The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-31

| tue dSentS vi Lue COupany WHO d
peared es witnesses before the com
mittee. want the Secretary to reat
lit.
The Presiding Officer. The Secre
tarv will read as requested.
Mr.. Tillman. Now, gentlemen
those of you who do not feel so thin
skined, who know you are honest
who feel that you are the agent only O.
the Safe which you represent, please
listen.
The Secretary read as follows:
THE CHARGES AGAINST THE COMPANY
First. The plates did not receive tn,
uniform treatment required by th'
specifications of the contracts. Ir
many cases the treatment was irregu
lar and in other cases it was practical
ly inefficient. The spe ecifcations o.
the contract of February %, 1898, re
quired that each plate should Eo sn
nealed, oil tempered, and again an
nealed, the last process being an an
healing one.
Second. False reports OF the treat
ment OF the plates were systematically
made by the government inspectors
This was in violation of paragraph 9s
of the circular concerning armor- plate
appurtenances, dated January 16, 1898
which was made a part of the con
tract. Paragraph IS says:
''The contractor shall state for each
article in writing the exact treatment
it has received"
The specifications of the contract Of
November 90, 1890, paragraph 164,
says:
"a written statement of work and
contractors tests to be commenced and
in progress each day must be furnished
to the chief Inspector"
Third. No bolts received the double
treatment provided for in the specii.
cations of either contract. A report OF
a double treatment, however, was
made to the government inspe ,tors.
Fourth. Specimens taken from the
plates both before and after treatment
to ascertain the tensile strength OF
each plate were stretched without the
knowledge of the government inspec'
tors, so as to increase their apparent
tensile strength when actually tested.
Fifth. False specimens taken from
other plates were substituted for the
specimens selected by the government
inspectors.
Sixth. The testing machine was re-
peatedly manipulated by order OF the
superintendent of the armor plate mill
so as to increase the apparent tensile
strength of the specimens. These
specimens were juggled in measure
ment so as to increase their apparent
ductility.
Seventh. Various specimens selected
by the government inspectors were
retreated without their knowledge be
fore they were submitted to test.
Eighth. Plates selected by the Gov
ernment inspectors for ballistic test
were re treated with the intention OF
improving their ballistic resistance,
without the knowledge of the Govern
ment inspectors. In one case, at leest,
the conclusion is almost irresistible
that the bottom of another plate was
substituted for the top half of plate A
GIG after it had bsen selected by the
Government and while awaiting ship
ment to Indian Head. Upon this bal
listic test group of plates containing
34S tons, valued at about $3.50, 900, were
to be accepted or rejected. In three
cases, at least, the plates salected by the
Government inspectors were retreat
ed in this manner without their knowl,
edge. Those ballistic plates represent
ed 779 tons of armor, valued at over
$41,0OO. The groups represented by
these three plates had all been sub
mitted for premium of $50 per ton If
they passed a more severe test than
required for acceptance.
Ninth. In violation of the speclh
cations of the contract, pipes or shrink
ing cavities, enormously called blow
holes, in the plates wers plugged by
the contractors and the defects con-
cealed from the Government inspect
ors. These cavities, in some cases, di
mlnished the resistance and value ol
the plate.
Tenth. The inspectors stamp was
either duplicated or stolen, and used
without the knowledge OF the Govern
ment inspectors.
Eleventh. The Government in
spector in inspecting bolts was de-
ceived by means of false templets OF
gauges.
Mr.. Tillman. Mr.. President, those
were the charges, and the testimony
is there to show that every word o1
them was admitted and confessed be
fore committee of the House OF Hop
resentat1ves, and that House, without
a division-because even the Republl
cans over there dared not face thell
constituents for reelection and hgh'
the investigation-passed a resolution
to have certain plates taken Oft the
vessels of the Navy and have then
put through the necessary test to show
the frauds and prove them. Mr.. Car
neige was fined by the Secretary o.
the Navy and. by some hokus -pokus
this glorious President of ours, who
Gcd be thanked, goes out of power II
two days from now, remitted That line
The thieves wers caught; they con
fessed that they had robbed the Gov
ernment; the House of Represents
tives sent to you a resolution to havt
certain plates tested upon your new
Navy to prove the frauds which hac
been practiced upon the Government
That resolution came over here anc
went to sleep and died without action
and Mr.. Carnegie sports his stean
Yacht and floats back to Scotland t.
his nanns nreserve- and writes gold