The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-01-16
Pennsylvania
CHAPTERS SEEK TO
u DELAY TRIAL

Harrisburg. Pa, Jan. 15.-The ill.,
ness OF James M. Shumaker, of Johns
town, Former superintendent OF grounds
and buildings. has been seized upon
by the defence rs an excuse do de-
lay in the trial Of the II alleged state
caiptol grafters in the Dauphin county
court on january "a. ~
Counsel for Shumaker will go into
court and ask that the cases in which
Shumaker Is involved be continued, so
far as he is concerned, on the ground
that his physical condition Is such
that he cannot stand trial DIR. Low
man, OF Johnstown, Shumaker's family
physician, will be here to testify to
his condition.
Shumaker is under indictment under
30 charges OF conspiracy to cheat and
defraud the state in the trimming
of the capitol. He is accused of having
failed to audit the bills OF the con-
tractors. and also of having accepted
the certiflcation Of Architect Huston
that the work was up to the specihca-
tions. "A -l"
Fight Against Delay.
Counsel for the prosecution VIII re-
sist vigorously the effort to continue
the cases SO far as Shumaker Is con-
cerned. unless IL Is proved to their
abstraction that his condition is such
that 1t is, impossible for him to APP
pear for trial.
II is suspected that IL a continuance
is granted in the case of Shumaker,
then counsel for the other defendants
win ask for delay on the ground that
Shumaker Is a material witness for the
defense and that 1t is impossible to go
ahead without him.
Shumaker was seized with neuritis
last summer about the time he was
to have been called to testify for the
Capitol investigation commission. and
has since been confined to his residence
at Youngstown.
Friends Say He's o. X.
Ills friends here who have seen and
talked with him the last month say he
is getting better daily and that his
condition is not so serious as to prevent
him from coming here for trial on jan
uary q. II he were so disposed.
Attorneys for the prosecution say
they can go ahead with the trials with
out Shumaker, and under no condition
will they consent to a continuance In
the cases against the other defendants.
II is evident that. counsel for the de-
fense are not ready to go ahead with
the trials, and that Shumaker's illness
has been seized Upon as an excuse for
delay. in order that more time may be
had to prepare a defense that will fit
erS.
Furniture Case First.
1t is believed that one of the furniture
cases, No. 239, viii be tried first. This
includes all the furniture bought at $751; G
per foot" being 65 sofas, so oblong tables.
"a oval tables, 80 round tables, seven
square tables and III clothes trees. The
total charge to the state was $49,4 AIT. so. The
alleged real value was $50, 100. 40, making an
o~vercharge of $19.S0 40. mostly for air
space.
The other cases are No. $40, involving
ZI2 desks, costing SCI, 94S.2 Z, and an approx
mate o~vercharge of $4,000: No. 235, chan
deliers. alleged overcharge $4,000: No. PAL
bronze standards, alleged overcharge,s25.
600: No. 242, marble, alleged o~vercharge
$4,000.
Harry Sanderson, Of Philadelphia, 6
brother OF the contractor and chief trim
mer," Is here with a corps of assistant:
measuring the furniture supplied by tn,
defendant. Wallis Boileau, of Philadel
phia, one of the defendants, was also herr
examining the lighting fixtures. Boilea,
and Sanderson were gathering data to b.
used by tho defense.