Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-06-27
sUPERINTENDENr CLINE
Before the Armor Plate InvestgatlnS
Committee.

WASHINGTON, d. c., June 26.-Superin-
! tendeut Cline, in charge OF the armor
! plate press shops az the Carnegie WORKS al
! the tlme Of recent irregularities IN ming
( government contracts, began his testimony
! before the Congressional investigating
! Committee to-day. The witnesses hereto
! fore examined had blamed Cline Tor most
! or the crooked work, so that much interest
| was attached TO MS examination. he was
( cross-examned oy Chairman Cummings.
/ He said ne had general charge OF the armor
! plates ana gave written and verbal dlrec-
! lions 10 tne workmen. He construed the
! government specification that plates were
! To ave uniform treatment 10 mean tnaU
there were to be uniform results. MT
! Cummings questioned Cline closely on the
! charges made by iniormer Sill that Cline
! changed the records of treatment Cline
! said ne gave TO Sill and other clerks writ
| ten directions of how the plates should %
! treated. Then the actual work done was
! entered on the workmen's states. Inc
| clerks then returned TO Cline transcript
| ton from the states. He changed the
! figures before the reports OF actual work
| was submitted TO the government otncers.
! Cline then submitted diagrams OF the states
| for the purpose of showing that the changes
he made were not for fraudulent purposes.
! He made the changes, he declared, as a
result of practical experience. Ine changes
| covered prior work done on plates SHOWN
| oy the workmen's figures. CEne charged
! that SilPs testimony as TO the states nau
| suppressed one-half OF the entries on these
states. There mad never been talse en-
| try for the purpose OF fraud.
Mr.. Cummings then drew out the state
ment that Cline had destroyed all the
| books. He said ne had done this because
! they contained "lot of STUFF he knew
nothing about Sill and the other cletks
| had made thess entries. The books were
DESTROYED after the settlement with the
government had been made. The destruc-
tion of the books, Cline asserted, had mol
been for the purpose of destroying evidence:
He now mad no record Of the treatment OF
! armor plates.
Cline SAID as whole the sheets were
| misleading and showed only part OF the
record work done. Representative Money
! took up a specific change on sheet. II
showed that an armor plate was actually
! In the furnace eighteen hours. Cline
fsssasoae LRfflR5AA hG6If9 tfB atuIffy -si13e si1e
| Representative Talbot asked why this
specific change had been made. ITO pre-
vent fussing," answered Cline. This
fuss" he said, would be made by govern.
ment of1cias. He wanted to please them
"My superiors knew what was DOING
| added Cline, VINO mentioned Superlntend-
ent Corrie, Of the armor shops as one who
knew of what was being done. The clerks
! did not know the technical details Of the
work and such information as they might
give the government inspectors would be
understood and used TO create trouble al
the ordnance bureau of the navy depart
ment. The naval officials did not under
stand such Information as they received
Cline said his changes in records were
based on starting from a cold furnace that
| is, he added, the time necessary in getting
| the furnace hot enough for the armor
| plates. Witness said he destroyed the
books on his own responsibility. Cline de.
! MED that he had stated the capacity Of fur
mace was insufficient 10 do the government
! work properly.