The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-10
SHOWING SYPHER'S RECORD.
CHAIRMAN cUHMINGSs REPORT ON
the HOLMAN RESOLUTION

~ EFnun ~ connection WIZ Nhe ire
siur.s Paid for Speed OF Naval Vessels,
WASHINGTON. Feb. G-Chairman Cummings
OF the House Naval Committee has com pleted
the report upon the Holman resolution, de-
clarinR that the premiums paid for speed Of
naval vessels are excessive. and seeking to re-
strain further payments on that score. Mr..
Cummings prefaces his report by calling at
tention to the fact that Mr.. Holman sought to
secure the Immediate adoption Of the resolu-
tion without reference to the committee. He
says patient effort has been made to unearth
facts to warrant an investigation. Mr.. Holman
had introduced Mr. J. Hale Sypher as gen
tlemsn Of excellent reputation. who had fur
nished the facts upon which the charges were
based; but when the committee accepting
Mr.. Holman's estimate OF the gentleman.
called for facts. none was presented. The
witness did not believe that any naval of1lcsr
had been party to a corrupt combination.
but believed that the premium law was I'M
wise, and that reckless extravaganza had
been shown. IL appeared that Sypher knew
nothing OF any fraud. or OF naval con struction
or engineering but relied upon newspaper re-
ports. He named experts who would support
his statement that the designing engineers
could calculate the speed Of q vessel within a
quarter OF n knot. but when one OF them was
called he denied the possibility Of predicting
the speed within knot or knot and a half.
Chief Engineer Melville denied that the pre-
diction could be made within half knot and
so did other naval experts.
The committee found that the charge that
the designs were purposely drawn to secure
more than the contract speed was not borne
out. and the same was true OF the allegation
that unusual and improper means we're used
to force the vessels on trial trips. damaging
the machinery.
A.t--
Sypher's motives In pressing the charges. 1t
quotes the testimony to show that he declared
that he appeared pro bono publico. a pa
triot," and that he had denied any concern In
the Introduction OF the Blair resolution. pre-
ceding Mr.. IIolman's resolution on the same
subject. Then II luotes sypher's letter TO the
Cramps OF sept. ~ last. saying that he had inn
portant Information at their service: and con-
ttnuinR. cites the evidence OF ex- Representa-
tive Hnzelton. who drew up the Blair resolu-
piers office on information furnished by
Sypher The latter denied any knowledge OF
In further attack upon tho character Of the
witness tho report says:
snrd mg,hn Presm,e ana reson'on' were miro
anc- before the committee Mr. sypher wac asked Did
mo. sr lie then asked whether he had wiedss
Yea SIR had knowledge and that resolution probat
by originated from the susres,ions made by based
asked pa yoa i.fihsr ths resolution" lie replied,
ga not prepare OF cause 1t to be prepared, iIis re-
Judge S,s sr nHt s and St showed him ss
nswspsper articles, and gave him this Information"
and testlned that the preamble and resolutions were
The sydenes That Mr. srpher aid not ,See the in.
PRODUCTION OF the preamble and resolutions from pari.
Mr. tramp the letter which certainly bears no favor
the Introduction OF the blair resolution on oS,
,hs brought no rs!iy from NJ Camp he caused
shows that he knew o. Mr. Irsmp,s movom.nt. and
pa, he incitsi til. BAR Tssotsticn and the
Holman rs'p@,oT. for The prrpUss q aecOmplsnins
Affair.". bat the House of Representative Itself in his
Holman proposition Is slsndcani view Of The
Ss sss a s nS and Gt ni sn
for war shlps until iarthsr direction q consies. It's
luton wa. drawn up by Mr.. sypher ami revised BY
~" na.s ne wSsn .sG.as. s sSn S
Naval Affairs under the rules.
Next the report. to give an inference OF sy-
CATION in the ftieth Congress, also based
upon Mr.. Holman's resolution, and quoted
Gen. Sheridan. The report says:
Mr. Holman IN nIGdacnE Mr. SyPhs. as ssn.
Of the fact tG.I Cen sheridan under oath had char:
tIs Sy .p n, Il viii be
after the passage OF ne nppICnrauon asked him to
hun Tor getting the extra 10000.
Mr.. Sypher's record in Louisiana is also dis
cussed. and testimony taken by n Congress
had sought to have n bid FOR Custom Houss
work corruptly cha nGed so that he might share
In the profits. but that the deal tell through
because the bidder was refractory. Another
quotation was to show that man, at Syphers
instance. took $1,000 contract. did no work
on it, drew the money. and turned it all over
to Syphor. A year later Sypher gave that wit
ness SIPS in remuneration. At tho time
bypher was Congressman from Louisiana
As further evidence OF Mr., Syphers char
acter. the report charges that In the present
case. under cover Of permission to revise his
statement before the committee. he carried
away the official record before any member
had seen IL: garbled and mutilatsd 1t to such
an extent that IL was necessary to prepare a
new record. and printed this garbled state
ment without authority changing and strik-
ing out questions and answers. And" says
the report, q printed copy OF this Rarbled
statement was taken to the room OF the Com
mittee on Indian Affairs Of which MIR. Holman
Is Chairman. and afterward circulated by the
clerk of that committee with paster on the
outside headed. Premiums on War Ships-A
Million Dollar steal on Four Ships giving the
premium figures. and winding up: Will
pernicious system OF premiums inform the
country what benefit or value the people get
for this large expenditure Is is not u mon
strous steal and iraudT ="
Before concluding the report with detailed
statement OF the law and contracts applicable
TO the ships since lSSh. the committee says
that Sypher should be eliminated MS factor in
founded that there Ia not the slightest evil
dence that any premium paid was not fairly
earned; that Sypher produced false figures
and newspaper articles: that the law has been
observed. and III at tho naval experts examined
agree that the premium plan has been pro-