The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-30
STARTLING EVIDENCE
REV. SAMUEL G. HUSTON ON W.T.
NESS STAND.
Brother OF Architect WhO Drew Plans
Fer Capitol BuiIding, Tells How
Some OF Tbe Payments
Were Made.


Harrisburg. Pa, Jan. 2s.-4startling
testimony was given by shb Rev.
Samuel C.. Huston, of Philadelphia.
at the trial Of the conspiracy suits
against former Auditor General sny-
der. former state Treasurer Matthews.
Contractor J. II. isanderson and James
NJ. ShpEaakers former superintendent
Of Gh0uridR ana Buildings.
Huston Is d brother Of Architect
Joseph M. Huston. who was indicted
jointly with these four defendants and
secured separate trial with the con-.
sent Of the commonwealth. Rev. Mr..
Huston testified that during the archi-
tect's absence in Europe in The inter-
est OF the State, the Witness was
clerk. Before Huson went away, he
left architects certificates in blank
with his name signed to them. San
derson, who supplied the furniture for
the Capitol, called at the ONCE and
secured from the witness a certificate
which he said Snyder demanded before
issuing warrant for the payment OF
Sanderson's bill. The witness said
that Sanderson told him Shumalser
would approve the bill and that every
thing would be all right On this as
surance, Huston gave the certificate
TO Sanderson. This certificate Is at
tached to bill for furniture in the
indictment in the suit now on trial.
The commonwealth will now try to
prove that this furniture was contract
ed for under one item In Capitol fur
nishing schedule and paid for under
another item In this schedule.
Mr.. Huston was on the stand when
the court took a recess. Former Gov
ernor Pennypaclxer is here under sub
poena as a witness for the defense.
Stamford 81 Ia -
assistant TO Architect Joseph M Hus-
ton, who designed the State Capitol
and its furnishings. was a witness for
the commonwealth aagain today at
the trial Of the Capitol conspiracy
cases.
Lewis is one of the fourteen defen-
dants in the prosecutions. having been
indicted on two charges of conspiracy
involving t92,704. but has not yet been
tried. Lewis was called late yesterday
afternoon to explain the plans and
specifications prepared by Huston for
the furnishings OF the Capitol and also
to explain the quantities plan" upon
which orders were given at various
times for the furnishings. The "quan-
titles plan" is blue print showing
the amount and location of all furni-
ture in the Capitol.
Following the testimony of Rev. Mr.
Huston and that OF Lewis, to the eff
feet that the architect was expected
to certify only to the quality and not
to the quantity Of the furnishings, tn e
commonwealth had brought into court
and exhibited to the jury two Of the
sofas. a table and two clothes trees
supplied by Sanderson. for the Capt.
tol. under the per foot system" One
OF the sofas was measured for the in
formation OF the jury and was shown
to be six feet long. Sanderson billed
this sofa to the State at is feet. and
was paid at the rate of $3.50 per
foot" The other sofa measured 6 feet
and was billed and paid for as con-
tanning 1912 feet. The table had been
billed under item % in the schedule
at $3.50 per foot" instead Of under
4, at 5000" as called for by Sander
sons contract.
The clothes tree was billed as con-
tanning Ia feet, at $3.50. and should
have been furnished the commonwealth
claims, for 1856
Ephriam Oswald. a carpenter for the