The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-04
INVESTIGATION OF
PRINTING OFFICE
New York Man Explains His
Company'S Business
FURNISHING OF SUPPLIES
Attempt Is Made To Show That the
Various Companies Did Not Act
In Collision In Supplying
Material and Auditors.


Washington, February s.-The formal
investigation of charges of Irregular
tiles in the government printing of
flee involving bids for furnishing sup
plies, was begun today by Representa-
tive Lands of Indiana, Senator Whyte
of Maryland and Representative Per-
kins of New York. composing the sub
committee of the joint committee On
printing Investigation
Frederick Alfred, the New York
principal who failed to appear at
Saturdays meeting was present with
his counsel, r. Golden Donaldson Of
Washington.
Sworn by Chairman Lands, Mr.. AL
fred testified that he is president Of the
Audit System, which is installing in
the governments printing office a sys-
tenn of cost entertainments president
of the Audit System Supplies company,
which furnishes the supplies necessary
to the conduct of that system and sec
rotary of the J. w. Pratt company, a
New York printing and stationary cor
Germ.
y
of the Audit System and of the Audit
System Supplies company is j. F. Han
dy of New York, who is to arrive here
today from Cincinnati, and to testify
BEFORE the committee tomorrow. The
vice president and manager of these
two companies, said Mr.. Alfred, is
w. M. Raynor. who has charge of
the work of installing the systems in
the government printing office.
Chairman Lands drew from the wit
ness that the account sheets used in
the Audit System We're printed by the
j. w. Pratt company and obtained
by the Audit System company from the
Suffolk Distributing company. the New
York concern whose $3.50, 900 bid for
white paper for. the government print
ing office for the next fiscal year has
been held up by the committee on
suspicion that that company is sy-
nomymous with the Audit System and
the Audit System Supplies company.
The offices of the former are at No.
III Daune street the offices of the lat
ter are at No. So Daune street. Mr..
Alfred denied that he had any bus
mess interest or held any office in
the Suffolk Distributing company. In
answer to questions by the chairman,
he said that his first knowledge of tn @
Audit System was in. 1906 when Mr..
Raynor submitted 1t to him as a good
thing to install in the j. w. Pra {
company. This idea was accepted and
the installation was completed in Mag
of 1906. The witness and Mr. Handy
then suggested the incorporation of the
Audit System and of the Audit Sys-
tenn Supplies company, with the in
tention of putting the system into
printing offices generally throughout
the country" The interpretations were
made and Raynor came to Washing
to and negotiated a contract with tn
government printer. This was by au
tn GRITTY of an appropriation which orig
mated in the House committee on APP
preparations and was put through with
the advice of printing committee. The
entire force of the Audit System was
put to work in the government print
ing office and is now employed there,
no effort having been made to negotiate
any other contracts.
1t appeared from the testimony that
this force is not carried individually
on the government payrolls, but is
paid by the Audit System out of call
moneys received weekly by that con-
Germ from the government.
William A. Root, local agent of th7
Audit System Supplies company an I
once in a while, the representative of
the Suffolk distributing company was
examined. He, testified that his total
sales to the government printing Of
flee of the Suffolk Distributing COM
pany goods have not exceeded $500.