Evening journal., 1916-07-19
Dramatic Story of Powder Risks by Col. Buckner

dramatic manner. told Of his closing
Of the contracts amounting TO mill
lions Of dollars, with representatives
Of the Allied governments. His re-
cital. however, OF the great risks that
the company took in employing thou
sands Of new men to turn out these
contracts and OF the attempts made 10
have the powder, after being ready
for shipment, turned down by the in
spectors. by placing nails and other
foreign substances in It that may have
caused explosions was gripping.
( Colonel Buckner made an excellent
witness. and told without hesitation
on cross-examination of a gift he re-
ceived from the company in Apru,
1915. of a check for S250.000. and OF
his buying a large amount OF the
common stock OF the company in the
spring of 1915. after he had closed
large contracts.
The session this morning was one
Of the most interesting from the spec
tators' standpoint OF the entire trial
The court room was crowded early
and among those present was an un-
usually large number of handsomely
dressed women.
Mr.. Johnson, the chief counsel
for the complainants, was absent for
the first time today. and Il was said
he remained in Philadelphia to make
preparations for his argument. Will
liam A. Glasgow, Jr., conducted the
examination of all witnesses for the
complainants. Mr.. Johnson viii 60
on his vacation as soon as he finishes
his closing argument
This was the thirteenth day Of III,
trial and there has been taken about
laoo pages Of testimony.
Contracts IN Evidence
Before any witnesses were called thl
morning Mr.. Graham. Of counsel for th'
defendants. placed in evidence three cop
les Of contracts one with the Russian
rovernment. one with the English gov
crnment and one with the French gov
ernmcnt These contracts. which wer
not read, Mr. Graham said, were tvpicn
Of a great mass Of war contracts tha
were received.
Mr. Graham also placed IN evidence
a copy Of a telegram and letter sen
by the cOmplainants 10 stockholderi
previous 10 the annual stockholders
meeting this year The substance oi
these kilograms and letters was re
quest 10 stockholders 10 withhold
proxies until the court gave some de
cision in the suit They were signeI
by Philip l. dupont. Alfred dupont
Francis ]. DUPONT. Ernest dupont, z
Paul dupont and Archibald DUPONT
John j. Raskob. treasurer Of th
company was recalled to the stanC
He said in answer 10 questions frOr
Mr Graham. that representatives fror
the National City. Hanover, Coal an
Iron, Mechanics and Metal and Equ
table Trust Cnmpany all OF Ne'
York. who participated in the loan {
money to purchase the 7. c. duPoI
stock. could not be gotten here TO tel
t'fy because they we're sick. on the
vacations or away from New York Il
other reasons.
Mr.. Raslob said on cross-examini
tion that the plants. material and WI
p contracts were insured against To-
+, OF profits. although he was not su
as TO the insurance on material.
7 Mr.. Graham asked n the insuran
contracts were In writing. Mr R'
kob replied that the policies were.
q Mr.. Glasgow, addressing the col
i, said this was a matter they had ov
- looked and that he wanted to eXami
no objection to the production OF I
policies.
e Mr. Raskob. in answer to a questi
from Mr. Graham. said all the pc
cies were for possible loss by fire.
Explosions also" inquired NJ
Glasgow.
- mo only fire insurance policies
answered MIR. Raskob
At this point Mr. Glasgow said
would demand Of the defendants q
policies for the period beginniI
N January I. 1918. These policies we
" produced this afternoon.
I'D Colonel Edward c. Buchners a vic
president Of the powder company al
director OF the military sales depal
ment was called as the next witnee
ed today He said he was a direct
al. Of both the old and new compani'
The witness testified that he nego
~ ated the foreign contracts for mi
The tary powder and that the first &C
tracts made we're in the early fall
,,g.l 1914 The first contract Of any n
ment was with the French COVER
ment on October 10. 1914, for els
million pounds Of cannon powder a
two and one-half million pounds
tract was the entire capacity OF
military department OF the compa
IIu ANY more contracts after that.
lin said necessitated the construction
new plants and additions 20 plaI
The capacity OF the military depa
ment had been from ten to tive
oops million pounds year.
,ha Colonel Buckner testified that
until March Is. 1915, the total m
D ln tary contracts had amounted to >
cling 600 600. and of this amount ao
anel s23. 600 900 had been paid in adval
The witness explained that up TO
aho time an advance Of fifty cents on
unc- dollar had not been demanded on
no contracts. He recalled one cont
mme on which only 25 per cent. was !
in advance. and another OF which
ac- 40 per cent was paid.
X OF Colonel Buckner in answer 70 q
,und tions from MT. Grsham. .ola 81
thing OF the great advances that
made in various materials used
the manufacture Of different kind
explosives. For instance, he tol
~ the advance Of acid from Sl4 TO
,vere per ton.
49, colonel Buckner testified that
=, was present al the directors NEE
OF March s. 1915. and voted ag'
/, ~ the resolution for the company TO
from p. S. DUPONT and associates
T c. dupont stock, because he
- not think IL right for a compan
-, speculate with its own stock.