Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-09-19
WILL ARREST
BIG GRAFTERS
PENNSYLVANIA CAPITOL GRAB
BERs IN DANGER
FOURTEEN PROMINENT MEN TO
BE PROSECUTED
Millions Spent for Furnishings for New
BuiIding-Some of Accused
Hasten to Answer
Charges
Rv Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
HARRISBURG, Pa, Sept. B.-Warrants
for the arrest of fourteen persons invoiVsd
in the state capitol scandal were Issued
today by two Harrisburg aldermen on In
formation furnished by Attorney General
Dodd. Each of the defendants is charged
on several counts with conspiracy TO
cheat and defraud the state by making
false invoices, and four of them are also
charged with obtaining money under false
pretenses.
Following Is list of the men for whom
warrants were issued: Joseph M. Hus-
ton, architect, and his active assistant
Stanford B. Lewis, both of Philadelphia; |;
John III. Sanderson, Philadelphia, cnler
contractor for furnishings; Congressman
H. Burt Cassel, Marietta, Pa, treasurer
and executive officer of the Pennsylvania
Construction company contractors LOT
steel filing cases; James Fl. Shumaker,
Johnstown, Pa, former superintendent of
public grounds and buildings, who re-
ceipted for the furnishings; George f..
Payne and his partner, Charles G. Wet
ter, both of Philadelphia, builders OF the
capitol and contractors for the $SO3,OOO
attic: William P. Snyder, Spring City, Pa,
former auditor general, who approved the
warrants of the contractors; William l..
Mathues, Media, Pa. former state treas
urer who paid the bills of the contractors;
Charles f. Kinsman. Wallis Boileau' Jonn
G. Neiderer and George K. Storm, all of
Philadelphia, stockholders in the Penn
Bronze company, organized by Sanderson
for the manufacture of the $2,0O0,000 light
ing fixtures; Frank Irvine, auditor in the
auditor generals Office, who audited the
accounts of the contractors.
Prominent Men Involved
The men for whom warrants were issued
include all of eighteen firms and persons
mentioned by the investigation commits
sion in its report to Governor stuart as
being involved lin the capitol contracts
with the exception of Frank G. Harris
former state treasurer, and Edward H.
Hardenberg, former auditor general, both
of whom were members of the board of
grounds and buildings that awarded the
Cassell contracts; George c. Keim, book
keeper in Shumaker's office and the pres
ent deputy superintendent of grounds and
buildings, and the International Manufac-
turer and Supply company, an alleged
dummy bidder against Sanderson.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept 1s,-The arrests
are based on the report made to Governor
Stuart by the commission created by the
legislature to investigate the capitol scan
dal. They VIII be foflowed by civil suits
for the recovery of q portion of the S9,00O,-
900 collected by contractors for the fur
nishing and equipping of the capitol.
In its report, made public about a month
ago, the commission named eighteen per-
sons and firms as being involved In the
capitol contracts and recommended prose
cution of any and all persons concerned
in the fraudulent transactions, named
specifically, and all persons who may be
directly or Indirectly involved.
John H. Sanderson and Joseph M. Hus-
ton of this city left for the state capital
at 1O:3o a. m to appear before a magis-
trate Both were accompanied by coun-
sci. Both had spent the summer away
from home during the investigation OF the
fraud charges, and only returned to this
city yesterday to await the summons.
Illusions commission as architect for
the capitol commission for the construc-
ton of the building and of the board of
public grounds and buildings, by which
1t was furnished and equipped, amounted
to S5250O0. Huston collected all of his
commissions except $104,000. which State
Treasurer Berry refused to pay on the
ground that there was evidence of fraud
and colusion in his transactions with the
board. Huston was one of the foremost
architects of Philadelphia.
One Gets Five Millions
John II. Sanderson of Philadelphia col
lected more than $5,525, 900 for lighting fix
lures, furniture, marble and mahogany
wainscotings and other furnishing of the
building. The state still owes him $780,
900 for furnishings which State Treasurer
Berry refused to pay on the ground that
there was evidence of fraud In the con-
tracts Sanderson's son served as an aid
on the military staff of Governor Beaver.
aff In nv
posure of the capitol scandal and has
since been spending most of his time in
New York.
CONGRESSMAN H Burd Cassell Of Mari
eta is treasurer and executive officer Of
the Pennsylvania Construction company
which has had a monopoly of the con-
tracts for metal furniture for the state
department for ten years or more. Cas-
sells firm collected $2,000,000 from the state
for steel filing cases for the capitol. Cas-
sell is one of the Republican leaders of
Lancaster county and he was elected to
ongress from that county five years ago.
He served three terms in the state legis-
lature.
How They Are Implicated
James M. Shumaker of Johnstown, Pa,
was superintendent of grounds and
buildings during the construction and
equipment OF the capitol he receipleu
for the capitol furnishings without ques-
ton, and upon his certificate and that Of
Architect Huston the bills for these fur
nishings were paid. Shunaker was taken
i'll about the time he was to be called
as a witness in the investigation last
summer and has since been physical
wreck George F. Payne and Charles G.
Wetter are members of the firm of George
F. Payne & Co. of Philadelphia, con-
tractors for the construction of the
capitol.
This firm was also the contractor for
the board of public grounds and buildings
for fitting up the attic of the building.
for which it collected from the state
$500, 900. William P. Snyder as auditor
and member of the board of pub
lie grounds and buildings approved the
warrants of the capitol contractors. Mr..
SNYDER was also a member of the capitol
building commission and was the only Of