The Washington times., 1894-06-15
FAKE WORK AT CARNEGIE'S
Startling Disclosures to the Inyesti-
eating Committee.
sILL's SENSATIONAL STORY
He Says That Superintendent Kline Made
Fraudulent Entries to Deceive the Govern
ment Inspectors-s Thousand Dollars
Paid Sill to Turn Informer.

"Fake work" was a term frequently made use
of during the sitting of the congressional armor
plate fraud investigating committee yesterday.
1t was originated by Chairman Cummings in his
examination Of Charles Edgar Sill, who was the
central figure at the hearing, which attracted
more than the usual number of spectators
among whom were seen many naval experts
and Congressman. Sill is the former Carnegie
ernploye who made the principal disclosures
concerning defective srmor plate furnished the
government IN giving his Testimony he made
use OF several rolls O& manuscript which con-
tained memoranda he had made from time to
time as TO irregular practices n. the works.
Ii was not until he tod Of me manner in which
The written reports fcr the insDection ot the
governments experts were made up By him that
Ellis testimony became sensational.
These reports were then put on the desk Of
Superintendent Kline, who changed them so as
IN make them show that the processes conformed
TO the requirements and specifications OF the
government contract sill took his report from
original entries on states used by the workmen
showing what they had actually done
Another set of reports was made BIZ sill, COW
erinE Fhe labor done On plates through the pre-
cediLR nights One OF these reports went 30 the
governme inspectors, and was accurate ex-
cePt that certain plates partially finished were
not reported as touched. They were carried
forward f;om day 10 day until Superintendent
Kline ordered them 20 be reported to he gov
ernment officers. in some cages sponsor plates
ana me SIDE arinOr or SnlDS received no treat
IieHJ ut all Sill said his notes would show to
wbich ships these untrea,ed spousons and plates
went
TAe 5ooks, as kept by Superintendent E,ine,
showed tne actual ycrx in black ink, fI ne
alterations ) submitted TO the sovernne.- olf-
GERS were in red ink.
! AT the suggestion of Chairman Cummings
| "feke WORK" was used by the committee and wit
ness to designate ife=e alterations
What vas the percentage OF this fake work."
asked Mr. Cummings.
''trom Is TO ~ per cent. was fake work
think that would be a far average"
Superintendent Kline gave him instructions
and cautions repeatedly The BOOK showing red
ink false entries was guarded under locE and
key. Kline directed him not 10 10. the govern-
ment officers see these records under any cir
cUmstances. A cupboard was built in which To
keep the altered records.
"Do you mean TO say" asked Representa- tive
Doiliyer, "that these diagrams were for the
purpose of producing false and fraudulent re-
suits on the government
And he left the evidence of this bogus work
in your handsi"
"He did"
show much did you get from the government
an informer?' asked Mr.. Dolliver
''Six thousand dollars" answered Sill
He said he was led TO make the disclosures
through the ill-treatInent he and others re-
ceived from Kline. The latter, Sill said, WAS
human brute" Sill submitted his story TO
Pittsburg attorneys, and then TO ex-Solicitor
General jerks. Ii was then given 10 the Secre-
tary of the Navy
In response to close questions Sill said he and
the attorneys had talked over the amount 10 be
derived from the government He and the other
informers had first hoped they would get gov
ernment position Sill said, on further cross-ex-
animation, that If the government officials had
known the actual condition of work they would
have rejected IS per cent of such work
accepted. Sill read from his notes the specific
plates with plugs and blowholes They in
cluded two plates of the coming tower Of the
Oregon. The two plates made the complete
circuit of the OreEon's tower One plate had
hole as large as mans hand, which was plugged
up. Other plates were designated by letter and
number.
After q recess Sill resumed his story Mr.
Cummings asked what had become Of the books
which showed tine real work done Sill said he
had seen Superintendent Kline burn two of the
books. Three other books had disappeared
after the information was given TO the Navy De-
partment
Sill said he had seen Mr. Frick about the plant
occasionally. BE did not know that Frick knew
OF the books which had been burned. The COM
pany was told by Charles Craig. one of the in
formers. that the workInen were giving irforma-
tion to the Navy Department. Craig had first
informed the department. and had then gone TO
the company and offered to "sell out cheap"
Craig was ultimately paid by the government
for his information
During fire of cross-duestions Sill took out a
cigarette and lighted it The committee then
took up sills books and notes, and he explained
in detail the Irregularities and alteration of the
reports made by SupaTintenusnt klines