The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-30
BASSICK
 MEN TONED IN
 CANADA, PROBE
Bridgepofters Is Involved in Munitions Contract
 Investigations.

Ottawa Canada, March sO-Thie name of B. w. ABassick. president of the Burns & Bassick Co. of Bridge port figured in documents presented before Par1iament yesterday, by George w. Kyte. Liberal member for Richmond. N. S.. in charges he made cqncerning alleged shell frauds. Papers were produced to prove that, Col. J. Wesley Allison, agent for Gen. Sir Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and Defense, had 5-orga anized much room shell companies in the United States and at the recommendation of General Hughes. had obtained -enor-- nous contracts from the Canadian Shell Committee, charged exorbitant prices for the supplies and pocketed tremendous profits.
 E. w. Bassick, of Bridgeport; E.. B. Caldwell of 25 Broad street, New Y orl<, and B. F. Yoakum of New York were named as the men behind the Ameri- can Ammunition Co.,. and the Inter- national Arms & Fuse Co.,K which are mentioned in the documentary evil dence.
 The resignation of General Hughes was freely predicted in political circles here today as a result of the charges.
 The American Ammunition Co. was incorporated sin the state of Virginia on May 25 last with authorized capital of s1.0Oo.0OO and a subscribed capital of $1.0OO, and the International Arms & Fuse Co, incorporated on June g in the state of New York with an authorized capital of $1,500,000 and a subscribed capital of $a,00o.
 On June 19 they got fuse contracts from the Canadian Shell Committee to the value of $2.2. 900, 000. The day the contracts were awarded the Shell Committee advanced them $2, 165 900.
 Shortly afterward MT. Yoakum as- s0cIated himself in a partnership formed between Colonel Allison. Gen. era1 Hughes agent and friend and Eugene Lignanti, a member of the or-i chestra in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Montreal. The partnerships secured contracts from the Canadian Shell Committee by which MT. Lgnanti was to- get s266.O0O and Colonel Allison and Mr. Yoakum $1,6eo,Ooo to divide between them. The musician quar- rrelled with Colonel Allison and with drew from the partnership upon pay ment of $50,000.
 Of the 5000, 900 fuses contracted for with the two American companies on June 19s MT Kyte charged that only 445,0O0 have been delivered.
 The alleged connection of Col. AL 1ison with these concerns while at the same time acting as the agent and adviser of Gen Hughes in the matter of war purchases and the fact that MT. Kyte produced a letter showing that the contracts were secured upon the order of Gen. Hughes himself has aln1osz created 9 Cabinet crisis here.
 A number of government supporters who formerly were opposed to an in- vestigation of shell contracts are de- nnanding the resignation of Gen. Hugh es. Last nights debate was ad- journed by the government, the Cab inet fearing to test it's strength in a division
 It was announced yesterday that Sir Robert Borden had cancelled his en- gagement to speak in New York the latter part of the week.
 Gen. Hughes is in England, but was cabled, yesterday by the government demanding an explanation of the charges.
 At the Burns & Bassick Go. plant lit was said that E.. w. Bassick is in the south and will not be in this city until Monday.