The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-27
ARMOR PLATE FRAUDS.
Testimony OF superintendent Cline,
of the Carnegie Plant

Testimony OF Superintendent Cline.
of the Carnegie Plant
WASHINGTON, June 26.-Superintendent
Cline. in charge of the armor plate press
shops at the Carnegie works at the time
OF the recent irregularities in filing gov
eminent contracts. began his testimony be-
fore the congressional Investigating COM
mittee to-day. The witnesses heretofore ex-
arnined had blamed Cline for most Of the
irregularities; therefore, much interest was
attached TO his examination. He was cross
examined by Chairman Cummings. He said
he had general charge of treating armor
plates. and gave written and verbal direc-
ticns to the workmen. He construed the
government specification that plates were
TO have uniform treatment TO mean
that there were to be uniform results
Mr.. Cummings questioned Cline closely
on the charges made by informer Sill that
Cline changed the records of treatments
Cline said he gave to Sill and other clerks
written directions of how the plates should
be treated Then the actual work done was
entered on the workmen's states. The
clerks then returned to Cline a TRANSCRIPT
ton from the States. He changed the fig
ures before the reports of actual work was
submitted to the government officers. Cline
then submitted diagrams of the states for
the purpose of showing that the changes
ne lndue were not Tor IrduQulent purposes.
He made the changes. he declared. as a
result OF practical experience. The changes
covered prior work done on plates shown
that Sill. in his testimony as to the plates,
had suppressed one-half the entries on these
states. There had never been a false entry
for the purpose OF fraud.
Mr. Cummings then drew out the state
ment that Cline had DESTROYED all his
looks. He said he had done this because
nothing about. Sill and the other clerks
had made these entries. The books were
destroyed after the settlement with the gov
OF the books. Cline asserted. had not been
for the purpose of destroying evidence. He
now had no record of the treatment of
sheets were misleading. and showed only
part OF the record OF work done.
Representative Money took up a specific
NOR plate was actually IN the furnace
eighteen hours. Cline's figures on the sheet
showed that he had raised the number of
Representative Talbot asked why this
specific change had been made.
To prevent fussing." answered Cline.
This fuss he said. would be made b.
government officers. He wanted to please
them. My superiors knew what was
doing" added Cline. who mentioned Super
intendent Corey. of the armor shops. as
one who knew OF what was being done.
The clerks did not know the technical de-
tails OF the work. and such information as
they might give 10 the government in
spectors would be misunderstood and use1
TO create trouble at the Ordnance Bureau
Of the ,,6 Navy Degartment- The naval 9fii-
as they received. Cline said these changes
in records were based on starting from a
cold furnace; that is, he added the time
for the armor Plates Witness said he de
stroyed the books on his own responsibility
capacity of the furnaces was insulhcient tc
do the government work properly.