The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-10-17
PLANS WE'RE CHANGED
Hearing in Conspiracy to Defraud
Philadelphia In Hospital Contract
Ex.MhYoR AsHsRIpeE ON STAND

Evidence Was Produced to Show That
the Building Is Paid For In Full, But
Is Not Completed - The Hearing
Continued.
Philadelphia. Oct. 14.-Charged with
conspiracy to defraud the Sity, Abrs-
ham l.. English former director OF
public safety: John w Henderson and
Henry e. Baton, members OF a con
tracing firm; Philip II. Johnson. an
architect. and James d. Finley a
building Inspector. were arroigned for
hearing before Magistr & Eisen'
brown. The prosecution was instituted
by Mayor Weaver and Is the result
OF an investigation made by w. Bed
dyn Powell. city architect, into the
construction OF one OF the buildings
of the new city hospital for contagious
diseases. The contract for the build
lng was awarded TO Henderson & co.
on March 6, 1903, the price being
sl42.70O
Samuel II. Ashbridge was at that
time mayor of the city Mr.. Ashbridge
and Architect Powell were the most
important Witnesses called at the
hearing. which was continued
Former Judge Gordon, special coun'
sol for Mayor Weaver, offered In evi.
dence the proposal submitted by Hen.
derson d co. The items included one
for the entire work, without thing, at
a cost Of $4,000; one for the work
with thing at Sl42700, and a third
without thing and with maple instead
Of masuc flooring at $4,000. 1t was
shown through documentary evidence
that Philip H. Johnson, the architect,
had been instructed TO draw up plans
for the building at a cost Of Sl42.7OO.
II was also shown that Mr. Johnson
had appointed James ID. Finley an In
spector of the work after the contract
had been awarded.
CITY Architect Powell produced the
original plans. which were dated Feb
ruary 6. 1903. and was shown another
set of Specifications for the same
building. which had been drawn by
Mr. Johnson on June l Of the same
year after the contract had been
awarded. Numerous changes had been
made in the second drawings, and Mr..
Powell said that his investigation de-
veloped the fact that even the revised
specifications had been disregarded by
the contractors. There was little thing,
he declared some OF the rooms were
not plastered. and where the specifca'
tons had called for brick walls, plas-
ter and expanded wire were used. In
stead OF mastic flooring the builders
had substituted maple in many Of the
rooms and corridors. Instead OF the
1Ol1l9 pounds OF steel only $4,000
mounds had been used Although the
contractors were paid in full for their
work. Mr. Powell said the building is
not complete.
Mr.. Powell testified also that the
grading about the hospital building
was done by inmates of the house OF
correction instead Of regularly EN-
ployed laborers.
Former Mayor Ashbridge said he
had approved the contract on the
recommendation Of Director English.
He was asked If he had signed an
agreement by which Mr.. Johnson was
to do the work for the city, and re
piled in the affirmative. He said also
that the work of drawing the plans
for the hospital building was given to
Mr.. Johnson before the agreement was
signed because it was customary TO
distribute such work among the vari'
GUS architects.