The Topeka state journal., 1905-09-08
Major Strong Discovers Conspir-
acy to Defraud Government.
Criminal Prosecution Ordered
by the War Office.
FUR CAPS AND GLOVES
Of Inferior Quality Furnished
by Contractor.
Both He and the Inspector
Marked for Prosecution.

Washington. Sept. s.-The criminal
prosecution of Morris Busch, contractor,
and Robert Charlton, inspector, was or
dered today by Acting Secretary of War
Oliver. This action is contained in
direction to Judge Advocate General
Davis to prepare the necessary papers
for this prosecution and submit them
to the department of justice. Busch
holds a contract with the quartermas-
ter's department of the army to furnish
fur caps and gauntlets to be delivered
at the Schuylkill arsenal, Philadelphia.
The order for prosecution is taken on
the strength of a report recently made
by Major F. s. Strong of the artillery
corps, acting inspector. general, in which
it is shown that a conspiracy to defraud
the government exists between Busch
and Charlton.
Besides the criminal prosecution of
Busch and Charlton, Secretary oliver
directs that Busch shall be compelled
to complete his contract with the gov
ernment upon penalty of civil suit for
damages. He Stipuiates that If any IN
ferior articles are furnished the govern
ment by Contractor Edwin H. Taggart
under his contract of October 8, 1907, ne
shall be required to replace the inferior
goods under penalty of a civil suit for
the recovery of the money paid.
! The report of Major Strong regarding
conditions at the Schuylkin arsenal has
| led to a suggestion from the inspector
| generals department which has been
| made an order by Secretary Oliver
for an immediate investigation of the
important depots containing army sup
plies. These are located at New 1ora' 3i,a
Boston, Philadelphia, JeffersonV1lle,
Ind, San Francisco, Seattle and other
places.
Secretary divers Statement.
| Secretary oliver today issued the fol-
| lowing statement giving his conclus-
| ions on the report of Major strong:
1.-The report of Major F. H. Strong, ar
| tillery corps acting inspector general,
upon the alleged Irregularities in the
! filing of the contracts at the Schuyl-
kill arsenal. Philadelphia. is hereby ap-
proved 1t is ordered that Inspector
Robert Charlton and Examiner F. T.
Quinlan be directed to show cause. IN
| writing, why they should not be at once
discharged for incompetency IN permit
! ting the receipt of articles INFERIOR 70
| the contract standard. The Judge ad-
vocate general will prepare the neces-
| sary papers to submit to the depart
ment of justice for the purpose OF IN
| aueurating criminal proceedings against
! Morris Busch, contractor. and RoDerl
| Charlton, inspector, for conspiracy to
! defraud the United States government
A careful inspection shall be immeol-
ately made by an expert OF all arlicies
heretofore delivered on the contrael
awarded Morris Busch. or others, ano
demand made to replace all such as
/ NAV be inferior to the contract sam
pies. Morris BUSCH shall be compeile0
| to complete in a satisfactory manner az
contracts which he may now holq with
the government and failure to do so
shall constitute grounds for civil sui
for damages.
I'm case any inferior articles are dis
covered furnished by Edwin II. rag
| ~ contract
October s. 1902, he shall be required to
replace said inferior goods, failure TO &c
so being followed by civil suit Tor tne
recovery of money paid. In the future
the commanding officers at all depots
where supplies are furnished under con-
tract shall be required to select person
alIv the monthly samples furnished to
| the ouartermas ster; and at all Sucn de-
pots, and the Schuylkill arsenal IN par
| ticular a. commissioned ofhcer Shai
| personally and continually supervise
| the inspection of all articles rendered
under contract with a view to their ac'
ceptance, availing himself of the know
| ledge of the chief inspector as an ex'
pert.
New Rules Made.
Thereafter all irregularities of any
| nature whatever reported upon by the
officer in charge of said depots, shaL
be held to constitute a pasls Lol
| charges against such officer for neglec
|
| Cheney and in the advertisement FOL
| bids for contracts for any government
supplies, each bidder shall furnish the
name and place of business or the
| manufacturer or manufacturers Whf
| will furnish the goods. If upon carefu
| examination on the part of the off1cer'
of the QuartermaSter's department the1
shall report adversely as to the faclll
ties and general standing OF salo manu-
facturer such report shall be consid
cred sufficient to reject the bid OF SucE
party.
"All bidders who may have hereto
fore failed unjustif1ably to NIL con
| tracts with the government shall no
be considered, and a careful considera-
ton shall be made with a view to Sc
curing the legitimate value OF article:
of standard quality and any abnormal
ly low bids must be carefully scruti
nized with view to excluding incom-
petent and unsatisfactory contractor:
from furnishing government supplies
ROBERT SHAW OLIVER.
Acting Secretary War
Busch Is a Councilman.
Philadelphia, Sept 8.--Morris Busch
the contractor against whom crimina
prosecution is ordered, is the commol
councilman of this city. Charlton, VIII
is also recommended for prosecution i
an empIoye of the Schuylkill arsenal
Major Strong, of the inspector general
department, came here from Washin g
ton early in August to make an investi
cation at the Schuylki1l arsenal Of Ger
tain contracts. The investigation laste'
a week 1t was testified by Fred Kan
holz, a partner OF Busch, that Charlie
GLADDEN., formerly chief inspector at tn
arsenal and Robert Charlton, head o
the present force of fur inspectors, hai
agreed to pass inferior goods made b,
Busch. Charges that money had pass
ed between Busch and Charlton wer
made by Kampholz. Charles A. Bow
man, former secretary to the late Con
| I-4- of% &c
| that while he was secretary to the con
gresham, Busch offered him $500 to ge
! Burke to furnish him with information
concerning bids. Busch denied all tn
charges.
Degenerate Taken to Hutchinson.