Evening star., 1934-06-10
ARMY MAN ADMITS
CUT ON AUTO COST
Officers at Camp HoIabird
Says Officers Received
240o Discount.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The special House committee in
vestigating irregularities in the pur-
chase Of Army supplies was told
yesterday that officers had bought
Chevrolet passenger cars at "a per
cent discount.
Purchasers of these automobiles
were attached to Camp Holabird, Md.
where all specifications for Army
trucks and other automobiles originate,
and where some machines. bought
piecemeal are assembled.
The witness who gave the commit
tee the information was Lieut.. Walter
T. Wilsey, who finally conceded he
was through" and would buy no
more Chevrolets at the dealers price,
"a per cent under list.
Bought One a Year.
He said he had bought "at least
one Chevrolet year" since 1929, and
two in 1888. But he explained:
Col. Edgar s. Slayer, then in
command at Camp Holabird. told me
to contact a man at Flint. They had
some agreement by which men could
get cars at a discount. A number of
officers got them; 1 wasn't the only
one. 1t was generally known that
If you wanted an auto you could
get it
Asked to name the "other officers"
he gave the names of Capt. Barnett"
and Lieut." GuStaf Vogel.
After more than four hours of ques-
tioning, however, Wilsey said he was
not positive" that both Capt Barnett
and Lieut.. Vogel had gotten discounts.
But he said he understood that Col.
Slayer bought Chevrolet and gave
it to his son.
He was questioned closely about his
account" deposit of $500 made in April.
at the same time that he had a Joint
account with his wife.
II am quite sure I can explain it."
he said. If can have time to look
into it."
Saw Nothing Wrong.
Wilsey said he saw nothing wrong
with the transaction at the time; that
he had no connection whatever with
the drafting of specifications; that he
had done nothing criminal"
In 1888. he said, he was ordered to
Flint, Mich. here the Chevrolet fac
tory is located. to inspect Is automo-
biles being bought for the National
Guard. The inspection was COM
pleted in four or five hours.
s.v0,, found thopo n ay,l CO 20
ported?" asked Chairman Rogers.
Yes, sir" Wilsey answered, adding:
There was nothing wrong with
them. They met the specifications
and were OK"
And then you bought a new car
at a discount? You paid $437.50 for
car the list price of which-it was
a 1888 Chevrolet coach-was s515
without equipment, f. o. b. factory,
Flint. Mich.?"
Yes, sir"
War Department Listed.
The bill of sale for that vehicle,
Rogers said. originally was made out
to the War Department" but Wilsey
insisted 1T shouldn't have been"
DO any other companies give dis
counts to oficers?" asked Representa-
tive Goss, Republican, of Connecticut.
Il imagine you could get it," Wilse2
replied.
Have you ever tried to get a dis
count from another company?"
mo, sir. We thought we we're
saving money by getting cars at a
discount, but had no thought of a
criminal arrangement or of anything
like that"
In September, 1881. Wilsey said,
he also bought new Chevrolet at
Flint, paying s470 for it. In March,
1882. he asserted, he bought repre-
sentative's car" which had been
driven about two months, at Balti-
more. paying Sass for it.
Rogers inserted in the record a
statement showing that car was val
ued by the Baltimore dealer at
$685. %, the balance of the $465 COM
prising freight and accessories
Early this year, Wilsey asserted, he
bought another new Chevrolet at the
usual discount It developed a faulty
motor. which was replaced without
cost in April, Wilsey testified. He
added that was before the guarantee
period on the machine expired.