The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-22
SERIOUS CHARGES FILED
Alleged Use Of Frankfort Arsenal
by Private Corporation.

u
by q Private Corporation
Guns and shells fer Colombia Said
To Have Been Made There While
Government Contracts Were Neg
Iected - CompIainHnt's Attorney
Given Hearing Before the Comp
troIIer of the Frensury-Immediate
Action in tE.- Mntter Probable.
S q. Hopkins representing the firm of
Hopkins & Hopkins. of this city, attor-
neys for the American Ammunition Com
pany. was today given hearing by the
Comptroller of the Treasury and filed
with the latter charges against the
Driggs-Seabury Gun and Ammunition
Company, of New jersey, and against
officials of the War Department The
brief. as fled. covers twenty-one pages
and includes the correspondence in the
case.
1t Is charged that General a r But
fnzton. Chief Of Ordnance of the War
Department. in August, 1899 permitted
the DrigGs-Seabury Company, a private
corporation. 10 use the Frankfort Arse
nal. with It's power. machinery. and work
men. all the property and employees of the
United States Government. and that the
Driggs-Seabury Company held and used
the Frankfort Arsenal for the purpose Of
manufacturing thirty-two siX-pounder
glIns. d number OF heavier guns, and
z.00O shells for the use Of the Colombian
Government.
1t is further stated in the bill that the
guns ard ammunition were sold to the
Colombian Government for cash and We're
shipped on the ATLANTA. an American
yacht converted into a cruiser by the Co
1ombian Government. and that further
order placed later on was filed by the
Driggs-Seabury Company at the Frank
fort Arsenal
The brief goes on TO state that Secre-
tary Root knew OF this matter and quotes
the following letter. alleged TO have been
written 10y him to the Driggs-Seabury
Company;
War Department.
washington. Sept. l, 1899
"Driggs-Seabury Co
Gentlemen: / am Informed that you
have delivered Z.o15 shells 10 the Co
lon,bian Government and are manu-
featuring another order OF ECO Tor
that Government You are now in de
fa7,lt for COS shells to be delivered 10
The War Department by August j,
1898 and these have not yet been pro-
duced.
- am Informed that 10 facilitate
matters and to help you out, you were
given the use Of the Frankfort Arse
nal. which is exclusively Government
property I am further informed that
you used the arsenal, knowing il 70 be
Government property. for the purpose
Of making these shells for q foreign
Government. You had no right TO do
this. You obtained a further contract
in July, 1883. ! want you TO deliver a
statement 10 the War Department be
fore Saturday next, giving your rea-
soas for your actions.
.EIHC ROOT,
Secretary OF War"
The brief then states that General Buff
fugton has admitted in statement,
which is on file in the Var Department,
that he granted the use OF the arsenal to
the Driggs-Seabury Company The action
is characterized as fraud, and a dam
age 10 the interests Of the United States
It is demanded that the Comptroller Of
the Treasury Immediately stop ali pay
ments TO the Driggs-Seabury Company
until the charges have been Investigated
and it is held that this company, by its
actions. is under penalties to the Govern
ment amounting 10 SSp0,oy0.
Notice IS given that the attorneys. Hop
kins d Hopkins. viii take the matter
into the courts unless the Comptroller
takes some action It IS also stated that
the matter viii be called to the attention
Of Congress, and an investigation or
dered-
The brief includes letters from all of
the parties interested, and IS very com
plete. It is expected that the ComptroI-
Ter viii take some action Immediately