Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-26
RECORDS DESTROYED
But Superintendent Cline Admits
He Made Changes.
ARMOR PLATE FRAUDS INVESTIGATION
He Did Not Want Government
Officials to Fuss.
CONTEMPT FOR INSPECTORS

Superintendent Cline, in charge of the ar
NOR plate press shops at the Carnegie
works at the time Of the recent irregulari-
ties In filling government contracts, began
his testimony before the congressional in
| vestigating committee today The witnesses
| heretofore examined had blamed Cline for
most Of the Irregularities so that much in
terest was attached TO his examination. He
was cross-examined by Chairman Cum
mings. He said he had general charge Of
| treating armor plates. and gave written
ana verbal directions TO the worRmen. He
construed the government specification that
| plates were to have a uniform treatment
TO mean that there were to be uniform re-
suits. Mr.. Cummings questioned Cline
| closely on the charges made by Informer
sill that Cline changed the records OF
treatments. Cline said he gave 10 SIN and
other clerks written directions Of how the
! plates should be treated. Then the actual
| work done entered on the workmen's
| states" The clerks then returned to Cline
| q transcript from the states. He changed
| the figures before the reports OF actual
| work were submitted to the government
officers.
! Changes Not for Fraudulent Purposes.
Cline then submitted diagrams of the
states, for the purpose of showing that the
changes he made were not for fraudulent
purposes. He made the changes. he de-
clared. result Of practical experience
The changes covered prior work done on
plates shown by the workmen's figures.
Cline charged that SiIrs testimony as 10
the states had suppressed one-hsf OF the
entries on these states There had never
been a false entry for the purpose OF fraud
Mr. Cummings then drew ou; the statement
that Cline had destroyed all his books He
said he had done this because they con-
tained lot OF stuff he knew nothing
about Sill and the other clerks had made
these entries. The books were DESTROYED
| after the settlement with the government
had been made. The destruction Of the
books had not been for the purpose OF de-
| stroyine evidence He now had no record
OF the treatment Of armor plates
The sheet, Misleading.
Cline said as whole the sheets were mis-
leading and showed only part Of the rec
ord Of work done. Representative Money
took up specific change on a sheet Ii
showed that an armor plate was actually
IN the furnace eighteen hours Cline's fig
ures on the sheet showed that ne had raised
the number OF hours 10 thirty-six Repre-
sentative Talbot asked why this specific
ing, answered Cline
This fuss. he said, would be made nv
government officers. He wanted 70 please
them.
| Representative Money
/ Yes. and my superiors knew what I WAS
oolhG added Cline who mentioned Super-
intcndcnt Corrie OF the arrnor sh,r,s sc one
who knew what was being done T'bs -.
I ncials or the works wanted 10 please The
government officers. The clerks ala rot
KNOW the technical details OF the work and
such information they might give The
government inspectors would be misttnder-
| stood ana used TO create trouble at the crd-
nance , bureau Of the Navy department
me naval offcials cid not understand such
| H.iornlatCn as they received. Cline said his
/ changes IN records were based on star-ti,,g
from a colo furnace-that is ne added rbs
Time necessary In getting the furnace hot
I enough Tor the armor plates. Witness satd
he destroyed the books on his o,S-n r,.S,,,.sS
| billtN. Cline denied that ne had stated that
| the capacity OF the furnaces WAS insu uffis,ient
10 Go The government work properly.
An tGIy Word Ised.
In cross-eNamininS Cline. Representative
Dolliver asked him why ne had ..foreed
falsihed and changed the records" Cline re-
/ iterated his previous explanations At this
point the cross-questioning became very
nisoI0us' ana the word forge" was fire.
quenfly used. Cnne kept cool under the
ordeal Cline said that three test rlates
had been retreated without the knowledge
OF the government officers Superintendent
1orfle h2d directed him to make m, rs-
: treatment. cline said he had been dt.-
charged from the Carnegie works
/ ne was not now receiving anything from
| tne tarnegie company. Superintendent
Corfle discharged him on the ground thar
the GOV ernnent was not satisfied with his
l tCline'sb work
The time books" OF the Carnegie works.
submitted by sin and Craig We're shown
] 10 Cline. He said he could not recognize
them. although they had formed an i'm
, rortant link I'm the testimony Of the in
formers. He would not swear whether or
Lot entries I'm the book were in his hand.
and At the request Of Chairman Cummings
/ wrote similar entries on paper. Cline could
rot Remember having discharged Oswald,
/ but would swear that he had not dis
charged the man for talking about the way
I the work was done. letter TO that effect
being shown him he would not identify Il.
I and III the request Of Repres entative Cum
mings wrote 4 similar letter.
lie Changed the Records
Cline said that he had been discha rged
by CoIrie. and had made no complaint
about his discharge. Since receiving a sum
mons TO testify he had talked In a general
way with Schwab about IL. but not regard
ing bis testimony. Il viii admit that I
changed the reports" he said. He refused
10 swear that any Of the records Were OF
were rot in his handwriting but said that
all plates sent out we're up TO the specifica-
tions. and he would like 10 see them tested
When asked ny he had changed the records
I regarding the time plates that had been
subjected to treatment. cline said they came
mp TO the requirement. but the govern ment
7 liSbc'toiS Aoull KICK unless the records
showed about the same trea atment OF all
! He expressed contempt for the knowledge
I OF inspectors concerning the work There
! was always an understanding with superior
officers about those things.
Not CaroeEic's Agent.
! Lieut.. Stone. the Carnegics' agent twho
! was present.. had met the witness ON the
/ train. and the fact that Cline was % tes.i-
! fy was mentioned. but his testimony was
not discussed. IL would not have been 70
/ Eline's financial advantage TO iucrcas. the
/ output OF the works. He had often tested
the specimens, but not To dyfraud the gov
. ernment. and had never treated "A test speci-
men after IL had been selected by the gov
. ernmenJ lie had been obliged 70 retreat
. plates under ordcrs against his judgment.
The matter Of blow-holes being taken up.
I the witness said blow holes improved The
Z quality OF plates. II not more than an inch
/ In size. He had seen blow-ho!cs as large IS
baby head after plates had b.en trtuper-
/ ID and anncaled The examination of Ciile
! will be continued Al lu.sr tomorrow.
Supt. Corrie Of the arIuor plates shl q
has been summoned To appear thursday.
: Mexico and the Corn Crop.
! According to Theodore Huston. Tinted