Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-11-25
Of
70 MILLIONS Of
DOLLARS ASKED
BY GOVERNMENT
Daugherty Files Civil Suits
Against Contractors Who
Constructed -Four Army
CantOnmGntS
ADDITIONAL ACTIONS
MAY BE FILED SOON
Complete Reports of a Spe-
ciaI Force of Auditors
Being Awaited by Justice
DeDartnent

Washington, NOV. 24--Ciyil
suits to recover more than $4,000
600, alleged by the government to
have been fraudulentIy expended
in the construction of Camps Up
ton, Jackson, Sherman and Fun
ston were instituted today by the
department of justice against the
contractors who were in charge OF
each project.
The suits were said in official
circles to be the initial step In q
campaign at law against war tinl
contractors who are suspected, OF
the basis of auditors reports, 90
have gone beyond the intent and
purpose of the authority given
lhem by federal departments.
Additional actions are in pros
pectrit was said, at the department.
of justice, as soon as complete
reports have been made by the
special force Of auditors which has
| been engaged for - months in an
analysis Of construction records.
/ Whether criminal action would b9
/ taken in any case, it was SAID,
would depend to @ degree upon the
results of the civil suits,
Unofficial estimates place the
total which might be expected 70
/ be recovered from all the con-
struCtion cases at between $4,000
GOO and sSO,OOO,000. In the cases
/ filed today. the government al
lledged that the Hardaway Com
( tracting company spent III excess
of $6,500,000 in building Camp
jackson, South Carolina; the
Thompson-St -Starrett company 81
900, 900 at Camp Upton, New York;
IA. Bentley IL Sons company,
$5,OO0,0O0 at camp sherman, Ohio.
and George A. Fuller & Co., $4,000
600 at Fort Riley, Kans. The
suits were filed at Charleston, s.
c.. Brooklyn, n. Y. Columbus, o.,
and Topeka, Kans., respectively.
Identic bills Of complaint We're
!. laid III each case, the principal ac-
/ ousation being that the contractor
5 violated a direct and intimate re-
Z lationshtp Of trust and confidence
in executing his contract while ~
was impossible because Of the en-
IigtiDg war emergency for the gov
ernneut to exercise normal super
vision and inspection of the work.
| As a result, .. is alleged, the con-
tractor stands indebted to the gov
ernment for money in the sums set
forth and for great quantities or
material, declared to have been
purchased on COVE ment credit
and misused.
"UnconsCiouablc Waste
The bill filed against the Bentley
company at Columbus charges
there was great and unconscicu-
able waste" Of the materials pur-
chased for Camp sherman. and
\ that the contractor sold to and
also purchased and re-sOld to the
defendant at a profit much ma
terial that was not needed in the
project. Further charges were
made that Large amounts of use
less and unnecessary work was
done in suCh a manner that
construction was retarded and
that workmeu "emplo. ed without
reference to skill, experience or
capacity" We're laid the same scale
of wages as skilled workmen and
artisans. As a result of delay IN
completion of Camp g. rman, the
government alleged, the cost waS
not enhanced but sickness and
death of some soldiers ensued."
Charges Of mismanagement
against this contractor included
also accusations tha' he permit
ed continual loafing. misdirection
of effort and sabotage per-
mitted, advised and caused large
quantities of lumber, cement hard
ware, tools and other tools and
equipment to be destroyed" and
that portions Of the project were
spb-let to other parties and the
cost added to the bills submitted
to the government.
Attorney General Daugherty said
every means would be used to
hasten the trial of the four suits.
The amounts sued for" he said,
represent what those who have
been continuously engaged in the
work of investigation and prepara-
tion believe couservatively the gov
ernment ought to recover. What
should be recovered will now be T.
matter for the courts to detef-
mine"