The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-27
Defendants Are Charged With
Grating in Naval
Supplies.

Norfolk. Va, February 26.-Thc
United States grand jury. which for a
week had been investigat alleged
grating between naval commissary
stewards and provision contractors,
returned eight indictments today.
charging variously bribery. conspiracy
TO dcfraud, and the making and pre-
scntation of false claims against the
government. The indictments were
presented, as is usual, on eN-parte teS
timony by the government, the de-
PENDANTS having had no opportunity
to make defense or rcfutc in any way
tho testimony presented. In an official
supplementary report read and filed
with the court and to he sent upon
recommendation to the Secretary OF
! the Navy, the grand jury declares that
while IL was shown that the duties
OF the pay officers when aboard ship
arc many, cSactinG and onerous. yet
IL was demonstrated that IL watchful
anu busincsslikc methods and super
vision in overseeing and checking up
the various transactions of their sub
ordinatcs had been the uniform prac-
ticc. the Illegal acts charged in the
indictments herewith, could not have
been pcrpctratcd.'
The following indictments were re-
turned:
Fred H. Hobbs and William j. Hunt,
making and presenting false claim
against the United states.
| Fred H. Hobbs and William J. Hunt.
! bribery.
Luther J. Upton and George r.
! Davis. conspiracy to dcfraud the
| United States.
william F. Ailau,n bribery
! Henry r. Hols,an, making and pre-
scnting false claim against the United
states. defendant is agent Of John
Ii. kimberly"
| Richard Nj. Eastwood. bribery
( II. L. walker, OF Newport News,
making and presenting false claim
/ against the United States.
! l.. j. Upton, making and presenting
| false claim against the United States.
! The indictment against Hobbs and
Hunt, charging them with making a
| false claim against the government
/ sets forth that they presented the claim
! May |, 1872, TO Theodore j. Arms. pay
master OF the battleship Louisiana. for
I goods and merchandise of the total
value of S5.6S3.22. and that there was
a shortage of the value of sl.Ss3.2i
! thereon AS follows. 1903 pounds
! frozen beef. value sl.2s1.I3. shortage
/ 1000 pounds. $500: 1.SG3 pounds frozen
! pork, value sl.l00.S2. shortage zoe
| pounds. s37S: $3.50 pounds frozen veal
value sSlS.40, shortage 1000 pounds
| $40: Zoo pounds frankfurtcrs. value
I S26i shortage s1l0: 1850 pounds pork
! sausage, value $l76.25, shortage 1000
I pounds. value SI5; 6.507 pounds ham
! value $1lj.,1, shortage, 1000 pounds,
/ SEQ: 2.:$s pounds liver. value sIo3.36
! shortage 900 pounds, $40: ESQ pounds
/ hamburger. value $3.50, shortage 1000
pounds. 500; 1905 pounds luncheon
nea:, value S60.24. none furnished.
| On lanother count Hobbs and Hunt
are charged with having made q false
claim which was presented April 20.
I 1912, TO George NJ. Stackhousc paymas-
/ ter of the battleship South Carolina.
/ for goods and wares OF the value of
/ Si96li, on which there was Il shortage
/ OF S30SS
and Hunt sets forth that they gave TO
George T. Davis. commissary steward
OF the United States steamship Louis
I lana, sums aggrcgatng sl,0i3.I3 Oh
dates named in August, September and
/ october, 1911. and May l, 1912. On the
| latter date, II is charged, Davis was
! given $3.50 TO consent to the change
I of delivery slips showing the amount
! of goods supposed to have been re-
! ceivcd. Thereby enabling them TO
! render false claim for s1,5a3.24" II
is also charged that Davis was also
given Other sums unknown to the
! grand jury"
Inc indictment against l.. J. Upton
; charges that in April and MAY, 1912 he
I made and presented false claims to
I l'aymaster T. j. Arms. of the Louisiana.
! FOR total of S2,S33.79 for Irish and
/ sweet potatoes ami oranges. on which
there was shortage of s545, and TO
! Paymastcr w w. Lamar, of the South
carolina. for Il total of S922.43. on which