The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, October 14, 1905, Page 2, Image 2
Green and Gaynor Case.
History of the Remarkable
Case?Division of the Plunder?Pursuit
of the Fugatives.
The arrival ol John F. Gaynor
and Captain Benjamin D. Green,
in Savannah makes the story ol
their alleged crime of general interest.
The events leading up lo
the present, as related some tune
ago l>y James Creelman in the
New York World follow :
On April 24, Capt. Oberliu M.
darter ol the United States corps
ol engineers, look charge of the
impioYemeni ol rivers and harbors
at Savannah, G,i., tor which
work millions ol dollars had been
appropriated. He so managed
matters that the Atlanta Consi
ruction Company, consisting ol
John F. Gay nor, Capt. Green and
E. H. and W. T. Gaynor, got con
trol of the contract.
In May, 1887, Capt Carter
was appointed military attache
of the United States legation in
London atzainst his protect.
Captain Gillette, the engineer oificer
appointed to succeed him in
charge o! the Savannah improvements,
charged Captain Carter
with a conspiracy to delraud the
government in connection with
the harbor contracts. In Dec.
1897, the secretary of war ordered
the trial of Captain Carter by
courtmarlial. The charges were,
roundly, that Carter drew the
specifications lor contracts so that
no firm but the Atlantic Construction
Company would dare to
bid on the work, that interior
work and materials were accepted
and that the surplus money above
the actual cost were divided pro
rata between Gay nor, Green and
Carter.
DINlSIoN OF TilK I'LIJNOKK.
it was shown on the trial that
these payments were frequent
and that when they were to he
made Captain Carter would go to
New York, where he would draw
a treasury order for the 1 ni 1
amount, p'us $75, his expenses
... <i.? *i.?? it ,.i i
u11 mu juuiiitjy ^ 111<i ihiw cuecK
would he haudod to Greene, and
that within a lew days Gaynor
would hand his check lor ouethird
tf the payment, plus $7o, to
Garter. The dates of the checks
thus drawn correspond wtth Carter's
visits to the Union League
Club in New York, ot which he
was a member. It was estimated
that Carter's share ol the plunder
amounted to $22,528. Carter
was found guilty and sentenced
to a 'fine and imprisonment in
addition to military degradation.
It took a long time to secure
Captain Carter's punishment, and
it was said that Gaynor and
Greene were moving heaven and
earth to hush the matter nn A
tew months after Carter's conviction
Gaynor, through the use
of money, was elected a member
of the Democratic State committee
from Onondaga county, New
York. It was said that he was
deeded in I tie interest of David
B. Hill, but went over to Rich
?rd Croker, thus living Tammany
control of the state committee.
In December, 1899, Gaynor
and Greene and the of her members
ot the Atlantic Construction
company were indicted by the
United States grand jury at -Sa
vannah for a conspiracy to de?he
United States of $475,949.
90. A few days later the indicted
men surrendered to United
States Marshal Shields, in New
York. Then followed a long
struggle asrainst extradition to
Savannah. Gaynor and Greeno
had appeared in Savannah and
each had given a bond ot$40,000.
Step by step tt?e case was fought
and when the United States Su
preme court finally 6wept away
all obstructions between them
and their trial,Gay nor and Green
fled to Canada, atul their bail
bonds were forfeited. It is said
that the bondsmen were afterward
reimbursed by the fugitives
The two men went to Montreal
first and then to Quebec. The
extradition commissioner lived in
Montreal and they wanted to get
as far away from him as possible.
They set themselves up in the
Chateau Frontenac, lived sumptuously
and hired lawyers.
Extradition Commissioner Lafont
aine, at Montreal, issued a
warrant for the arrest of the fu
guives on uie application 01 me
United States. Then lollowed a
dramatic event. On may 15,
1902, a party of detectives went
to Quebec secretly with Commissioner
Latontaine's warrant,
pounced upon Gaynor and Green,
thrust them into closed cabs, put
them on the tug spray, the swiftest
vessel on the St. Lawrence,
an I started at full speed for
Montreal. Gaynor shouted from
the cab window to a friend on the
street, "I am kidnapped 1" A detective
put his hand over the
prisoners mouth. But that sig
nal was enough, and the cry was
immediately raised by Mrs. Gaynor
and her friends. The prisoners'
lawyers went about Que
bee declaring that their clients
had been kidnaoned. At onc? a
boatload ol Quebec officers was
sent to overtake the boat and
bring Gayor and Greene back.
