The Washington times., 1894-06-27
CLINE FALSlPIED RECORps
Damaaina Admissions by Carnegie's
Former Superintendent.
he THEN TORE UP THE BOOKS
The Reason Was to Prevent "russing' with
the Government oncsrs, for Whose Ability
and Expsrisnes Hs Expressed Contempt
Armor Plate Frauds Inquiry.

Very damaging admissions were made tes
terdsy by Superintendent Cline, in charge oS
the srmor plate press shops at the Carnegie
works, at the time of the recent Irregularities
in filing government contracts, in his testi-
mony before the Congressional investigating
committee.
Chairman Cummings questioned Cline
closely on the charge made by Informer Sill
that Cline changed the records Of treatments
Cline said he gave to Sill and other clerks
written directions Of how the plates should bs
treated.
Mr.. Cummings then drew out the stat8
ment that Cline had destroyed all his books.
He said he did this because they contained
.'lot Of stufr' he knew nothing about Sill
and the other clerks had made these entries.
The books were destroyed after the settle
ment with the government had been made
The destruction of the books had not been fol
the purpose of destroying evidence. He nov
had no record Of the treatment Of armor
plates.
Cline said az whole the sheets were mis-
leading and showed only a part Of the recordn
OF work done. Representative Money tool
up specific change on sheet. II showed l
that an arnor plate was actually In the fur.
mace eighteen hours. Cline's figures on the
sheet showed that he had raised the numbei
OF hours to thirty-six. Representative Tal
bott asked why this specified change had beeI
made. ITO prevent fussing," answered Cline
This fuss" he said, would be made by gov.
eminent officers. He wanted to please them.
Your object was to please them?" asked
Representative Money.
Yes; and my superion knew what was
In cross-examining Cline Representative
Bolliver asked him why he had forged, falls
fed, and changed the records" Cline
reiterated his previous explanations.
At this point the questioning became
very vigorous, and the word forge was
frequently used. Cline kept cool under the (
ordeal.
Cline said that three test plates had been re-.
treated without the knowledge Of the gov.
ernment officers. He was not now receiving
anything from the Carnegie Company. Super
intendent Corrie discharged him on the
ground that the government was not satisfied
with his (Cline's) work
The ''time books" of the Carnegie works,
submitted by Sill and Craig. were shown to
Cline. BE said he could not recognize them,
although they had formed an important link
In the testimony Of the informers. He would
not swear whether or not entries in the book
were In his hand, and at the request of Chair
man Cummings, wrote similar entries oil
paper.
II will admit that changed the reports
he said. He refused to swear that any Of the
records were or were not In his handwriting.
but said that all plates sent out were up to
the specifications. and he would like TO see
them tested
When asked why he had changed the
records regarding the time plates had been
subjected to treatment, Cline said they came
up to the requirements, but the government
Inspectors would kick unless the records
showed about the same treatment OF all Of
them.
He expressed contempt for the knowledge
Of inspectors concerning th2 work. There
was always an understanding with superior
officers about those things.
Lieut.. Stone, the Carnegie's agent, who was
present, had met the witness on the train and
the fact that witness was to testifyy
was mentioned, but Cline said that his !
forthcoming testimony was not discussed. 1t
would not have been to his financial adyan-
tage to increase the output OF the works
Cline said he had often tested specimens but
not to defraud the government, and never
had treated q test specimen after It had been
selected by the government. He had been
obliged to retreat plates under orders against
his own Judgment.
The examination of Cline will be continued
at 0.30 to-day. Superintendent Corrie, of
the armor plate shop, has been summoned to
appear Thursday.