Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-23
AIR OF SECRECY
IS KEPT ABOUT
DEPOT SCANDAL
Score More Arrests to Follow,
Probers Report, After
Secret Hearings
HOMES ARE SEARCHED
Score of Arrests to Come in
Short Time, Say L. S.
Agents

An air of secrecy was added TO-
day to the probes into alleged mis-
appropriations of Government sup
plies from the New Cumberland
Army Reserve Depot. Closed hear
ings were conducted last night and
to-day by War Department and De-
partment of Justice agents in Of
! fices of United States Marshal Har-
ivey Z. Smith
No arrests, in addition to that OF
! William A. Stringer, superintendent
| of storage at the depot, will be made
until after check has been made on
the supplies and books of the depot.
An agent of the Inspector Generals
! Department arrived in the city with
! in the last twenty-four hours and
will at once start to check up the
books of the depot.
J Movements Are Slow
! 1t is understood that information
already in hands of the Investigators
! involve almost n score of persons.
| Department of Justice and War De-
| partment agents, however, necessar-
| lily are moving slowly in the probe
and it is not expected that any ar
! rests will be made until after the
examinations of accounts by the
agent of the Inspector Generals De-
partment.
Soldiers, officers and enlisted men.
together with civilians, are under
stood to be involved i'm the fraud
Not alone are the persons from the
Harrisburg district. but some are in
widely-scattered sections of the coun-
try.
Two of the four officers in charge
of the New Cumberland post, have
been relieved of their duties. pend
ing further investigation into the
situation. 1t would not be surpris-
ing, it was limited to-day, If an en-
tire new corps of officers would be
in charge of the administration of
the depot.
Records Poorly Kept
No definite information as to the
extent of the misappropriations has
yet been announced by the investi-
gators. Records at the depot are
understood to be in a bad condition
and definite information may not be
available for some time, it was said
to-day.
1t was announced to-day that sew
eral city houses had been searched
and that considerable quantity of
property had been recovered.
William A. Stringer, of Minnea-
polls' MINI, superintendent of stor.
age at the New Cumberland Army
reserve Depot, who is charged with
transportation of vast quantities
of goods stored there, was yesterda y
afternoon held in S2,500 bail for his
appearance at United States District
Court.
StrinSer's preliminary hearing wa =
held before United States Commis-
sloner John A. f. Hall in the Federal
courtroom in the Post Office Build
ing. His hearing before Unite States
District Court will be held in Scran.
ton on March 10. at
+. NJ. kemon, of the Department
OF Justice, was the first witness call
ed at yesterdays hearing. He tosti-
fled to finding a quantity of blankets
canned goods, leather jenkins and
other equipment in the locker of l.
Il. Seitz, superintendent of the do
partment of mechanical euuipment
Seitz testified that these had been
given him by Stringer and was cor
roborated in this testimony bv q
A. Greenhill, also connected with tbe
department of mechanical eouin-
ment. Colonel G. A. Simonds H.
next witness called, testified to fha
irregularity of Stringer's acts in civ
ing away Army equipment.
No further arrests have been made
but it is expected that other men,
both civilians and soldiers. will he
taken into custody.