The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-20

ance, but I don't propose to bother my
self very much over a matter which in
wolves at worst a doubtful question
whether $500 worth of castings were all
right when first delivered"
HERBERT ATHA TALKS.
Herbert b. Atha said yesterday
Neither my father nor myself nor Mr..
Robert Illingworth has yet been served
with the papers in the case or arrested,
which I suppose would be the proper ex-
preston. l am the Bert Atha of the
complaint. My father will return from
| Shelter Island on Tuesday and we will
then go to Jersey City, and matters will
be arranged preparatory for the examl-
nation on September IS. This whole affair
is a farce and the Government has no
| case at all. We have done nothing wrong
Plugging castings as those mentioned in
this complaint were plugged are not
only all right, but such plugging is done
everywhere. The four elevator pistons
which have been returned to US, for
which we gave others In their place, and
| upon which this action is based, weigh
| about 1000 pounds each and their value
IS a trifing matter.
when they were returned and at the
time we sent the explanatory letter to
the department in Washington, Lieuten-
ant m came here from the. Navy
Yard, and with myself made careful ex-
animation of the four rejected castings.
| You know, of course, that we furnished
the castings to the Government in a
rough state and that its own men finished
them up. Now the examinations we
| made show that had the Government
finished up two of the returned castings
they would, when completed, have been
| without a blemish, for the rough parts,
which had to be removed in the finishing
| process, would have included the plug
ged portion. In one of the other castings
we found hat after finishing there would
have remained o%ne-eighth of an inch of a
plug. In the fourth casting We found
| that there would have remained about a
quarter of an inch of a plug, and that in
| both cases this apparent imperfection
| would not in any way have affected the
strength of the metal.
TAKES ALL THE BLAME.
"If there is any blame to be attached
to the p in his matter it should
fall upon me as superintendent of the
/ foundry in Newark in which the castings
were made. l have no h~esitancy in say
ing in one of the castings I ordered the
plug placed. OF the other three | know
nothing, except that the men probably
plugged them in following a custom.
l could have concealed the plugs If /
cared to, but made no attempt to do so,
| and knew when they left here that the
| Government officials would see them.
The plugs were not used to fill blow
holes as is charged, but to fill cavities
| caused by s~hrinkage.
"a most remarkable thing in connec-
ton with this, is that I understand that
an employee in the Navy Yard, at Wash
ington, recently told my brother, who is
| now away on his vacation, that cavities
in castings sent by us to Washington
in the same lot with those which have
| been rejected, were found and plugged
| by Government employees themselves, af-
ter being finished VI, and were retained
| and are now in use. We regret the un-
| pleasant notoriety which this affair is
| bound to give us, but cheerfully give all
| the facts"
MR.. ILLINGWORTH INDIGNANT.
It was said last night that Mr.. Hing
| worth became very angry over the man
| ner in which the warrant was served
| UPON NlI1. he OGpuly MdISIldi, IL .
| said, loudly proclaimed his business and
| advanced toward Mr.. Illingworth as if
to about lay hands upon him. The latter
| became angry and declared that it would
not be a wise thing for the deputy to
take hold of him, and those who We're
there say that there was almost a scene,
and it was feared that, at one time, he
would repel the advances of the deputy
with force.
81 nave never been arrested or ac-
cused of any wrong doing" he declared,
and if you really have a warrant for
me 1 will voluntarily go before the Com
missioner for whatever purpose is neces-
sary."
And so it was arranged.
District Attorney White and Commits
| sioner Romaine both declared that it
was their intention to merely make for
NAL service of the warrant upon the
officers of the company and to notify
them htat they could appear before the
Commissioner at their own convenience
tomorrow or any day within a reason
able time. 1t had never been intendd
to make forcible service, as Che bust
ness, financial and social standing of
the accused men was well known, and
it was not desired to humiliate them in