Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-11-15
Disregarded
State Regulations For
Munitions Plants
SENATE HEARINGS GO On
Superintendent of 6-1-1
Says Alien Might Have
Caused First Blast

DO you not believe, Mr.. Yates. tha.
the excessive amount of shells in cars
on hand on the night of the explosion
constituted a menace to h lives of
the people and property in the vicin-
ity?" the senator asked.
The witness rs first replied in an
evasive negative. but pressed by the
senator, he admitted that the pres
ence there of the cars did constitute
a menace, the exact proportions Of
this depending Upon the size of shells
in transit. With this, the senator
been on the stand for nearly four
hours yesterday and today.
Just before the noon recess, ~the
committee ~nounc that 1t would
temporarily adjourn the hearing after
3 o'clock until some date next week.
Senator Frelinghuycen suggested that
the balance of the testimony, princi-
pally that available from company
employees to refute allegations, and
dispel any impressions that may have
been gained in previous evidence lean
ing toward negligence on the part of
the company, should be submitted
some day mex. week. This hearing
will probably be held In Perth Am
boy.
The committee on concluding ha
session intends to lake an inspection
lOuI. vi kAlC laA III a N
Counsel of the Gillespie plant on
hearing of the plan to adjourn today
told of h witnes-~aa yailsa}s eeoaaz
fifteen or twenty wise t~estfnoAe
would occupy only about ten to fifteen
minutes. This testimony. II was de-
clared, would substantiate claims OF
a perfect Organization at the plant.
H.EJ. Goldetein, one of the men en-
ployed in loading the car standing on
the siding adjacent 70 Unit 81
was called to explain the location OF
the car there. He said that only
about se~venty-fve shells were In 1t at
the time. and that 1t takes about four
hours to load a a with a capacity
ranging between 57S and 1000 shells.
Goldstein was IN the paint room of
the building when the blast occurred.
He says he was picked up unconscious
two hundred feet away from the build
ing and that he remained unconscious
more than two hours. The witness
| declared hts head had been ripped
open and he had sustained leg and
arm injuries.
SO far as is known, Goldstein who
il twenty-eight years old. is the only
man in the building a: the time or
the b'ast Who is alive. He knows moth
ing of toX or what happened. Every
thing, he declared, was a blank TO
him from $50 o'clock when "al the
machinery was running smoothly un-
til lie care too twH hours after the
blast.
Goldstein started work on July 2
| on a wage Of s27 a week. Three
months later, when the explosion oc-
Cured he was earning SAB. Prior 10
his employment he O been making
as a clothing salesman about $40 q
week.
The Afternoon Session.
With the exception of two. the wit
nesses examined at the afternoon SEES
sion which got under way at $3.50
o'clock and continued well past six.
were officials and employees OF the
| plant. There developed an incessant
run of figures, estimates and theories
but through 1t all was inserted a spice
and snap that bordered on the sensa-
tional testimony of the morning ses-
sion.
BIames Alien Enemy.
A thrill ran through the rowded
council chamber and eager ears
strained to hear the next words as
Herbert r, Leonard, superintendent or
Unit I'll. the first to go up, posi-
lively asserted that In his opinion an
allen enemy was responsible for the
catastrophe some alien enemy outside
| the personnel of the working force
under him with which he was in close
| touch. He sought to show In the
| course of his testimony that the ma
chinery of the Inflated unit had been
inspected but a few hours prior 70 the
blast. thai there were safety gauges
which automatically prevented the
| o~verheating of the kettles containing
amatol with disastrous results. ms
| precIuded the possibility OF the Gauss
| OF he explosion from that direction.
In short. Mr.. Leonard was con-
WINGED that the explosion was not inc
result of an accident. that the plant
had been purposely blown up. In an
swer TO Senator F~rellnguysen's ques-
ton Have o any reason TO suspecs
! anyone?" the superintendent repiled
in the negative.
How could an enemy alien have
started the fire % asked Senator FIRE.
linghuysen. -
ale could have placed some higr
explosive in tie kettle and thus de-
tonated the >ontents." was the reply:
"Couldn'e a kettle have detonateo
by overheating?" was asked.
At this point the witness descrtpei
the process of operation employed n
the plant which preciudes the posi-
buity from ovofheAtii.s.
Daily inspection CT the units ma
| chinery formed a routine matter, ee-
| clared the superintendent On me
| day of The explosion. he declared
had inspected the oulioings
( INIT. including the paddles employed
Kin the mixing of T. N. +. and nitrate
! ~ ammonia which produces the anna
| toll FOR shell loading. and found every
| thing in excellent condition. He LETT
the plant, as was his custom at the END
| IF his elEht-hour shift. at $3.50 o'clock
snd was in this city at 1885 o'clock
| when he first blast occurred.
CONTINUED on page 1o)