The Washington times., 1905-07-11
KEEP Commission
HAMMER|NG AWAY
Chief Clerk Brian Again
on the Stand.
LAWYERS HANDLE CONTRACT
Unusual Observation-Disclosures May
Order Practical Test of Machines
Under It's Supervision.
LAWYERS HANDLE CONTRACT

The Keep commission again resumed
Its sessions at the Government Print
ing Office this morning promptly at the
appointed hour. $3.50 O'Clock, notwith
standing the hard work done yesterday
when three sessions were held. the last
one closing at II O'Clock last night.
The weather man has strongly second
ed the demand of the press and the
public. that the doors be thrown open.
by producing a specimen of weather
that has held the thermometer at some
thing like $50 in the shade" But all to
nc avail.
The. commissioners simply laugh and
say that torrid weather is just what
they want. as it assists them iii the
sweating process employed.
Brian's Testimony.
Capt Henry T. Brian, chief clerk Of
the office, was on the stand last
night at the close of the ses-
sion, and was again called this morn
Ing. He told the commission that he
had been present at three meetings held
at the home of J. Maury Dove. pres1-
dent of the Lanston Company, and that
the Public Printer and d few other Gov
eminent Printing Office officials had
been present at these meeting also.
The meetings were for the purpose of
considering the machines contract. Re
freshments were served.
His testimony today is along the
same lines and calculated to bring out
the various details of the transaction.
He admitted that the contract had
been prepared by a firm OF local at
tcrneys in their Office, proceeding
which. he said was not aecorgaing
to the usual practice of the Gov
eminent Printing Office in making con-
tracts for supplies.
Captain Brian has been croSS-examfned
at length by the Mergenthaler attorneys
as 20 statements made in special report
No.
Work of the Mergenthaler.
AT the afternoon session of the COM
mission yesterday Foreman L. c. Hay.
of the job division, resumed his testi-
mony, and continued on the stand
throughout the session. The Lanstor
attorneys, under the guidance of their
New York expert Mr. Nathan. continued
to cross-examine Hay as to the meth
DDS employed in doing the tabular and
other intricate work on the Mergen-
thalers. of which he had submitted sam
pies.
1t was plainly evident from the ma
ture of tine questioning that the Lanston
people were nonrlused at the results
said to have been achieved on the ma
chimes. They directed their efforts to-
ward ascertafning how the work had
been done.
One sample submitted was the Army
and Navy Register, a publication con-
sisting of narrow mixed columns OF
reading matter and figures, the kind OF
work that is the bane even of hand com
positors. and on which but little speed
can be made.
Foreman Hay explained the technica,
features of this work by showing that
bars, as is the case with all Mergen
thaler composition, and then sawed in
proper lengths, after which the rule was
inserted
Can Do Tabular Work
Hay only claimed a. small saving in
this class Of work over hand compost
ton He insisted, however, that tho
work submitted and other jobs of like
nature that had been turned out by the
machines in his division, dispelled the
charge that tabular work could not be
done on the Mergenthalers.
Foreman Hay attacked vigorously
the suggestion in Special Report No
s. that the Lanston machines would be
capable OF supplying the Office with
all the type, both body and job, thai
would be required for hand compost
ton. The Lanston attorneys combat.
tea him al ever statement on this
subject.
This incident provided what was
probably the most interesting passage
alarms during the sessions yesterday
Hay undertook 20 explain how impos
sibfe it would be to properly handle il
makeup, in Justincafion, etc. the Ian
ston type as Ii comes from the ma
crimes. This testimony was finally de
cided to be irrelevant, as it did no
directly touch on the points under dis
cussion, and was ruled out.
Hay was told that he would be cali
ed TO the stand again later on.
Mcfarland Excused.
II. c. Mcfarland. foreman of the jol
press division. was on the stand at tn
evening session for a few minutes
It is claimed for the MergenthaIe
product that it is easier to make read,
on the presses than either type o
plates. Mcfarland was not permitted Z
say what the saving amounted to-
The attorneys engaged in some cross
firing at this point Mcfarland was ex