The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-27
SEC0R ROBES0N'S GUILT.
OFFICIALLY INFORMED or STEAL
IhGS IN NAVY YARDS.
The Dishonest Oniciais Kept in once and
the Informcr Dischnraed-Whnt he Knew
About the Cntteiis us Early as 1870
The Jobs Of some Fsvoritc Contra ctor-.

WASHINGTON, May 28-The second in
stallment Of the testimony In regard to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard contains some facts Of
general interest The Chief Engineer Of the
yard, Alexander Henderson, admitted that he
was ad dvooate OF the Wizard boiler alta chment,
but said the only one he had seen In use was
attached to the boiler In the steam engineering
department OF the yard. lie said nve Of them
had been applied to the boilers OF the new soop
Alert. The cost OF manufacturing them, he
thinks, is not excessive. and he Is OF the opinion
that the compound boilers introduced by John
Roach In our navy ought to have the Wizard
attachment to render them perfectly safe. In
regard to political assessments uaon men em-
ployed in theyard, Henderson says he has heard
OF such things, but they never came to his knowl-
edge direct. Tho compound engine he Ieeards
as more expensive piece OF machinery than tho
ordinary engine. formerly in use, but he thinks
the use OF high pressure Of steam Is in the end
more economical.
John 7. Beeder, who was formerly I'm the Navy
Department, under Secretary welles, as a sort
OF general Inspector, testified that after Robson
became Secretary he made several reports to
him In writing, Dontlng out abuses In the ser
vice, but he was removed about June |. 1870
Since 1870 he has kept the general run Of tho
navy officers, so far "a no W 5 able. As the re-
suit OF his experience and observation, he
gives 1t as his opinion that stealing and plum
dering among the subOrdtuates Is one thln-, but
that is minor thing. hen II reaches up to the
omct.ls, such IA masters OF wOrkmen. Then II
reaches the hends of local departments at the
yard, like the Naval Constructor and the Chief
Engineer of the yard. and the equipment Offi-
GERS From that II goes to the Department at
Washington, and that is probably the main seat
In regard TO Robeson. Mr.. Beeder said:
LII % sye you nc isS'I say they Ar are faet.-eon CON
WAS that when informed MIN of certain
a. M ei paItcar rsqucit 70 gye MN the name, OF pr
40 Ise case q the chtf cisfk q the Bureau %
10 he seereisf, that Nhc Vas on aaty at the Nsyy
hsency N rhilaaephia cers ,he,e niornsd me iha.
though tac Coal oi Isaii to Mr iiur,t. tie clcrS
wriIing in som, way from, ,he party ,hai can pre-
Ter to wm o. and unasrsn
answered that letter saying that The nrm % Hunter
p,uen, Or else VIII be cer % in now ps Sus
nsnT r e seI 1 ~ % tSVp eseh' snu tnat uo
oss that morally certain ihat That was
10 ~ch ust r0S as[ c?o o O me- @
wsSsd TO TO @ s S sc that b. 'Ss M ce Sa e siH V at
the office during the lime tha was on duty there. and
What 'tas Ua,;eli %ss z ihs1p II was 6SSte The
sse and Ne s,s Isd S ss, ts sS sane iTSm sssr
olson favor friend OF his by the nsne Of p Preston
IN obisnipg OF the irsishts lhe Commodore sald to
regulations Of the department, that their orders we're
70 advertise for vessels anc give It to thoe who would
o-DId ycu maze any repor. 70 Mr.. Robcson with
the nayy yard 70 ihe effect tnI they tseretoiore
iSr iSre empoyuen, iTSo inere ~. 'suAHea them
| VINO were the parties2 Al cannot name ,hem
been convicted he had made an ainsyii sna ccnicsed
snd be was permitted NJ most OF them we're. 10 refund
Q-what position DID he hold st the time you wrote
Q-whst WIS doae with that r-portp A,~The secre.
y R 81
the p,fss that referred to IN my general charges he
system, a. be SAID can be tested" In asubscqueni
A15 % se M hnl ssS a %ahs S % % M
you are eoncsrned Con.equenliy coinmGnicaied 70
@ ss Ss sHs n te o S name ere M I've p R. sR
been to'd-though l ave no knowledye OF taai 'hst
pc,itioSs until quite late period Nr HshraSo, vs..