PURSUIT OF THE FUGITIVES.
The chase up the river was an
exciting one, and the news spread
itig rapidly, the progress of the
two boats up the St Lawrence
was eagerly watched. I> 111 the
Spray was too last to be caught
Realizing t his, t he chief constable
ol Quebec, armed with a writ ot
habeas corpus from Judge An
urews, 01 iiiai city, hurried to
Three Rivers on a special train,
and setting out in a boat with his
Officers ordered the Spray to halt
in the queen's name. No attention
was paid to the challenge.
(Jaynor and Green were taken to
Montreal, where Commissioner
Lafontaine committed them to
jail.
The high constable of Quebec
hurried back to .fudge Andrews
on a special train and secured
another writ addressed to the
Montreal jailor, who surrendered
the prisoners; and so (lay nor and
Greene went buck to Quebec on
a special train; feasting their official
roscuers on tlie way. 80
fearful were the exiles that they
would be kidnapped again, they
asked to be committed to the
Quebec jail, where they felt
reasonably sate from the Montreal
and American detectives.
As the case developed, it was
evident that Gaynor and Greene
had laid their plans deeply. The
law firm employed by them in
eluded in its membership the
premier of Quebec, a son of the
deputy attorney general, and the
Canadian minister of justice. The
son of the extradition commission
of Quebec was also employed by
the fugitives.
The prisoners' lawyers appeared
before Judge Andrews and
consented to the vacating of the
writ. Thereupon other writs issued
by Judge Oaron, who had
had nothing to do with the case,
were served upon the Quebec
jailor. As soon as he heard of
this, Judge Andrews dismissed
the writs and ordered Uayuor and
Greene to be taken to Montreal.
Now came the final trick.
Judge Caron issued a writ of certiorari
compelling Commissioner
Letontaine, of Montreal, to bring
all the papers in the extradition
proceedings into the court at
Quebec for review. Immediately
afterward .Judge C iron allowed
the prisoners to leave the jail
and go to live at the Chateau
Frontenac. A few days later the
the prisoners declared in court,
through their lawyers, that Mr.
Erwwi, the lawyer representing
the United Slates, had offered to
consent to a dismissal of the case
on the payment ol $500,0(10. Mr
Erwin denied (he charge. Greene
admitted that lie offered to pay
$200,000 in settlement. On
August 13, 1905, Judge Caron
discharged Greene and Gay nor
and dismissed the extradition pro
ceedings.
After this Mr. Erwin reported
(he (acts (o (lie United States
government and charged ^tliat
Gay nor and Greene has so interested
officials connected wi(h the
administration of jus(ice in Canada
(hat the ends of justice have
linnn /latantad Tlut
Stales appealed the case to the
privy council, whose decision
sent the matter back belore the
commissioner.
Another legal battle was
fought, and the fugitives lost
again. Then they were brought
back to the United States.
Condition of Cotton Crop.
Washington, Oct. 10.?The
general summary of the cotton
region weather crop bulletin is
cutiu looay oy i lie weauier hureau
is as follows: Over most ol
the cotton belt the weather con
ditions during the greater part ol
the week ending October 9 were
favorable for picking cotton.
Rains interrupted picking, how
ever, during the early part ol the
week in portions ot Tex ?s. Oklahoma,
Louisiana, Mississippi and
Florida, and in local areas in
Alabama and South Carolina.
Reports indicate that the general
condition ot cotton over most
of the cotton area is but slightly
changed, as compared with the
previous week. A slight deter
ioration is shown in Florida and
portions of the central and western
districts, where insects have
been very destructive, boll wee
vi 1 h being reported in increased
numbers in Texas.
In Central Texas and in' per
tions of Oklahoma, Alabama,
Georgia and Florida open cotton
was damaged by rain, which also
caused sprouting bolls in portions
of Mis- issippi and Louisiana.
Don't fail to read our column
of business locals.
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