The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-10-17
STARTLING GRAFT
STORY TOLD IN HEARING AT
PHILADELPHIA.
When Abe English, His Relatives and
Associates Were Brought UP
Fer Hearing.


Philadelphia, Pa, Oct. IA start
ling story of graft was told today by
witnesses for the commonwealth at
the hearings of the men accused Of
conspiring to cheat the city in connec-
tion with the construction Of the small
police hospital, A. L. English, former
director OF public safety; Phillip John
son. the architect Of the work and
brother-in-law of Israel W. Durham,
Republican leader; Henry E. Baton
and John w. Henderson, contractors
and James d., Finley, cousin Of Dur.
ham and inspector OF tho work.
/ The hearing, which was held before
Magistrate Eisenbrown. In the city
hall, was mot finished and will 60 on
to morrow, but In the testimony TAX.
en- all allegations were made Of graft
to the extent Of $4,000 in a contract
Involving $143,700.
Here are some of. the facts about
the smallpox hospital contract and its
fulfilment and about the Ave defend.
ants which were established by wit
nesses:
Abraham l.. English awarded the
contract, not to the lowest bidders
Doyle &c Doak-but to the highest
Henderson & Co, with English's
knowledge and approval, SO arranged
the details of mixed up bid, that
the sum they got for finishing the
hospital according to that bid was
considerably more than they asked for
completing the work, exactly the same
work done under the terms OF the bid
They also made up their bid so that
l xvo xrtit Lob % "a
as supervising architect, almost exact.
ly set up" the appropriation for the
work and they did the work SO that
another appropriation with chance for
more profit, would be necessary In
the future.
They substituted maple flooring for
concrete flooring; 13 inch exterior
walls for 18 inch walls: iron columns
in the interior for solid brick walls;
plaster or metal frame work for tiles
a cheap, inferior system of sewage
for a complete modern system, and
made other strange changes.
Philip III. Johnson, It was declared,
radically altered the plans upon which
the bids had been made, three months
after the contract was awarded to
Henderson & Co., changing the style
u
pensive to the contractors and at the
same time impairing the quality Of the
building.
He later certified to the city con.
troller, according to witnesses that
the work had been done by the con.
tractors in Accordance with the terms
of the plans and knew that they were
paid accordingly
Witnesses charged that Henderson
& Co. did not even do the work ac-
cording to, the second, or secret plans,
made by johnson. They skinned
the building everywhere possible, put
ting in inferior materials and work
manship. "The wind whistles through
it's walls this very day." witness
said
The chief witness for the prosecu-
tion was w. Bleddyn Powell, city arch
itect. Most of the damaging points
against the defendants were given by
him. At the request of Mayor Weaver
he had made an exhaustive probe OF
the contract and the work.
Former Mayor Ashbridge, in whose
administration the contract was made
also was on the stand.
Tomorrow the heads of the Republi
can organization, Israel w. Durham
and James p. McNichol are to be call
ed to the stand. Ex-Judge Gordon,
counsel for Mayor Weaver, hopes to
prove that they were identified with
Henderson e. Co