The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-05-31
ARMOR PLATE FRAUD. :
SensatiOnaE Testimony Before the
House Naval COMMITTEES.

SeASAt1OnaE Testimony Before the
House Naval Committee.
Wa shington, May 25.-The congression-
al investigation into frauds ard irregn-
lsritles in naval armcr plate began to-day
with open doors. Rel resentative Dunphy
stated thar his information came from
docun. ents sent to the departments from
official papers and from the newspapers.
Mr.. Dunphys statement detailed the
early discovery of the irregularities and
tie investigation made by the navy de-
partment which led to the fning of the
Carnegie company. Mr.. Dunphy said
ermor plates had been tested at the In
dian Head proving grounds, and had been
found defective. 1t had then been treat
Ell SO as to overcome the defects.
Was this treatment in secret?" asked
Chairman Cummings.
MIR. Dunphy ansM cred in the affrma'
tive. He said that one plate was picked
out as. sample Of u large number Of
plates, amounting to 34S tons. When
this secret retreatment had been made it
served to pass the sample plate, and that
in turn passed the entire 34S tons of
armor.
Mr.. Dunrhy then spoke of blow holes
in the urmor of the monitor Terror. Tx
perts had gone to the navy yard and &C
trolly had located two blow holes which
had been filled up to deceive the govern
ment Similar blow holes existed in the
armor of many other ships, but it was i'm
possible for the experts to locate the de-
fects, rs the ships were abroad at their
stations. Recent charges covered not
only armor plates but the bolts and
screws securing the plates. In conclu-
sion Mr. DunDhy said:
My information is that the defective
plates will be found on the Oregon, the
Machias, the Castine, the MonadnocE, the
Cincinnati, the Terror, the New York and
the Monterey, and that the exact position
| of the plates on each of these vessels
| can be located He added that the de.
fective plates located by the government
| experts had been estimated to be worth
100000 to $1,0O0,0OO.
Capt. Sampson, chief of the ordnance
bureau, navy department, to-day resumed
his statement before the house committee
investigating the amor plate frauds FL
took up the second charges made agains
the Carnegie company which have beer
in part investigated by the navy depart
ment. Capt. Sampson detailed til
charges made by Mr.. Wallace, a Pitts
burg lawyer, representing a half-doze1
employees of the Carnegie works. Sec
rotary Herbert, Capt. Sampson said, ha
designated board with witness at tn
head. They had gone to Homestead an
had found the charges and the evidenc
substantially similar to that at the frs
investigation. The final report of til
board was not yet completed, but in sui
stance it would disclose little that wa
new.
Mr.. Sill, one of the informers in til
/ ! first investigation, had the most conlpr
| hensive knowledge of the defects. Nor
} | of the witnesses at the second hearin
t | bad material information to add to til;
: already given by Mr.. Sill. The on]
, thing in the bill of additional informatio
l was given by Mr.. Kountz and MI. BUG
:, The latter testified to a practice in tt
l works Of so fixing specimens as to gi,
3 the false records of the tests. He test
fed that the Justification continued unt
Jan. 1 last. Another employee testitie
that the practice had always existe
4 Other workmen swore that the practi
Il had continued until orders were given
S discontinue it,