The morning times., 1896-04-29
FOLGER'S ARMOR PLATE 10
His Testimony Before the lnvsst.-
eating Committee Made Public.
He Denies Specific Charges, But Ad-
mits His business Connection
With the Harvey Concern.

The Senate Committee on Naval Affairs
has made public the testimony recently
ken by il III secret sessions on the
subject of armor plate, the prices paid
therefor, and the ownership Of patented
proce cesses OF manufacture, under the rtso-
lution OF Senator Chandler, OF December
3lst last. The testimony comprises All
printed pages.
The bearing OF testimony began Jan
uary l6, with Secretary Herbert before
the committee. 1t ended on April Z,
with Commodore WIuSaM Ii. folSer.
Touching upon his employment lay the
Harvey steel Company, COInIuoGofc tolEef
said that about eighteen months before
he left the department he was asked 10
meet the d!retlOrs OF The Harvey Company
III New York. He was as ked IL he
would enter their employ, but nothing was
said as to term OF service or salary 10
be received No offer of any description
of shares or other remuneration WAS made
prior TO EolserS leaving the department.
January /, 1898, nor did any other
person, IN or out OF the Harvey Company,
make him any offer OF terms, either of
shares or money before tie date or his
tFolger 81 leaving The department.
No discussion OF what remuncra on
WAS to be received III the event OF toigers
tween him, Commodore Foiger sald, and
any member OF The Harvey Company, al
though such accusations had been made
in The press and III tle Davies trial.
December 23, 1892, before Commodore
FOl;ser left the department, but after his
resignation had Eeen accepted. lie received
a letter from the Harvey people asking for
conference. On January 5. S93, IN Wash
ington, he entered into an arrangement
in which he was made general manager at
u salary Of $4,000 year and 200 shares
of stock; the sto, tie received he toEoW-
ing June. The shares were offered as com
ing, he said, from the company aud not
by Slr. Harvey as stated in the Davies case.
Commodore olGer stated that these shares
when Offered ard when he left the company
had TO selling value, They attained no
value until after the Harvey plate was
generally adopted in Europe, or, perhaps,
two years after FoIger re ceived them.
Mr. FOlger denied that he weHtIo Europe as
stated IL the Senate resolution to arrange
contracts with foreign governments, but
simply to arrange u matter in dispute be
tween the company aud its European gent.
In October. 1898, Commodore Folger re-
turned from Europe, aud his request Tor
| service at sea was allowed by the Navy
| Department in January. 1894. Upon his
! return in December. 1894. from duty with
| the BeIing sea fleet Commodore FC!ser
SAID he was met by the ne ws OF the attack
/ upon Ill reputation. Heasked the Secretary
/ OF the Navy for an inveStiga ton, and was
! informed that such action was not Gu He'd
! for, and the Secretary intimated that in
his opinion the newspaper attack was un-
| worthy of notice
! He then relates how he called the atteu-
! ton of members OF the House and SeDa te
| to the ma tier, and was told that a resolu-
| ton would be introduced to- Investigate.
| Commodore Folger then said that he be-
| lieyed the arnor contract features would
| develop nothing but credit for Secretary
| Traeey's administration A s for himself
| he was quite ready to be questioned