New-York tribune., 1895-07-09
FRAUDS AT THE NAVY YARD.
TWO OFFICERS TO BE PLACED ON THE
WAITING ORDERS LIST
NAVAL CONSTRUCTOR FERNALD AND CIVIL EN-
GINEER ASsERsON TO GO-sECRETARY
HERBERr ACTS OK LIEUTENANT

port OF Lieutenant Knapp charging that serious
Irregularities had been committed at the Yard In
the matter Of employing. promoting and retaining
the civil force and all other papers in the case.
The record Is long and embraces besides the
report of Lieutenant Knapp. the replies OF heads
Of various departments OF the Yard. more especially
those of Naval Constructor Fernad and Civil Engi-
neer Asserson. who accused OF msdoings.
and the remarks OF Commodore Scard thereon.
The Sccrctarys decision In the matter will be
made public tomorrow. 1t will he In the nature
OF communication to Commodore Sicard and will
review the charges made by Lieutenant Knapp.
tho answers of heads of departments concerned,
and his opinion thereon. The detachment from the
New-York station Of Naval Constructor Fcrnald
and Civil Engineer Asserson and their transfer to
the waitinG-oriers list will be directed.
The Secretary takes the view that the Civil Ser
vice regulations promulgated by Secretary Tracy
clear and comprehensive. that they have been
frequently violated without authority by tho two
officers named. and that such action Is reprehensl
bic for every reason. and deserving OF Official re-
buke strong reprimand will he administered
and. stated. the officers will be ordered on tho
reduced pay list. Their respective successors will
be Naval Constructor Bowes. who Is vigorous
Civil Service rcformer and brilliant young officer.
and Civil Engineer Meniocal who made National
reputation in connection with the Nicaraguan Canal
project
The report OF Lieutenant Knapp has been before
Secretary Herbert for some time. II is said at the
Navy Department that delay In action upon II vas
chiefly due 10 the desire Of the Secretary that the
officers accused Of Irregularities at the Ncw-lork
station should have an opportunity 10 explain the
allegations made against them Two OF the ON
GERS reported against were Commanders White and
Elmer Their explanation OF the charges OF violat-
Ing the rules unsatisfactory Accordingly they
we're detached short time ago and their successors
appointed II not known. when the orders re-
moving these officers from New-York were made
49,. usns fha not
that they hal been rcmss in the performance Of
duty came 10 light to-day. Then followed the con-
siieraion OF the cases of Messrs. Fernald and
Asserson which Tscutealnt Knapp regarded as the
most serious of all Investigated by him 1t s now
learned that against the former officer II was
charged that he had paid ~ heed 10 Section III.
Article .J63 OF the Naval Regulations That sec
ton reads I'm effect that he registration Of app
can,s for employment al each Navy Yard shall
be restricted the list - trades approved by the
Navy Department tor that yard IA revised from
time 10 time. and no persons other than workmen
Of trades specified in the approved schedules shall
be employed AT any Navy Yard except under
written appointment from the Secretary Of the
Navy II is clalneI tina, Mr. Fernad violated the
rule by certifying men FOR employment who were
rot fitted by occupation and experience FOR the post
,ion 10 which they appointed. This II bu, one
OF many Irregularities charged against him Others
related TO the interchanging Of men and names the
promotion OF laborers 10 places which they could
not efficiently III. and numerous other points sVecl-
fed IN the regulations.
Secretary Herbert finds the charges sustained H."
regards Mr. Fcrnalds explanations as unsa'sfac-
tory. Mr.. Fernad stated that II any frauds had
been pracilscd he not aware OF the fact. and
that his suborlnatos. upon whom b" must rely.
were TO blame. II any one The Secretary takes the
view that heads Of departments should KNOW what
is going on under them. and that 'hey-no' their
subor,llnates are responsible therefor This. he
Will say. Is the only condition under which the 'lvil
Service rules can honestly and faithfully carried
The case Of Clvl Engineer Asscrson set forth
at length He is charged with having violated IN"
regulations. which prescribe that when a civil en-
ployc is discharged dropped from the payrollr a
report q the fact shall be sent 10 the Labor board
Immediately. giving specified. Information relating
to the mans name. date OF registration. employ
nent and discharge. and the character OF his work
and that 81 the person 80 discharged or dropped
desires to have his name continued on the regis
tration list he may do and in case his char
acter and conduct have been satisfactory he is 70
he classch eligible and Ia 10 retain his original
number on tho list for future employment Lieu
tenant Knapp thought Mr.. Asserson had committed
n serious irreguarity In ignoring Kulc NO 10 OF the
Regulations relating 10 discharges. The rule reads
"Workmen at the various yards VINO are lait on
on account OF want of work through no iault OF
their own and who by reason ot their employment
at the yard when the order for registration went
from registration shall be entitled register as
of that date upon presenting to ine h3atl %, ,apo
unless prevented by illness or other suc'ent cause
certificate from the head OF ,me aernr,'n@sny @ an are
In every respect thoroughly skilled, competent ana
II is alleged that Mr. Asscrson's practice In not
a few cases was 70 retain on the roils me names ne
other men who had registered and were found quail
fed had no opportunity for employment. as no va
sanees % n nc'Sey orders 81 issued by sccreares
Thompson and whitney prohibited the Iaylhg OF
OF civil empoyes anG ascssI ina" bSJ wg be mai
Secretary Herbert will In his decision tina, the
charges against Mr. Asserson are sustained Dy the
IL is said at the Navy Department 'ha, at present
there are no Irregularities being pracH"i. but That
the Civil Service rules are faithfully executed IL IS
alleged that the irregularities referred 10 IN ileuet.
ant Knapp's report were committed at the time that
Admiral fiherardi was the commandant Of the New
York station. ~,
New.York yard within the next two weeks. Is u
Young and vigorous officer who only entered the Con
ofiicer in that Corps 10 pass through the Naval
Academy and to secure the Advantages OF techni-
cal education abroad. lie has made a remarkable
record In the last nine years at the Norfolk yard.
which was situated In section destitute Of skilled
In spite these difficulties and TIE disadvantage Of
youth ne has succeeded In building the battleshp
Texas the cruiser Raleigh and raising the yard to a
rank almost equal 10 that at San Francisco which Is
the BEST In the country.
Naval Constructor Fernald. when seen at his
home IN Flushing ave. Brooklyn last evening said
that he had not received any official papers relative
to his detachment. and could not discuss the
case beyond reiterating the assertion that he had
been guilty OF nothing which he deemed sufficient
cause for official action censure. He had en-
dea vored since the Cv Service rules were applied
to the yard. to obey them and before that time had
run his bureau to the best Of his ability with an
eve 70 getting ont the largest quantity OF work
| the lowest possible cost 10 the Government What
ever the action Of the Secretary might he. he
| entirely ease as far as his management Of the
| bureau concerned
| Captain Asserson refused to speak OF the matter
| In any way until the Secretarys orders were re-
| ceived and Commodore Sicard comma ndant OF the
yard, was equally silent the subject