Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-27
GAVE SHORT WEIGHT
Tho Nellis Seed Contract Suit Before
the Court Of cIaims-Looks Like a
Fraud

washington, June 27.-1n the Nellis
/ seed contract suit before the court OF
claims an affidavit by Charles Kingsley
of Falls Church, Va. has been maoe
public alleging that A. G. Nelils or New
York. who had the contract for furnish
ing seed. ready for distribution TO the
| government, two years ago. directed
! that no books were to be kept and that
! the packages should be light weight
| The legal representatives of Nellis are
suing for the payment of $4,000 which
Secretary Wilson withheld from the
contract payment for alleged nom per-
| formance of contract. The full amount
of the contract was S10S,000. Secretary
Wilson said last night that the SlS,o0o
was withheld as the result or an IN
u,lirv into the work at the time, and
that the government is still in posses
sion of Nellis' bond for $4,000 Mr..
Wilson said that he had directed that
the seed contract and its execution be
probed TO the bottom, and that the IN
yestigation has not implicated any one
in government employ. The distribute
ing methods used by Nelis he said
failed to do satisfactory work ana
caused serious delay in the annual seed
distribution, and a great rush OF WORK
subsequently, making 1t impossible Tor
the government inspectors to see all
that was being done.
Kingsley was foreman for Nellis and
in his affidavit says that no record
books were kept showing the amount of
seeds received in bulk; that he suggest
ed the keeping of such books, but that
Nellis said he did not want them kept.
Kingsley saws that these books Were
kept under former seed distributors. He
charges that a great portion of seeds
was put UP in light weight packages.
that Nellis instructed him TO notify the
employees engaged in putting up this
seed to let the weights run hight; ana
that he knows that these instructions
were followed. Kingsley also charges
that Nellis told him that he did not
know how many seeds he had sent out,
and that the best seeds were put up at
the rate of eighty packages TO the
pound, tho the contract called for six
flour packages to the pound.
President to Kaiser.
President Roosevelt sent the follow
ing telegram of thanks to Emperor
William in reply to the latter's message
regarding the American squadron at
Kiel
Il thank your majesty for your gra-
cious welcome to the United States
squadron and for the plimentary
expressions of your dispatch. L have
already received notice from Admiral
Cotton of the kindness shown him and
his squadron by your majesty. am
deeply impressed by these tokens of
your majesty's friendship and good will
towards the United States. and l re-
ciprocate in the heartiest manner the
which your dispatch con-
veys.
(Signed) Theodore Roosevelt"
Cortelyou's Statement
Secretary Cortelyou yesterday issued
the following statement;
In order to correct a widespread i'm
preston that on the first of July many
new places will be created in the de-
partment of commerce and labor Sec
retary Cortelyou has announced that
wing to the limited appropriation for
salaries in the executive office and new
bureaus of the department, and to the {
act that the transfers to take place
n accordance with the law on July Go
lot create any new positions, pracu-
ally no more appointments can be ,
made until additional appropriations
ire secured. Unlike the other execu- 5
i've departments the department of /;
commerce and labor has no new ap- |
,ropriations becoming available July 1.
rhe civil service requirements obtain
hruout the department and vacancies. ,
IS they occur in the ordinary routine
# departmental business, must be fill
ed in the usual way, thru the civil SER /;
ice commission" i,