Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-11
PLUGGED PLATES
Progress Of the Inquiry Into the
Damaged Armor Plates.
TESTIMONY BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE
Important Developments Made by
Lieut.. Alderman.
E x P E RT EXAMINATION

The armor plate investigating commit
tee intends to make new move toward To-
eating the weak spots on war ships. 1t is
expected that the Navy Department will be
asked to take off certain plates Of the gun
boat Machias and subject them to tests.
The Machias now happens to be in the
Brooklyn navy yard, where she has been
cut in two for the purpose of lengthening
her Her condition is such that it Is be-
lieved certain defective plates can be traced
by specific numbers, and when located can
be unshipped and put to a test. Should
this be done, it will be the first time that
part Of ships armor has been taken of
for the purpose Of locating defects.
Lieut.. Alderman Of the navy was again
before the committee today. He gave the
history of some of the plates, with a view
to locating their present whereabouts. He
also gave additional evidence on the meth
eds OF work of government inspection at
the Carnegie works.
Carnegie COmpnny's Valuable Knowl-
edge.
The witness said the Carnegie company
knew in advance what plates would be Sc
lected from groups for tests. He said the
irregular cold water baths secretly given
to plates as disclosed by some of the in
formers would make the plate structurally
weak and subject to be cracked by a shot.
The evidence Of one of the informers locat-
ed such plate on the coming tower of the
New York.
Chairman Cummings read from the evil
dence Of one of the informerS, kountz, to
the effect that he had secured the govern
ment stamp from Lieut.. Wilmer, who was
in charge of the stamp. kountz went on
to give numerous hearsay reports as TO
Wilner's habits. 1t was stated that the
nj I'd during
the evening at hotel near the works. A
young woman employed at the hotel had
told the informers of helping the officer to
his room on one occasion. Representatives
Cummings and Money cross-examined
Lieut.. Alderman as to the extent to which
these assertions had been investigated by
the naval authorities He said his own
conclusion from hearing kountz testify
was that he knew nothing of his own
knowledge and did not place much depend
ence on his own story.
Discovering Additional Defects.
Lieut.. Alderman said the informefs who
made the second charges frequently broke
down in their testimony and failed to sus-
tain the affdavits. One OF them, Brown,
admitted that his affidavit had been pre-
pared for him by a reporter of the New
York World. Lieut. Alderman said Browns
cross-examination had shown the affidavit
much stronger than his information.
Representative Money remarked that this
was a new lead" and asked that the re-
porter be summoned as a witness.
AS to the armor of the Terror Lieut.
Alderman said he had visited the ship and
had located two plates containing the de-
fects disclosed by the info-mers The plates
contained small holes, which had been
secretly plugged up. The condition Of the
plates was kept from the public in order
that the investigation might proceed and
that possible injustice to the company nigh,
be avoided.
Repres entative Dolliver asked IL 1t would
be preferable to ruin a warship to running
the Carnegie Company. The witness said
tho ship's defects might he mended. but a
ruined reputation could not be.
Lieut.. AcNcrman said a number Of plug
ged plates had been located on the Mon
terey. Another plugged plate was located
on either the Cincinnati or Monterey.
Another defective plate was said to be on
the Machias. The allegation was that an
entire port hole had been plugged up, but
Lieut.. Alderman said the defect was less
serious
The committee then took a recess until 3
o'clock.