The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-01-28
sANDERsoN AND OTHER AZ.
LEGGED PLuNDERERs OF PENN
sYLvANIA ARRAIGNED.
LOOT WAS GREAT
Men on Trial In Pennsylvania Arc Ac-
NJ cused Of Robbino the State Of NIL
lions in the Building Of the New
State Capitol Huston ls Expected
to Turn States Evidences.

$4G3
Harrisburg, Jan. u. Not since the
trial Of United States Senator NJ. s..
Quay, 10 years ago for conspiracy to
wreck a Philadelphia bank, has there
been such interest in a tria. as has
been manifested throughout Pennsyl-
yania in the proceedings brought to-
day against the men charged with con
spiracy to loot the state treasury In
connection with the construction and
furnishing the state capitol building.
Since the revelations of nearly two
years ago, in which some OF the fore
most men Of the state were involved,
the imposing white marble structure
on capitol hill with its ornate sur
roundings, furnishings and frescoes
has been point Of great interest to
curiosity seekers and citizens gener-
ally.
Excursionlsts have come from all
over the state inspired by a desire to
see the bronze chandeliers alleged to
be loaded with tons d lead, the com
monplace furniture paid for at fab
ulous price "per FOOT and the paint
ing and frescoing for which there is
said to have been an overcharge Of
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars. The
trial Of the alleged conspirators Is pe-
ing conducted in the dingy old fash
ioned county court house and Its re-
sources have been stretched to the
limit to accommodate the defendants.
attorneys and newspa apsrs p!al correspond- g
ents. 8.
Immunity for Huston.
The feature Of the first day of the
trial Of the capitol prosecutions which
began in the Dauphin county court be-
for Judge Kunkle this morning, was
the agreement Of the commonwealth
to separate trial for Architect
Joseph M. Huston Tho common
wealth objected to the motions OF
Illusions four co-defendants for sep
arate trials which motions were over
ruled by the court.
The action of the commonwealth
in agreeing to separate trial for
Huston has given rise to rumor that
the architect will turn states evidence
and tell all he knows Of the alleged
frauds ii furnishings for the new
capitol. Counsel for the common
wealth decline either to affirm or deny
the rumors.
ss Kunkle Is Judge.
Judge George F. Kunkle, once
member. Of the legislature and now
commissioner on the Pennsylvania
benth, is presiding. The first Of the
ave conspiracy cases listed for trial
involves payments Of S49,417 for sofas,
tables and clothes trees. Items were
paid for the state a. the rate OF $1S.40
per foot. The commonwealth alleges
that frauds to the amount Of $19,S09
were perpetrated. The defendants IN
these Ave cases are Chief Contractor
j. H. sanderson and Architect J. NJ.
Huston. former Auditor General Will
lam P. Snyder. former State Senator
William l.. Mathues and James M.
Shumaker, former superintendent Of.
grounds and buildings.
n Sanderson supplied most Of the fur
niture Of the capitol. His contract
amounted to Sc, 5,487, ,S99, and his profits
i'll some Instances are alleged to have
been as much as 1000 per cent. Hus-
ton designed the building and furnish
,ings, his commissions amounting to
$421, ,831.
shumaker is accused OF having fall-
ed to audit the bills of Sand derson, and
Is also charged with having accepted
Huston's certihcation that the work
was up to the specifications and con.
tract. Mathues is adjudged to have
paid the bills for the contractors
without having them audited; Snyder
Is charged with non-performance Of
duty In not auditing the bills.
It Is reported that Huston would be
called as witness for the common
wealth against his four co-defendants
DR.. RANDOLPH HUNTER DIES
Was One Of the Founders Of Cooper
Medical College.