The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-03-30
D|SNNS OgEBCHABGES
President of BronzeCompanyThro
Blame on Sanderson.
LIGHT ON GLASS CONTRACT

Pennsylvania Paid for Baccarat Glass
and Received the Nodded Article
Although Architect Certified II Wa
the Former.
Harrisburg, Pa, March 2S.-Muci
of the glass In the electrical fixtures
If the new capitol was paid for by
the state before II was delivered. &C
cording to the testimony before th'
capitol investigating commission.
Pedro Salon, president of the Penn
sylvanla Brc<e company, and broth
er-in-law OF John III. Sanderson, testi
fed that this glass, for which the state
paid nearly $4,000 to John II. San
derson a. Co., OF Philadelphia, was
certified and paid for as BaccaraI
glass. and that instead 1t was nodded
glass cut. The glass was certified ia
by Joseph M. Huston. architect OF the
capitol. and James NJ. Shumaker. for
mer superintendent OF public grounds
and buildings.
When Mr.. Salon was asked about
the 100000 oyercharge on the Bac'
carat glass item he tried to dlsown
the responsibility and to throw II on
Sanderson. Senator DeWalt asked
what the glass had cost the company.
Salon replied $4,000"
The state was charged $4,000. +"
said Senator DeWalt.
THAT was not my fault" was the
reply. "Mr. SandersOn charged that.
The company sold the glass to the
John H. Sanderson Company. and he
sold 1t to the state"
"Sanderson." replied Senator De-
Walt, was the head OF the one firm
and held 30 per cent. of the stock In
the other It's all very queer"
Officers OF the Pennsylvania Bronze
company, sub-contractors for these
fixtures. testified that the glass was
furnished them by the Phoenix Glass
company of Monaco, Pa. They said
Baccarat glass was only "a type" and
that genuine Baccarat glass, which Is
imported from France, was used only
for tableware.
James Cameron. auditor OF the COM
mission. presented copies OF Sander
sons bills for the glass for the cleo
trical fixtures, which are certified to
by Huston and James NJ. Shumaker,
former superintendent of public
grounds and buildings.
The bills show that the article was
certified by Huston and Shumaker as
"Baccarat glass" and that all OF this
glass was paid for prior to April 4.
1906. or several months before much
OF 1t was delivered.
The testimony also showed that the
electrical fixtures throughout the
building, which the specifications pro-
vided should be of mercurial gold fin
ish and were paid for as such. were
lacquer. An expert bronze worker tes-
tilted that II costs considerably less
TO make the lacquer finish, and that he
knew of no mercurial gOld-hnished fix
lures being made in this country. This
testimony was given by former EN-.
ploye of the Pennsylvania Bronze
company. which furnished these fix
lures to Sanderson and who did much
of the work on the fixtures.
Testimony was also offered showing
how Sanderson had organized the
Pennsylvania Bronez company to fur
nish him with electrical fixtures. and
that after executing its contract 1t
was absorbed by another concern.
John f. Pole, OF Philadelphia, testi-
fed that he wanted bid on the eleetri-
cal fixtures and that Huston refused to
give him a copy of the plans. Huston
told Pole the plans were his personal
property. and would not allow them To
leave his Office or furnish blue prints
of them. Mr. Pole said II was i'm
possible to make an intelligent bid
without these plans. and he, there
fore, did not bid.