The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-08
PLOT TO DEFRAUD UNCLE sam
CHIEF ELECTRICIAN AT WEST
POINT INVOLVED.

Also the Members OF NewbuFEh Electrical
Concern-ElectricaI Appliances Con-
dcmned. Sold for n song and ResOld
10 the Government at a Dig Front.
WEST POINT, April 7.-Charles LAuben-
heimsr and John G. Metzgor president
and vice-president respectively Of Charles
Laubenheimer a Co., electrical engineers
and contractors, Of Water street. New
burgh, will have TO appear before United
States Commissioner Shields In New York
on April 10 for arraignment on q charge OF
having conspired with Frank Domberger,
garrison electrician, to defraud the Gov
eminent. All three we're arrested last
Tuesday, Laubenheimer and Metzger In
Newburgh and Dornberger at the reserva-
ton, placed under bonds and released.
Louis Diller, a saloonkeeper Of Highland
Falls, was arrested there on the same
charge and released on bail.
The fact that the Quartermaster's Depart
ment at the garrison had discovered that
the Government had been defrauded Of
large sum, thousands Of dollars In all,
probably, came out here to-day through
small item OF news from the garrison
headquarters. IL read:
There are a number Of applications
for the position Of electrician, which became
vacant on Thursday.'
Inquiry developed that Chief Electrician
Dornberger had been arrested on Tues
day. charged with conspiracy TO defraud.
and had been discharged from the service.
The alleged completely Of the Newburgh
contractors and the Highland Falls saloon
keeper was then made public, together
e. . Ia IL 81 al al he
are said 70 have worked with the assistance
Of several persons at West Point and High
land Falls.
Last October Major Carson, Quarter
master at the garrison, accidentally dis
covered that the Government had paid for
1000 feet Of wire cable for the use Of the
electricians department, but that only
$500 feet had been delivered by the firm
with whom the order had been placed,
Charles Laubenheimer q Co. Of Newburgh.
Together with the Assistant Quartermaster,
Lieut., Foy, Major Carson did a little de-
teCtive work on his own account 1t didn't
take him long to come 70 the conclusion
that Electrician Dornberger, the Lauben-
heimer firm and others we're in plot TO de-
fraud the Government.
John H. Helms Of the New York
Secret Service office was sent for and
began an investigation. He discovered,
according 70 the Guartermaster's office,
that when the order was given to
Laubenheimer for 1000 feet Of wire cable
Laubenheimer placed an order for $500
feet with a New York firm and delivered
$500 feet to Electrician Dornberger, getting
a voucher from Dornberger for 400 feet,
a voucher which was duly paid. Then, ac-
cording 10 the Quartermaster's office, the
contractors and the electrician divided the
difference
The next thing discovered bv Helms was
a fraud turning upon an auction sale Of
condemned electrical appliances. Upon
the recommendation OF the electrician
two meters we're condemned and sold for
twenty-five cents apiece TO Louis Diller,
a saloonkeeper OF Highland Falls. Diller
is well known at the Point from having at
tended numerous auction sales, buying in
such articles as went cheap. Helms dis
covered that Electrician Dornberger OBJ
tanned these condemned meters from Diller
and turned the appliances over TO the New
burgh firm Then Domberger asked for
new meters, got permission 10 buy them
and made contract with the Laubenheimer
people. He bought two, the old ones that
had been sold at auction for twenty-five
cents, and raid te3 for them.H Again the
money was split, the Quartermaster's office
learned
Acting upon this evidence Helms sent a
man to Newburgh and Laubenheimer and
Metzger were arrested. They were taken
before a Magistrate and bound over 10
appear before the Unitcd(States Commits
sioner. On the same day Helms arrested
DornbergoT and Diller. None Of the men
arrested would admit completely in fraud,
but the Quartermaster's Office and the
Secret Service men believe they have
enough evidence TO secure convictions.
1t was said to-day at tire garrison that in
all probability the game had been played
for a long time, and that the profits Of the
swindle were large The opportunity for
a dishonest man in tho electricians office
20 dcfraud the Government Of large sums
was excellent, since the annual expenditures
for electrical stores is large and much ia
left TO the honesty Of the chief electrician.
Large amounts Of electrical stores in perfect
condition arc said 10 have been condemned
and rcsOld 10 the Government at immense
profit.
The investigation Is still going on, be-
cause several persons here and at High
land Falls are believed 10 be implicated.