The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-09-07
V AFFAIRS.

NAVAL AFFAIRS.
The following testimony from the
book containing the Investigation of
the Norfolk Navy Yard, shows how
the mechanics were assessed for politi-
cal purposes. See page 1O8.
WILLIAM B. RICHARDS sworn and exam
ined.
@. State your occupation.
A. am a ship Carpenter.
Q. State if during that time you were
political fund for the benefit of any political
party.
A. 1 was called upon to pay the sum of
1926, for campaign purposes.
Q. State all the circumstance connected
with it.
A. Mr.. Meade, who was then quarter
master of my gang in the yard, in the ship
carpenter department, called upon me with
the assessment, and told me to look at it
and see what l could do for it. I looked at
the assessment, which was from the execu-
tive Committee, signed by Mr.. H. B. Nichols.
Chairman. and, l think, also by the Secretary
Of the Interior. 1t was headed with Mr..
Mead's name for $40, and each first class
mechanic, S,26; the second class So and the
water boys $l.O2.
contributed 1926 under protest. l told
Mr.. Mead that l did not feel disposed to
give. He said to me that he had always
considered himself q friend of mine and he
would advise m e to pay the amount, as he
thought 1 wouldIbe benefited.
From the testimony about the
Philadelphia Navy Yard, pages SO
and 46, the following is an extract
showing the employment of incompet-
ent men in place OF skilled mechanics /:
EDWARD HART sworn and examined.
Q. State your position in the U. s.
Navy?
A. l an naval constructor with the re-
lative rank of Captain, and am senior con-
s~tructor in the service. 8 . $
Q, And you say that has been done in
large numbers
A. Yes sir; that has been done quite
often. Some Camden men would come
The postmaster, Mr.. Lee and his brother
and Mr.. Robson had their heads together
and would have a list of names, and ther
give an order to employ = =
Q. Have o number of incompetent mel
been put on the navy yard under such or.
ders.
A. There have been some incompetent
men not qualified for the positions they
held.
Q. In such orders would they be direct.
ed to be employed as skilled mechanics when
in fact they were not such
A. Yes sir ; this pattern maker was one
of them. l could not state the cases now
but l had %joiners and blacksmiths and
shipwrights SC. and then 1 would be com-
planned about. Folks would come to me
and say "You have men at work there who
are not joiners." / tried to cure it but could
not:
In regard to the management of the
Navy Yard, Admiral PORTER says on
page 40 of the miscellaneous testimony:
II estimate that the money now squan.
dered in the navy yards in payment Of
worthless mechanics, in unnecessary out
lays, would build annually two heavy iron
clads. The present abuses are the result o.
the imperfect system of administration, and
the improper interference of politicians
which would shipwreck any public or pri-
vate establishment in the country"
The following is from the testimony
ofCommander MAHAN, page 1876 Of
the Boston Book
Q. Do you know of any deficiency in lum.
Der in any of the departments?
A. Yes sir.
Q. In whose department.
A In tho Civil Engineers department.
Q. To what extent?
A. 1t is between half a million and
million feet.
The following is from the testimony
of Mr.. Matthews of New York-a re
tail dry goods merchant-who has beef
furnishing the government naval cloth
ing, beef, pork, ship furniture, &c, tt
the extent of three millions of dollars
and without advertisement or competi
ton.
The extract is from the miscellan
eous book, page 2S1
Mr.. Mathews being duly sworn, Sc:
Q. Now l ask you if, during the las
two years, the head of the Navy Depart
ment has not been your debtor; if the hea
Of the Bureau of Provisions and Clothing ha
not been your debtor if every pdymaster VIII
has been stationed at New York city ha
not been your debtor; if every clerk in tn
navy agents office in N.w York city, dnl
every ne connected with the Bureau O
Provisions and Clothing at the navy yard
has not been your debtor; if the disburs
ing clerk of the navy department here, tn
principal clerk and the next clerk to hin
in the Bureau of Provisions and Clothin
if the q~uartermaster of the Marine Corps
and the assistant, and his clerk, Mr.. Marks
have not been your debtors ?
A. To a great ertent that is all true.
Everybody is in debt to him, who
could be of any possible use, from thu
Secretary of the Navy to the loves
clerk |! And his profits were abou
5000, OO0I
GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE.
As showing the manner in which
the government printing Office is con
Quoted, we give the following from thu
testimony of George W. Garner, Of th'
firm of John Campbell & Co.," SCI
report and testimony in regard to tina
office, page 48. Garner was a mlddl
man who purchased for the govern
ment printer.
Q. The statement which l hand yo1
shows that $l3,343, was expended by 70,
for gold leaf for which you charged tn
government a profit of $1,617,50?
A. Yes, sir.
z. Would it not be possible for the Con
gressional printer to buy gold leaf directl,
from Mr.. Value?
A. That l cannot say.
z. Do you know any reason why h
could not buy directly of Mr.. Value2
A. No sir, l do not. > . =
Q. find you purchased SS79,75 wort
of imitation gold leaf, and you sold it to tb
government at a profit of $57O,252
A. Yes sir.
Q. Do l understand you to say that o
an investment of 1919, you realized a prof
of SS709