establish, said Col. Meldrim, that he
made the money not through conspiracy and
collusion with Greene end Gaynor, but
through investments made in Georgia TIM
Der lands and Florida phosphate lands with
money received from the late r. E. West
colt, Carriers father-in-law.
What Defense Would Show.
He would challenge the government, he
said, to show that one dollar of the money
Greene and Gaynor got from the govern
ment ever went to Carter or Westcott.
Greene and Gaynor, he said, had, as was
natural, given Westcott an interest in their
contract work in Savannah in consideration
for his influence in securing for them the
contract to raise the tracks of the New
York Central railroad in New York city
and Buffalo
Colonel Meldrim drew pleasing picture of
Savannah as a great port, and attributed
the commercial Importance of the city to
the faithfulness and ability of Carter and
the honest and hard work of the accused
contractors. No better test than these re-
suits, he maintained, could be offered, ard
he indicated that 1t would be the effort of
the defense to have the Jury visit the har-
Dor and view the improvements that have
been made.
He ridiculed Maj. Cassius Gillette's COM
plants of the work done under the admin
istration of Carter, his predecessor, saying
Gllettes chief grievance with the work
done by the contractors in Savannah har
Dor, which he saw some time after it had
been done. grew out of his having fallen
into a hole in one of the mattresses.
Judge Speer's Activity.
Col Meldrim referred to the efforts of the
defendants to evade being brought back
to Judge Speer's jurisdiction for trial and
proceeded to indicate an activity and in
terest on the part of Judge Speer that gave
the defendants ground for apprehension in
trial given them in this court.
Counsel was referring to language used
by a New York newspaper at the time of
the hearing in that city, declaring Greene
and Gaynor should not return to Savan-
nah for trial when the Judge interrupted,
directing Col Meldrim to be sea ed and
the jury to retire. He then asked Col.
MeIdrim to show cause why he should not
be fined for contempt of court.
Col. Meldrim replied that he had in
tended no contempt. The Stenographer's
record was read and Col Meldrm made
an extended explanation, to which Judge
Speer responded as follows: