New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-19
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE ARMOR-PLATE FRAUDS.
INEXPLICABLE DELAY ON THE PART
OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
KNOWLEDGE or THE FRAUDS SUPPRESSED FOR
MANY MONTHs-MEANwHILE THE DE-
FEcTIvE PLATES WERE BEING USED

yY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNE
Washington, June 1S--Certainly nobody can
complain that the methods Of Chairman Cum
mings Ct the Subcommittee on Naval Affairs In
the investigation Of the armor-plate frauds are
not thorough or that he lacks industry He has
now devoted two Gays TO the rather dull ana
tedious. but most necessary and important, task
OF comparing the correct with the "doctored
reports Of the treatment of great number OF
armor-plates and bolts. The witness, Sill, In
each case reads the original and correct record
of treatment from his memorandum Of the work.
mems reports and Mr. Cummings then reads
from the slips preserved by Sill-whch the Car
negie superintendents supposed were destroyed
in accordance with their orders-the changes
made by Superintendent Cline Of the press shop
in the armOr department In each case this Is
supplemented by the oral testimony Of the witness
to the effect that the changes were made py
Cline The printed record Of these comparisons
will furnish ground for intelligent inquiry ana
investigation which has heretofore been lacking.
The comparisons thus far indicate that the re-
ports furnished to the Government inspectors
on more than 90 per cent Of the plates had been
"doctored' by the superintendent Of the plate
shop.
Before the work Of comparison was begun To-
day Mr. Sl desired TO correct some testimony
given by him on Friday. He then testihed that
the first Information in regard TO the FRAUDS at
the Carnegie Works communicated 10 the
Secretary of the Navy in May or June 1893. and
he then believed that to be the fact lie had re-
coivod q letter from his attorney however, In
which he was informed that, although the IN
formation was communicated to ex-Solicitor-
General jerks about the time he had mentioned
it did not reach the Secretary Of the Navy until
some tine between the lst and 10th Of Septem-
her He did not explain whether this related 70
tho date Of mis- first visit TO Washington or TO
nroliniuarv visit by mis- attorney to the Secretary
~ the Navy The latter. in his report in re-
snonso n the Cummings resolution. said that
some time in September he received informa-
ton from an attorney in Pittsburg. In this rela-
tion II would be interesting TO know why MI
jerks who was high and trusted ofhciai OF 'ne
last Cleveland Administration and VINO tnoushs
he was To- be appointed member OF the Caoine'
IN This ono withheld from the Secretary OF the
Navy for several months allegations ana eViderce
Of the qravost importance impeachins the quaiiV
. tho arr,or-plate furnished 70 the Government
for the fghting ships cf the new Navy IL "ouio
certainly be difficult 10 conceive Of matter Oh
greater importance to the country than this'
which vitally affected the means Of National de-
fence upon which so many millions OF doiaf'
have been and are % ne eNpenufu'
Ru, II Mr.. jerks simply as citizen ana an
ardent partisan Of President Clevelands Adminls-
ration was remiss in mis- duty what shall be
said u officials in that Administrations upon wnom
rested the responsibility Of enforcing compliance
with the terms Of the contract with the Carnegie
c,rpanv and the duty Of preventing the placing
in nosItion on the warships Of the new Navy
arnor plate that was certainly defective ana
some ~ which in all probability. worthless7
And what shall be said Of the conduct OF these
same officials i'm keeping secret their knowledge
raspecting the frauds until II was extorted from
them by the exposure in The Tribune reinforced
bv A resolution II the House of representatives.
The Secretary Of the Navy received warning
that frauds were being committed early in sep
,ember. hut It was not until November II. more
| than two months afterward. that he called the
attention u the Attorney-General 10 the matter
| and asked an opinion 70 whether the Secretary
~ the Navy had authority 70 enter into CEN
! trac, with the informcrs. A portion of the inter-
val had been occupied by a secret investigation
! conducted under the direction of Captain Samp-
! son. OF the Bureau Of Naval Ordnance. with
| whom were associated Professor Aiger and Lieu
! tenant Ackerman. II the Navy. In a letter dated
! November 90 Captain Sampson says tnat this
| Investigation was pcEun in September" and was
dated December /. 1895 II the afidayiis OF the
! informers were the only evidence before the
Navy Department. reasonable delay to investi-
gate the matter far enough TO see whether a
prima-facie case had been made might possibly
! have been admissible But there is reason to
believe that Captain Sampson. at least. had re-
ceiyed an official warning from a different quar-
| ter.
on September s. 1898. Lieutenant Alderman.
who was af,erward A member Of the Sampson
| Board. went to the Carnegie works and there re-
! maincI until October s. When he went there,
and during the period he remained he knew
| nothing about any investigation or allegations OF
fraud: from which It would appear that the
Sampson Board did not begin its work until
after October s And yet. although he had no
inumaton that anything was wrong, Lieutenant
Ackerman had his suspicious quickly excited.
When asked what excited his suspicious, he re-
piled: The general air OF secrecy and mystery
about everything the works. The men would
not talk. and then again | had arguments with
the superintendent. Mr.. Schwab. l did not agree
with him at all in regard to his ideas OF heating
plates"
Lieutenant Alderman was asked whether ht
had impaired his suspicious TO the Government
! inspector, and he replied that he had done so
especially as to the fact that the men would
| stop working when he went into the press shoI
! and stand around waiting for something
| When this was reported ID the Government in
! spector he merely replied that "he had noticed
| ii before and he would Superintendent
! Schwab about it," Lieutenant Alderman fur
| ther testified: Then tne superintendent OF the
| press shop lied 10 me on ore or TWO occasions
| IL was very apparent 10 ME he was lying. anc
| was fully convinced tnen that something wal
wrong there" Superintendent Cline, who lied e
! Lieutenant Ackerman. was retained in the EN-
ploy OF the Carnegie Company until some time
! In February" according 10 the lieutenants
| testimony IL is lncOncelvable that this officer
| being fully convinced that something wal
! wrong did not report che facts 10 the Chief o
| the Bureau Of Naval Ordnance. That he did no
| neglect his duty IN this regard Is shown BY
Secretary Herberts letter in reply 10 the Cum
| mngs resolution.
In September then. the Navy Department wa
| in possession OF sufficient information IN regar(
.rLstad .,f nf the Ns ",