The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-15
AN I%NFORMER'S STORY
snL's DISCLOSURES CONCERNING
DEFECTIVE ARMoR PLATE.
How He and His Fellow Conspfrators
SCOT Even" with One OF Car
negfe's superintendent.

WASHINGTON, June H-Charles Edgar
Sill. the former Carnegie workman who
made the chief disclosures concerning de-
fective armor plate. furnished the govern
ment. was before the congressional investi-
eating committee to-day. The hearing drew
together many Interested spectators. includ-
ing naval experts and members OF Congress
not directly prosecuting the investigation.
There was little OF a eliminating character
In the testimony until sill told Of the man
ner in which he made written reports on
the result OF certain processes Of the manu-
facture. The reports were then put on the
desk OF Superintendent Kline. who changed
them so as TO make them show that the pro-
cesses conformed TO the requirements and
specifications of the government contract.
sill took his report from original entries
on states used by the workmen showing
what they had actually done. After Kline
had changed the reports they were re-
turned to Sill, who made up a complete re-
port. including Kline's alterations. to be
submitted to the government officials as the
record of what had been done. Kline had
directed this to be done. Kline made many
alterations in the original report. Mr.. sill
said he had kept tab" on these alterations.
and he had his notes with him. Kline
III QdlcS IN OIQcE lndl H LAAGL
inspectors should not detect that the work
as reported was not within the capacity of
the mill. The books. as kept by superin-
tendent Kline, showed the actual work In
black ink and the alterations as submitted
to the government officers were In red ink.
At the suggestion of Chairman Cummings
flake work. was used by the committee
and witness to designate these alterations.
What was the percentage of this fake
work 2' asked Mr. Cummings.
From 80 to 80 per. cent. was fake work.
/ think thai would be a fair average"
had given orders FOR retreating ends Of
plates to cover up defects. The orders were
written and verbal and often by diagram
tuted one of the orders. The diagram,
which was closely scrutinized by the COM
m the Wording iinl s on it was Was max in Hines handwriS-
Ing. The witness had a bundle Of these
diagrams
sentative Dolliver. that these diagrams
were for the purpose OF producing false and
fraudulent results on the government"
81 do"
And he left the evidence of this bogus
work In your hands,"
eminent as an informer?" asked MI. Dol
six thousand dollars" W. Sill.
who said he was led TO make the disclose
otNo tAO0oh
others received from Kline. The latter,
Sill said, was a human brute" Witness
said he submitted his story to Pittsburg
attorneys and then 10 General jerks 1t
was then given to the Secretary OF the
Navy.
In response TO close questioning Sill said
he and the attorneys had talked over the
amount to be derived from the govern
ment. He and other informers had first
hoped that they would get a government
position. Sill said, on further cross-exan-
nation. that the workmen had no motive
or interest in the Irregularities. They
worked on time and were not benefited
by a larger output The company and SUI
Perintendents were the ones to get the ben
eft. If the government officers had known
the actual condition of work they would
have rejected Is per cent. of such work as
was accepted. sin read from his notes the
specific plates with plugs m blowholes.
They included two plates Of the Coming
tower OF the Oregon One plate had a
hole as large as a 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 superintendent
Kline burn two of the books. Three other
books had disappeared after The informal
ton 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 when had been
burned. The company was told by Charles
Craig. one of the informers. that the work.
men were giving to the Navy
Department. Craig had first informed the
department and had then gone to the COM
pany and offered to sell out cheap. Craig
was ultimately paid by the government for
his information.
During a fire of cross-questions Sill took
out a cigarette and lighted it. The COM
mittee then took up Sills books and notes
and be explained in detail the irregulari-
ties and alterations Of the reports made
i by superintendent Kline.