The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-20
THE ARMoR PLATE FRAUD.
sill Tells How superintendent Kline
Docfored the ReDorfS.

DOctOred the Reports.
| Charles Edgar Sill. the former Carne-
/ gle workman. who has made the chief
disclosures concerning defective armor
plate furnished the government, was be-
! fore the congressional investigating COM
mittee today. The hearing drew together
many interested spectators. including
naval experts and members of congress
not directly prosecuting the investigation.
| There was little of a eliminating char
acter in the testimony until Sill told OF
the manner in which he made written re-
ports on the result of certain processes
of the manufacture. The reports Were
then put on the desk of Superintendent
Kline, who changed them so as to make
them show that the processes conformed
to the requiremntS 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. After Kline had
changed the reports they We're returned
to Sill who made up a complete report
including Klines altera tiOns. to be sub
mitted to the government officials as the
record of what had been done.
Mr.. Sill related how superintendent
Kline had given orders for retreattng
ends Of plates to cover up defects. The
orders were written and verbal and
often by diagram. Sill showed a rough
diagram which constituted one Of the
orders. The diagram. which was closely
scrutinized by the committee, Sill said,
was made by Kline and the wording of
it was in Klines handwriting. The wit
ness had bundle Of these diagrams.
do you mean to say" asked Repre-
sentative Dolliyer, that these diagrams
were for the purpose Of producing false
and fraudulent results on the govern
ment?"
1T do"
And he left the evidence of this TO-
gus work in your hands,
How much did you get from the gov
eminent as an informer?" asked Mr.. Dol
liver
six thousand dollars" answered Sill,
who said he was led TO make the disclo-
sures through the iH-treatment he and
others received from Kline. The latter,
Sin said. was a human brute"
Dir. Cummings asked what had become
Of the books which showed the real work
done. Sill said he had seen SuperinteE-
. dent Kline burn two OF the books. Three
other books had disappeared after the
partment.
President to Take an Outing.
BY the advice of his physician Presf-
dent Cleveland has decided to take a
short outing down Chesapeake bay. The
kept Mr.. Cleveland closely confined TO his
rooms during the last few days has yield
ed TO treatment and with the exception
of a slight weakness he is quite himself
again. His physician, however, thought
! that a four or five days trip down to
salt water would entirely restore his
usual vigor.
The President Leaves Washington.
President Cleveland has quilted Wash
inSton for rest and recuperatiOn from his
! recent illness. At 7:3O this evening he
stepped into a carriage at the white
house, accompanied by Private Secretary
! Thurber and DR.. OReilly, the white
house physician, and drove to the steam
boat wharves. where the lighthouse
tender Maple was lying. Capt. RabIey
D. Evans was in waiting and the presi-
dent DR.. O'Reilly and Capt. Evans
boarded the tender. which started
promptly down the Potomac. 1t is the
intention of the president to cruise down
Chesapeake bay as far, perhaps. as the