separate Ia1s and k9nw s, nat ns retained as no.i
IN his case drcety y TO the secretary
Deeder's testimony is very important, be-
cause IL shows tnat early as $50, shortly
afier Robeson bee me Secretary, he was notified
ofiiciay by aRcntleman OF the highest char
! gcier that T.. q Catteli was HtteuDting TO intu-
.nce the Commandant 81 the HAilas eipiia Navy
| fsrd In favor Of house from whi h he proba-
| bly, was to receive commission. u he afterwerd
| Old from Matthews anl .thers. This iniorna-
| ton WAS furnished To Robesuh I'm writing and
| by man who was present and heard Cdttell sav
| he was authorized by the Secretiry TO say what
| he did. After this point llanK testimony Sec
| retary Robson must not now set up the clal.n
| that he w9s entirely ignorant Of what the Cat
| tells were doing. Mr.. Bceder's testimony is i'm
portan. In smother respect. lie testified that he
| informed Rot teson of serious charges which had
| boen made against Iienriqucs, chief Clerk OF
the Bureau of Equipment aud Hecfuiiing. ih.s
man Henuqdes na- been directly implicated In
| joobery by witnesses examined by the Naval
Committee this WINTER. Robson I'm ls,0w in
formed Of his real character, but retained him
One OF TIE favorite contractors to furnish sup
plies to the Brooklyn tard under sec,oI
| Beeder tostlnes as follows
1Doyou h,pgen to knew whether any Ssnleme9
d1rug the war; A. cred v as not Crced Mas c erS
a. We lll- u M
Is ~s1e sns nn eS & To aa1 sc 70 ss
clerk, and during tue une was uAder Nr kooeson
easc and also "a cSaae bSt % saSra Sn neT eT
stood thst be was no,ing but areptseataNc of ilI.
to Brootiyn. Creed iycd VITA IsynSnG all he wa,
hat he was operating under Rlymoad. Creed Iknow
% me lgIsned yi P9Ps Saa men S5 s9
That Creed is now only q cover for kaymond
Is fully established by Charles Frazer, Chief
Clerk OF The Equipment Department Of the
BROOKLYN Yard. lie testified as follows:
Q-~hs proportion of all the articles furnished 10
that Equipmen Bureau does creed iurnsi-halt qrar'
,T.s We have not laa aay e9nrae!s N ~ Two s.rs la
wefe ,he s INV ~ go' % une D9A ol & sf
Q.-rhat advertised by the head Of the Bureau
@. wnst proportion oi open purchases does he get
| A.-Perhaps a0out onciourth.
Mr. RaNmCnd n, IS dSser wh yoI, I. he not A.
Q~whst connection has Mr. Greed with Mr.. Ray.
mcndP A.. 90 not know. am not sure sir. what
connection they have do not NnOw Nhcther thcy
related In any not, but the bills as general
thiug, In the name OF Mr. Creed. But the bill for
| tnat coal came In the name OF Mr.. Raymond.
| Q-Are they IN the SAME house? A.-Yes, sir; the
same Oiice.
| Q-What Ia the style Of the nrm as known to tie
puUep A-Ihe 4, sding OF HE blil read- George H.
creed, Naval supplies.'
Aaron Storer who had formerly been en-
| ployed as a ship carpenter In the yard and fire.
quenty detailed 70 inspect timber. testlnes that
| lie rejected Il lot belonging to Wallace OF Nor
| folk, MurLagh's friend, and was about to do the
| sans Tor u lot delivered by Swift, Costello's
friend. when he was uncereni onlousiv dis
| charged. lne most OF Swfts timber was passed
| by his successor.
QI understand you to ascrlbe your removal to the
| Interference OF swift How 40 you know that fact (?
A.-WrlL know that fact because ne found taut with
here, and the Secretary of the Navy acknOw lodged
| that he had made sumeicumpaints against me. what
| they we're DONE know.
u And the only tier OF offence You had given TO
swift was the sirctncss OF your nsprctOnP Al sup
pose ne found out my character anu suppose he uii
not want me 10 measure his tlmJer.
Q-lt was pending his delivery OF the lot OF timber
that you were reinoyed3 Ayes. he had Just com
| mcnCcd TO denver.
Q.-Was thc lot of timber that he was rendering at
that time rrceivedP A,Ihc most OF IL MAS received
| | dOn't know now much, because went cut nut a
kTV-t deal OF II received. Some OF II that was re-
| ceived knOw was not good.
Q.-SiAtc whether, Nlthih your knowledge obscr.
walton In later years, large amount OF timber knGwn
IrOulacuOus timber has not been and not being
received nc nus ara other navy yard, OF the country