St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-15
CARNEGIE CRO0KeDNESS.
Mf0RMER Sill TEsTsf7ss As 10 TXs'
6OCVS W0Rx
ON THE Amor PLATE METALS
fraudulent Plates Made Undef'
Orders From supt. Kline -
How the Irregularities First
Reached the Navy Department
-sevcnty.Fivo Per Cent OF the
Work Bogus.

Work Bogus.
WASHINGTON. juno 14.-Charles Ed
gar Sill, the former Carnegie workman
who made the chief disclosures concern
ing defective arIn0r plate furnished the
government. was before the congress-
ional investigating committee today.
The hearing drew: together many inter,
ested spectators. including naval ex-
perts and members of congress not
directly prosecuting the investigation.
There was little OF a criminal charac-
ter in the testimony which Sill told
of the manner in which he made
written reports OH the result Of certain
processes of manufacture. These re-
ports were then put in the desk of
Supt. Kline, who changed them so as to
make them show that the processe
confOrmed to the requirements and
specifications of the government con-
tract. Sill took up his report from
original entries OH states used by the
wOrkmen, showing what they had
ACTUALLY DONE.
After Kline had changed the reports
they were returned to Sill. who ma de
up complete report, including kline'S
alterations, to be submitted to the gov
eminent officials as the record Of what
had been done. Kline had directed this
to be done. Kline had made many alter
asIOns in the original report. Mr.. Sill
said he had kept tab" on these a!tera-
ions and he had his notes with him.
Kline changed dates in order that the
government inspectors should not de-
tect that the work as reported was not
within the capacity of the mill. The
books as kept by Supt. Kline showed
the actual work in black ink, and the
alterations as submitted to the govern
ment officers were in red ink.
at the suggestion Of Chairman Cum
mings flake work" was used by the
committee and witnesses to designate
these alterations.
"What was the percentage OF this
fake work?" asked Mr.. Cummings.
Iron % TO 80 per cent was fake
work. l think that would be a fair
average"
Mr.. Sill related how Supt. Kline had
given orders for retreating the ends OF
plates to cover up defects. The order
was written and verbal and by diagram.
Sill showed rough diagram which
constituted one OF the orders. The dia-
gram, which was closely scrutiniZed by
the committee, Sill said was
MADE BY KLINE, :
and the wording on it was in Kline'S-
handwriting. Witness had bundle of
these diagrams.
''DO yoa mean to say" asked Repre-
sentative Dolliyer. THAT these diagrams
were for the purpose Of producing false
and fraudulent results Oh the govern
ment?''
II do" !:
"The evidence of this bogus work in
your hands?"
He did"
''How much did you get from the gov
eminent as an informer?" asked Mr.
Dolliver.
six thousand doiiars," answered
disclosures through the ill-treatment he
and others received from Kline. The
latter, Sill said, was ii 'Aiuma,ls brate.p
Witness said he submitted his story
to Pittsburg attorneys and then to ex-
Solicitor jerks. 1t was given to the
secretary of the navy.
In response To close questioning. Sill
said he and attorneys had talked over
the amount to be derived from the gov
eminent. He and other informers had
first hoped that they would get gov
eminent position. Sill said, on further
cross-examination, that the wofkmen
had no motive or interest in
THE IRREGULARITIES.
They worked OH time and were not
benefited by the larger output. The
company and superintendent were the
ones to get the benefits.
IF the government officers had
known the actual condition of work
they would have rejected Is per cent of
such work as was accepted"
Sill read from his notes the specific
plates with plugs and blow-holes. They
included two plates of the coming
tower of the Oregon. One plate had a
hole as large as mans hand, which
was plugged up.
Mr.. Cummings asked what had
become Of the books, which showed the
real work done. Sill said he had seen
Supt. Kline burn two of the books.
The other three had disappeared after
the information was given to the navy
department..
Sill said he had seen Mr.. Frick about
the plant occasionally. He did not
know that Prick knew of the books
which had been burned. The company
was told by Charles Craig, one of the
informers. that the workmen were Civ
ing Information to the navy department.
Craig had first informed to the depart
ment 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-qyestions, Sill
took out cigarette and lighted it. The
committee then took up SLIPS book and
notes and he explained in detail the IT.
Irregularities and the alterations of the
reports made by Supt. Kline.