Evening star., 1936-09-11
j. s. S.|NVEST|GATES
SABOTAGE ON SHIP
Fire on Cruiser Indianapolis
Traced to Nails in
Power Cable.

The Navy Department is investiga-
ting an act of sabotage which recently
short-circuited electrical cables Of its
big cruiser, the Indianapolis, during
overhaul operations at the New York
Navy Yard.
A small fire on the warship August
Is has been traced to short-circuited
section of power cable into which
were driven phonograph needles and
nails, the department announced to-
day. President Roosevelt took a trip
on the indianapolis in 1888.
No arrests have been made. It is
said thorough inquiry is being made
by Naval Intelligence officers and
special agents of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation.
Sabotage of identical nature caused
a $250,000 fire aboard the battleship
Colorado in 1891. The perpetrator of
the act was not found.
The Indianapolis is the third OF
the Navy's new cruisers to meet with
a mysterious accident during the last
year, although in the other cases the
Navy did not directly attribute them
to sabotage.
Two Fires on Quincy.
Two electrical fires broke out
aboard the Quincy while she was
under construction at the Fore River
shipyards, in Massachusetts,, and in
each instance short circuits were
blamed More recently, one of the
Quincy's turbines was found to have
been stripped by large bolt which,
either by accident or design, was
dropped into the sealed gear case.
Only short time ago an electrical
fire slightly damaged the cruiser
Vincennes, sister ship of the Quincy,
now under construction at Fore River.
The department issued this state
ment:
"On August rs, a small electrical fire
occurred in the U. s. S. Indianapolis,
which ship has been undergoing over
hauling at the New York Navy Yard
since June 10. A preliminary exami-
nation of the electrical leads and Ca
bles indicated no evidence of sabotage.
However, the defective cable was re-
moved on September 8 and new one
installed.
"a routine test indicated nothing of
particular significance, but high
potential test indicated serious defects
due to short circuiting of the cables
by phonograph needles and nails.
This case has been under investi-
cation by the naval authorities at the
New York Navy Yard. All details
have not yet been developed. No ar
rests have been made"
Laning Directs Inquiry.
Rear Admiral Harris Laning, COM
mandant of the Sd Naval District and
the New York Navy Yard, is supervis-
ing thorough investigation. He is
being assisted by Capt. Charles A.
Dunn, manager of the New York Navy
Yard.
Naval officials here said civilian
Navy Yard employees have been over
hauling the cruiser. Officials here
pointed out that the bluejackets are
not permitted to make repairs of q
major nature while the ship is in
port, due to the labor laws of the
United States.
Early in June the indianapolis came
around from the West Coast, carrying
Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn, now COM
mander- chief of the United States
fleet, aboard the U. s. s. Pennsylvania,
who came to Washington to confer
with Admiral william H. STANDBY,
chief Of Naval Operations, prior to
taking over that assignment. Admiral
Hepburn then was vice admiral and
commander of the Scouting Force.
1See SABOTAGE page 1-27