Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-11-02 | Page 1 | Glaring Frauds are Unearthed

HI FRAUDS ARE UKEAHTHEB t Congressman Appalled at Evidence Gathered in Camp Investigation. COLUMBUS, O., Nov. 1. Astounded by the mass of evidence tending to show that the government had been defrauded de-frauded of thousands, if not several millions of dollars, in the construction of Camp Sherman, Congressman Lewis C. McKenzie, Illinois, chairman of the congressional subcommittee which is investigating in-vestigating the camp construction, declared de-clared tonight that he will introduce a bill in congress making it treason to defraud the government in timo of war. Chairman McKenzie said he was certain, cer-tain, before entering upon the inquiry, that the government had teen defrauded defraud-ed in the construction of cantonments but that he never expected it to reach such gigantic proportions as arc in-, dicatcd by testimony given before the committee here. Congressman MeCullnugh said he is certain the. committee will furnish the department of justice ample evidence on which to base criminal prosecutions. That fifty Chicago professional crap shooters obtained positions as plumbers at Camp Sherman and were paid regular regu-lar plumber's wages of $8.25 per day, though they spent all their time "rolling "roll-ing the bones." was testified to today by Ben M. Clark, timekeeper for eon-tractors eon-tractors building the Cauip Sherman cantonment. Tin.', crapshooters made as much as $100 per day at their profession. pro-fession. Clark said. He said to his knowledge they never worked al plumbing plumb-ing a day. Clark also testified that hundred of men spent most, of their time shooting craps and playing poker and. that he himself had sat in poker games for three hours at a time when he was supposed sup-posed to be working.