The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-10
FERNALD ANDASSERSON.
What the Report of Lieut.. Knapp
Disclosed.


taohment of Naval Constructors Fernald
aud Engineer Asserson from duty at
the Brooklyn Navy yard and the dc
tachment of Naval Constructor Fraucis
1. Bowles aud Civil Engineer Anecito
u, Menocal from duty ut the Norfolk
Navy yard to assume the posts made
vacant ut the Brooklyn Navy yard by
the detachment of Fernnld and Asser
son. The correspondent ststes that
this decision OF the Secretary has ere
ated big sensation In naval circles,
ami IL the closing uct in the most in.
terestinR aud perhaps remarkable navy
yard investigation that has taken place
IN many years.
1t is the direct result OF the work of
Lieut.. John L. Knapp, who on Octo.
Der 18th last was detailed by Secretary
Herbert to make an investigation into
the workings OF the Labor Board ut
the Brooklyn Navy yard. Many com
plants previous to this time lad come
to the Secretary to the effect that the
OWL service rules governing the cm.
ployment of labor at tho yard were
never lived up to and were being
violated. Lieut.. Knapp was given un.
limited power to examine witnesses, go
over the books and make the e1amiua.
manned in Brooklyn nearly four
months, residing at tho ST. George
Hotel md visiting the yard daily.
Upon his return several months ago
the Eagle announced that his report,
which covered over 300 type written
pages, was Of startling character aud
placed the Naval Constructor aud the
Civil Engineer Mt the Brooklyn yard in
| very bad plight. AT this time and
since efforts have been made by those
directly and Indirectly interested to
belittle Lieut.. kuupp's charges that
there have been serIous violations of
the civil service rules. Powerful polit.
Ical and other Influences were brought
to bear on the Secretary to induce him
to pass the matter over lightly, aud
finally the ACCUSED officers themselves
Ia their official replies 10 the charges
stated that ii any errors had been com
mittea on their part they were done
through gnorance.
SecI ~ Herbert, however, paid no
attention 10 tue efforts made to iniu
enoe his action. but III his usual con.
scientiots and careful fashion made a
long pen onal examination o. all the
papers III the case. He Desired to give
fernald ana Asserson every possible
show and not to condemn them until
he was sure that they deserved ceusure.
Even then he determined that his ac-
ton should be conservative.
On Thursday of last week bo com.
pleted his lnbors and taking into con-
sideration the plea Of the officers that
their mistakes had been made through
ignorance aud not because of evil IN
tent, he determined to let them of with
q reprimaud. Before he acted on TINS
line, however, he received the report
of the special committee of invostign-
ton that be had ordered to the
yard, presided over by Lieut.. Hous.
ton. This board was appointed by him
to examine into charges made against
Master Plumber James Flood.
The report WAS very voluminous
document, covering about one hundred
typewriter pages aud was in some re.
spects even moro sensational than the
| report Of Lieut.. Knapp. 1t showed
beyond question that Flood was guilty
OF Irregularities; among other things
that he kept navy yard plumbers at
work upon bis sisters house in New
York. Floods quarterman, j. Riddle,
deposited the time checks Of the work
men under him when they were not at
work and when they were supposed to
be working on the house OF Floods
sister in New York.
1t appears to have been the rule to
carry men on the pay roll under
assumed names In the Construction
Department and to this infraction Of
the rules hundreds of the IRREGULAR
ties reported by Lieut.. Knapp can be
traced. 1t IS understood that very few
OF tae fraudulent practices INDUCED III
are III any way connected with the
workmen who were taken on through
tho Labor Board, but are confined
| almost exclusively to the workmen EN-
ployed prior to the establishment of
the civil service rules.
The Houston Board advised the i'm.
mediate Dismissal of Flood, Riddle and
others. The Secretary has also de.
termined to disra.e many of the fors.
! men, Quartermen and leading men in
the department OF construction at the
Brooklyn Navy yard. and to begin at
| once complete and systematic reor.
ganization Of the depar tments OF con.
struction and yards aud docks. He
has made up his mind that Fernald' Is
bureau IS improperly conducted, and
that 1t is honeycombe bed with cases sin-
liar to that OF Matthew Kirby, who. as
| stated IN the Eagle some time since.
was carried on the pay rolls at the
navy yard long after he had been work
Ing for private business firm in
Brooklyn.
The charge against Asserson is that
he has treated the civil service rules
with ind ifferanoa nd ,o,t.n,.,. -. =