The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-15
THE PLUGGED PLATES
Testimony of the Chief In
former Against Carnegie.
HOW FAKE WORK WAS MANAGED.
Tn. eov~rnnsnrs % 900 wfsssss elves
Senatorial Evfdenes and o4srs
Doeunentary Proof

wasnrsarox CRY. June n-Chsries
Edgar Sill, a former Carnegie workman,
who made the chief disclosures concern
ing defective armor plate. Was before the
congressional investigating COMMITTEES to-
day. He said that be made written re-
ports on the result Of certain pro-
cesses Of manufaeture, after which
euperintendent Kline changed the
reports 70 make them show that the pro-
eesses eonforrned 20 the requirements and
specifications Of the government contract.
They were refnrnsd TO sill, who made q
complete report, including Kiine's altera-
tons. to be submitted 10 the government
officials. Kline had directed this 70 DO
done. Kline said be did not make any
alterations In the original report Mr..
siu said he had kept tab on
these alterations. and he had his
notes with him. Kline changed the
could not detect that the work as re-
ported was not within the capacity OF the
mill. The books as kept by Superintend-
ens 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 Cum
mings flake work" was used by the COM
mittee and witness 10 designate these
alterations.
"what was the percentage Of this fake
work ." asked Mr.. Cummings.
"From 70 to 90 per cent was fake work.
I think that would be fair average.
Mr.. Sill related how Superintendent
Kline had given orders for retreating the
ends Of plates TO cover up the defects. The
order was written and verbal and by dia-
gram. He showed rough diagram which
constituted one of the orders The dia-
gram, which was closely scrutinized by
the committee, Sill said Was made by
Kline, and the working on it was in
Kline's handwriting Witness had bum
die of these diagrams.
sDo you mean to say. asked Represents
tive Dolliver, ''that these diagrams were
for the purpose Of imposing false returns
on the governmenty'
II do"
"And he left the evidence Of this bogus
work in your hands1"
.'He did,
"How much did you get from the gov
eminent as an informer?" asked Mr.. Doll
liver.
SIX thousand dollars" answered Sill,
who said he vas led 20 make the dis
closures through ill-treafment received
from Kline. The latter, Sill said, was q
shuman brute"
Witness said he submitted his story to
Pittsburg attorneys and then TO ex-So-
iicitor 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 government He and the other In
formers had at first hoped that they would
get government position. Sill said,
on further concentration, that the
workmen had no motive or interest in
Irregularities. They were not benefited
by larger output. The company and
got the benefit. II the government officers
had known the actual condition of the
work they would have rejected IS per cent
Of such work as was accepted.
Sill read from his notes the specific
plates with plugs and blowholes. They
included two plates of the coming tower
of the Oregon. Each plate had hole as
large as mans hand, which was
plugged up
Mr.. Cummings asked what had become
of the books which showed the real work
done Sill said he bad seen Superintend-
emit Kline burn two of the books. The
other three had disappeared after
the information was given to the
department. lie had seen Mr.. Frick about
the plant occasionally. lie did not know
that Friek knew about the books which
had been burned.
The committee was told by Charles
Craig. one of the informers. that the work
men were giving information to the navy
department. Craig had irst Informed the
department aud had gone to the company
and offered to sell out cheap. Craig was
Immediately paid by the government fos
his information.
The committee then took up sill's books
and notes. aud he explained in detail the
irregularities and the alterations of the
reports made by Kline.