Smyrna times., 1908-02-12
URGED HUSTON TO
"WHITEWA JOB
Lewis Exposes Attempted Frame
Up of Capitol Trimmsrs.
PENNYPACKER BROUGHT IN

Harrisburg. Pa, Feb. S.-The trial
Of the contractor and three former
state officers charged with conspiracy
in the furnishing of the new capitol
took a sensational turn when Stanford
B. Lewis, assistant to Architect Hus'
ton, declared with dramatic earnest
ness that Huston's letter to former
Attorney General Carson, explaining
his part in the contracts. had been
prepared at the suggestion of former
Governor Pennypacker, former Audi
tor General Snyder, one of the defend
ants, and Mr. Carson. and that it was
misleading" and intended to be a
. "whitewash."
Lewis was being subjected to a
grilling cross-examination by Mr.. Gil
bert. of counsel for the defense, about
the letter, and when asked if certain
statements made by Huston were true,
the witness demanded the right to ex-
plain the circumstances under which
It was written.
Rising in his seat and speaking,
with right hand raised above his head,
he told a story which astOnished every
one in the crowded courtroom except
the lawyers for the commonwealth.
According to Lewis story. when it
came to HustOn's turn to write an an
swer to Mr.. Carson. Lewis was tele-
phoned to come to Harrisburg by Pen
nypacker and Snyder, and that the let
ter was prepared at a conference with
of nd hn af-
tornev general to "dOvetail" in with
others prepared by state officers con-
nected with the construction and
equipment of the capitol.
He declared the achitect believed
at that time that everything had been
carried out with strict fidelity to CON
tract Relying upon the representa-
tions of all interested persons that
everything was straight" Huston
wrote the letter
Mr.. Gilbert had Lewis identify the
Huston letters and then forced the
witness to admit that the architects
statements to the effect that he had
weighed and measured articles of fur
niture for the capitol were practically
Lewis said: when the letter Of Mr.
Carson was written to us. of which
this is an answer. we were proud of
the building we had so much to do
with. and we wrote that letter. I my
self was called upon the phone by
Auditor General Snyder and the gov
ernOr of this state. l went myself
personally to Harrisburg and went
over that letter with the auditor gen
eral and with the governor.
81 have endeavored to explain the
conditions under which this letter was
r written" said Lewis when Judge
Kunkel had Overruled Mr.. Gilbert's
objection that Lewis had no right tC
explain the letter. 'It was written al
a time when l had no knowledge OF
any of the indictments as they had
been brought to this court
"As 7 said already, we were proud
of this building, and when I was called
on the phone to see the state officers
Auditor General Snyder and the gov
ernor, to go over this letter, the onl!
purpose was that it was to be more O.
less of a whitewash to protect thu
great building which we had been in
strumental to a certain extent, in get
ting up in this town.
"The statements made in that lette
are not in accordance with what W
did They were made to dOvetail il
with the letters written by the othe
officials, signed by the auditor genera
and the governor on one side. an
General Snyder and the other official
and ourselves on the other"
Mr.. Gilbert then asked Levi
If certain sentences of the lette
were written for the purpose of mi
leading the attorney general Levi
replied:
81 went to Harrisburg myself an
saw the auditor general. Mr.. Snyde
and the governor in conference, an
also Hampton L. Carson, went owe
this subject many times in detail
anal consider that the letter we wrot
was written at time and under IL
conditions that. although the stat
ments in some cases may be mislea
ing, they are true in their general i
lGnl, do ldt dS We are concerned, al
cover our contract and our feelings
this matter as expressed at that tin
without any way whatsoever inten
ing to mislead the attorney general
the state or to make an impressiC
other than that stated at that time. I
intent whatever"
The letter to which Lewis referr,
was one Of a series written duril
Noveml.~ a~1 December 1906. in ]
sponso Carson inquiry into t
capitol scandal. Lewis was under
constant fire of questions by couns
for the defense.
Deadly Pork Chops and Cheese.
St Louis. Feb. Mrs. Lulu I
found dooI IN, bo1 -