New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-19
STATE CAPITOL SCANDAL.
EASTON's FRIENDS WORKING TO PRE-
VENT AN INVESTIGATION

A REPORT THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL SUSPEND
EAsroN IF THE SENATE DOESN'T ACT
rARpY SUSPENSION OF TURNER
my TELEGRAPH TO THE 'TnBuSEl
Albany, April 1S-A subcommittee Of the Sen
ate Finance Committee, consisting Of Senators
Higgins. Harrison and Koehler, has finished an
inquiry into the Department OF Public Buildings
70 ascertain whether or not there ras been SUI
fcient wrongdong there TO warrant an nvesti-
cation by the Senate, and they have made re-
port to the Finance Committee Just what the
RI 7rt is cannot be ascectained. The members
of the committee who could be seen would CIV"
70 information as to what had teen the outcome.
Senator Higgins said that the Finance Commit
tee would report to the Senate on Tuesday. Sen
ator Koehler said he knew nothing about re-
rort. Koehler is the Democratic member of the
sub committee. and he has not been considered
in the investigation which was conducted on
two evenings by Senator's Higgins and HARRISON
who visited Superintendent Eastons office and
saw whatever vouchers Easton cared to produce
There Is considerable speculation here as to
what will be the report Of the committee to the
Senate /. seems to be the impression that an
investigation will be ordered, although Easton's
friends are working hard to prevent it. Senator
out Of the scandal for the party would be to
have Easton resign. Party leaders here are
taking the stand that an investigation might
injure the party and they want to get Eastoh
to send his resignation to Governor Black Then
they hone the matter will be dropped From an
authoritative source 1t was learned to-nighl
that Eastons appointment was only at tne
pleasure of the Capitol Commission, ana thaI
he can be replaced at any time. :,
The publication of the extravagant expendi-
lures Of Easton's department in Inc tribune
has caused a sensation in Albany None Oh 'iic
papers here have printed anything bearing on
the scandal except THE Press KnickerbocKer,
which was the first newspaper to expose the
condition of affairs In this department., anu
Barnes's paper, 1.-THE Evening Journal when
has undertaken to defend Easton on the ground
that he has done worse than his predecessors
In Office, and that If he has done anything Wrons
tho Capitol Commission, the Governor, the Lieu
tenant Governor and the Speaker, who accepted
the payrolls and the Legislature. when apprq-
priated the money, were equally TO blame J,
does not appear, however, that the Capitol
Commission passed upon the Harris q herman
bills for carpenter work. or upon other ex,rava
CANT and Sc emingly unnecessary EXPENDITURES
heretofore alluded to in detail in The tribune.
As a result of the publication in The tribune
last week of the affidavit relative 10 the ma
ninulotion Of the payroll of the State House Dy
Easton's subordinate, Turner, Easton has sus-
pended Turner pending. as he says, an eXamiha-
ton By the Capitol Commissioners. barnes
journal" In speaking OF Iurner naust
Turner a few days before The Tribune prlnteu
the Olvette affidavit, and that he then sus-
pended Turner The fact that the al,eseo T
was committed over year ago and that Iurh-
er's suspension did not take place until ATE. ai,ea
the affidavit was in the hands or me Ir Uo.n
onrroenondent ia significant The Capitol Com
mission. so far as can be learned has done notn-
ing toward investigating Turner. ii any a.
TEMPT is made to make scapegoat OF ul ny,
those who know him say that something VIII
drop , A.. -, trarria G. Ker-
NON the carpenters who have already received
n''or SI5 0GO from the state for work, most OF
v,bicb could have been done by the force unuer
49,, Voc hoen telling many persons lately
thai the State owes him money. AS ne SENS so ~
have been anxious for the Special Denc . 40,
AnnronrIation bill of $4,000 for Eastons oe
nartr,ent IA become a law. he may expect
chunk of the money. - ~ .hat Governor
-, me S,'oh uorred over this scandal, that ne
e waiting for the Senate Finance Coti,lll'. In
n move and that in case nothing IS uonS NC w."
suenend Easton and otherwise act IN the MAI
bimself