The Washington times., 1918-06-23
Nationwide PROBE
OF GRAFT IN ARMY
SUPPLIES LIKELY
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sergsants arrested until the inquiry Is
! completed. Whittiin and Terrett
were released under 5000 each.
The three mess sergeants are now
/ in the guardhouse, one Rts Camp
Humphreys and the others At wash
I ington Barracks. Col. H. II. Earle,
/ commandment OF Washington Bar
racks. admitted that the two mess
sergeants had been placed under ar
/ rest Thursday. Just when the three
soldiers WIN be tried by couTt-mar-
| tial has NOT, been determined The
indictments against the Washington
dealers within q few days.
Army officers stated that general
probe Is under way. The two mess
sergeants at Washington Barracks
have confessed to the crime. army
officers said. According to army Of
ncials the eommisesry agents charge
that 1t was the merchants who sug-
gested the scheme. Other details Of
their alleged confessions were with
held.
0fGeeEs Make Expose.
Two commissioned officers are re-
sponsible for the effort to stamp out
corruption in the eommisssry depart
menC Ten days ago Lieut.. Frank A
Stein CHANGED 10 overhear a CONVEX
sation between mess attendants in
his company OF the Fifty-sixth En-
gIneer Regiment. He started an in
vestigatlon until his suspicious had
been confirmed. Convinced that his
case was sufficient 20 warrant an in
vestigation Of wider scope, he re-
ported his discoveries to the COM
mandant. The War Department and
the Department OF Justice were in
formed OF the findings.
Colonel Earle stated that the mess
sergeants were kept under observa-
ton but not arrested at a request
ofSFederal Investigators. The Secret
Service men were determined TO make
the suspects run in o the trap. Every
transaction between the merchants
and the soldiers is being Investigated
acquisitions for supplies were signed
without question. But. when the
supplies arrived az the company
quarters. every article was weighed
and checked up. Federal agents
found many discrepancies. Il was
said.
GIarihE Instance.
One slaring example OF graft that
stood out in his memory, the post
commandant said, was an order for
ufty-pound bag OF beans. The bag
was ordered but never delivered. Colo
mel Earle averred. The mess ser
geants signed the receipts for the
beans, according to investigators. The
principal source of graft was in meats.
AS the meats were delivered in bulk.
the mess sergeants accepted the meat
without weighing It. Government
agents alleged that their checking
atye a. 4, - -
ference in the required weight and
the actual, weight
To clinch their case against the sus-
poets, the Federal agents held off or
arrests untir the deals were completed
All moneys for the payment OF goods
were allowed to be paid without aues-
tien. --.
Almost simultaneous with the dis
covering of corruption at Washington
Barracks. the Government agents
were called. to Camp Humphreys: Va.
where Capt. A. p. Witbeck. brigade
sdJutant OF the service battSlions at
he cantonment, unearthed another
source OF bribery. Soldiers complain
ing OF short rations were overheard
by Captain Witbeck. The camp COM
nandant sanctioned his request for
an Investigation.
brought In Trucks.
The supplies are brought from
Washington to the camp in army
trucks in charge OF the mess sergeant.
LAST Wednesday Captain Witbeck.
convinced that there was graft going
on, came to Washington in an auto
mobile. and without the knowledge
II the men detailed to the two trucks
that were to bring the supplies out.
saw the stun loaded and then fol-
lowed II back TO camp to make sure
that none OF 1t was being unloaded
on the way.
The mess sergeant was on the sec
oud truck. Captain Witbeck beat the
hrst truck into camp and had IL I'M
loaded and the supplies weighed. Dis
crepancies In weight on almost every
article were found. On meat orders
short weights OF as much as 100
pounds were found. Ninety dozen
eggs for which the Government pays
IS cents a dozen, that were on the
requlsition were not on the truck.
On the arrival OF the second truck
the mess sergeant was placed under
arrest.
The neNt morning Captain Witbeck |
came into Washington accompanied [
by a Lieutenant. and went to the two
dealers. The bills were paid and the !
receipts turned over to the officer I
who Immediately laid the cases before |
the nfstrict Aftornev