Milford chronicle., 1907-04-26
GANG" WANTED
THEIR RAKE OFF
Quarryman Tells Penna Capitol Prob
ers Why he Didn't Get Contract
HE REFUSED TO BOOST PRICES

Harrisburg Pa, April 24.-The fea-
ture of the hearing before the capitol
Investigating commission was the tes-
timony of sub-contractors under
George f. Payne & Company. general
contractors for the new capitol, that
Payne had rendered a number Of bills
on their Office stationery for extra
work on the building which they did
not recognize as having been made
out by members Of their firms Former
Judge Abraham Better, of Philadel-
phia. counsel for Payne. relieved a
number of false impressions that some
OF the bills had been padded by Payne
by having the witnesses explain that
part of their work was done on a su-
perlntendeRt's basis, for which they
were paid commissions, and that the
materials In question had been sup
piled, but not itemized as they appear
ed on the Payne bills. There was a
difference of more than $4,000 in
Payne's favor in one Of these bills
presented on the stationery of the sub
contractor. who furnished the work,
which was not explained.
The testimony of Jacob M. Shenk,
OF Lebanon, showed that the figures
which he quoted on serpentine marble
for the senate and house chambers
were too low to please Joseph M. Hus-
ton, architect of the capitol and Phil
ip H. Johnston, a Philadelphia archi- |
tect, and brother-in-law of Israel w.
Durham, former state insurance COM
I ~, T.,
gotiated with Joseph P. Reed for the
serpentine marble specified for the |
Wainscoting in the senate and house |
chambers. He told Reed that he
would furnish the smaller pieces for |
$40 a cubic foot and Sc for pieces s |
by feet in length Reed told Shenk
that he would have to make the price
SIS.
why did lie say that? asked Jas.
Scarlet. attorney for the commission.
,c;de sald that the gang had to be
Gxed.' l told him that didn't do bus;
ness in that way"
Whom did he mention as being the
gang?"
"He mentioned Philip H. Johnston,
a Philadelphia architect, among 9th.
ers."
Mr.. Shenk said Reed is now dead.
He said that Johnston and JOSEPH
M. Huston, architect for the capitol
visited the Berdolite marble district
but did not open a quarry. Later spec H.
ifcations for the serpentine marble
were changed and a cheaper quality
was supplied. j
A. Wilt, of Philadelphia. testified !
that he made birch doors for the capi- ]
tol, which were substituted for ma
hogany doors provided for in the ;
specifications. He said that a bill for
s734 purported to have been made out j
by him to Payne for work in the attic i
had not been rendered by him at all, '
although it was rendered on his bill Y
head. G
Senator Dewalt, a member of the 1
sprung a surprise by re-
calling the sub-contractor under Payne
for the plaster work of the capitol and
asking him if he had ever done any I
private plastering work for members h
Of the board of public grounds and 1
by which the capitol was O
furnished. The senator mentioned t
several names, but the witness declar- +
ed he had done no private work for Y
them. Then the name of T.. Larry
Eyre, Of West Chester, superintendent
Of the capitol building commission and =
also a former superintendent Of pub 9
lie grounds and buildings, was sug =
yested by Mr. Dewalt in the same re-
yard