New-York tribune., 1901-03-23
GEN. BURLINGTON ACCUSED.
TO HAVE MADE ORDNANCE FOR
COLOMBIA AT FRANK
FORD ARSENAL
FORD ARSENAL.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THr TRIBUNE. ]

Washington, March 22-Through firm of
local attorneys the American Ammunition
Company to-day instituted an action against
a rival concern, the Driggs-Sea bury Gun
and Ammunition Company, Of New-Jersey,
which has raised quite breeze of excite
ment in the War Department. The charge
is made that the Ordnance Bureau in August
1899 permitted the briggs Seabury Company
a private corporation to the Frankford Ar
senal a government institution near Philadel-
pfia. with its power. machinery and workmen
for the purpose of manufacturing guns and am
munition for the Colombian government. The
brief filed by the lawyers contained a copy of
the following letter:
War Department
Washington. Sept !, 1899.
Driggs-Sedbury Company.
cred 1850 shells to the Colombian Government and
are manufacturing another order Of 1000 for that
TO be delivered 10 the War department by August
Informed that facilitate matters and to help
you out you were given the use Of the Frankford
erty. l am further Informed that you used the
arsenal knowing it to be government property for
the purpose of making these shells for a foreign
government. You had no right TO do this You OBJ
TO deliver a statement 10 the War Department he
fore Saturday next. giving your reasons for your
actions. ELIHU ROOT. Secretary Of War.
The lawyers brief further alleges that General
A. r. Burlington, chief of the Ordnance Bureau
has asserted in n statement file in the War
Department q thai he granted the of the
FrankfOrd Arsenal to the briggs -Seabury com
pany for the purposes named and it is demanded
that the Controller Of the Treasury Immediately
stop all payments to the briggs -Seabury com
pany until the charges have been investigated
1t is also held that the company by this al
legged action is under penalties to the govern
ment TO the amount of SSoD.uNl.
Little information could be obtained to-day at
the War Department regarding these allega-
tions 1t was Cabinet day. and Secretary Root
this afternoon not accessible to newspaper
reporters, and his assistants united in declaring
that there was nothing in the matter. Major
" McNauy. assistant chief of ordnance. said
to a correspondent OF The Tribune this evening
that an attempt being made TO make
mountain out Of a molehill.
General Burlington" said Major McNally.
will not discuss this subject with anybody but
his official SuperOrS for two good and sufficient
reasons The first is that there is nothing OF
public interest in it. and the second ts that Cen
eral Burlington is thorough a soldier that he
will not discuss departm mt matters with out
sdcrs until he is instructed to do by those
in authority over him. The American Ammuni-
tion Company is a competitor you know. of the
Driggs-Seabury company, and commercial riv
airy sometimes asserts itself in queer forms
However, this whole matter has been elabo-
rately reported by General Burlington to the
Secretary Of War. The Secretary now, ] sup
pose has all the papers in his office, and unless
he wants TO show them ] don't suppose General
Puflngton would care to give out any state
ment concerning them"