New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-01

PROFESSOR ALGER TEST1FlES THAT me FRAUDS
HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE CARNEGIE COM
pANY BEGAN THE MANUFACTURE.
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TmsuSEl
Washington. Nav M-The frank statements OF
Professor Alger OF the Bureau Of Ordnance. before
the House subcommittee on Naval Affairs to-day
were not reassuring. There seems 10 nave peeh d
wide margin for fraud and. according TO Professor
Alccr the nducement TO fraud. irrespective OF the
contractors was rather strong. IL was notlccapie
that no backed up the statement OF Captain Samp-
son that the frauds began with the beginning or
the manufacture OF armOr plate by the Carnegie
works
Professor Alger testified as to the part he mao
taken in the investigation ordered by Secretary
Herbert and reviewed the work of the board. Re-
plv,nc TO q question by Mr.. Deliver, he said that
II was impossible say from physical test, what
a plate would do under n ballistic test lie was ol
the opinion that the tests made by the Investigate
ing board had absolutely established the charges
made by the men. The second charge was that the
frauds extended over longer period OF time and
were more extensive than at first supposed He was
satisfied from the tests made by the board that this
was true They probably existed from the begin
ming OF the manufacture OF plates by the Carnegie
Company.
During the second investigation. men who worked
the testing machines at which the physical test OF
specimens made acknowledged that they had
deceived the Government inspectors by manipuat-
ing the machines. The deception. he said. was
practised at the instance of Mr.. Cory superinten-
dent of the armor plate department. The company
knew within ioot or SO from what part or me
plate the specimens would be taken. They were
generally taken from the ends OF the Plate, ne
asked whether or not the company coui NOT
retreat the enas Of plates only. and replied that
this could be done. but the risk was too great 10
In reply to further questions. Professor Alger
said that there Inducements for worKmch 70
works and worked as rapidly as possible III one
workman discovered defect ne would post me
man to whom the work would go next. and this
were probably plates among those accepted wnCn
conclusion from the careless manner in which the
plates were made and the re-Tea nelt or the p.ates
| came the testing machine 1t was accompanied by
printed slip. Private marks were placed on THIS
! dicating how the machine was to be manipulated
| MIR Cummings said that as he understood 1t. the
| company had at no time made The best plates pos
sble. but simply constructed them 50 as success
lessor Alger repliel that he could not state posi-
! lively that this had been the practice. The COM
pany had certainly made the plate selected FOR the
though had neglected the lot It represented. max
enough to pass the physical test.
| Professor Alger was asked number ~ questions
to what led the President 10 reduce the penalties
| recommended 70 be levied the Carnegies hy the
| investigating board but he was unable 10 answer
! these questions. The committee adjourned until
The committee Will not 20 to Homestead until
! the first OF next week. The intervening ume Will
be employed in studying the data submitted 20 the
committee by the sampson board OF !nvestiga ton.
which recently returned from Homestead The
committee may remain az Homes ead for several
weeks; 1t is intended to call az the workmen CON
| nected with the detective work and submit them
to a searching examination Whether a trip Will
BE ade be- adc tn the or nTi %
| Herbert. During his stay In San Francisco he
made e5Gal psprSn Of ne MSn'eTsy and he
| gardlng this vessel.