Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-02-22
PENNYPACKER ON
WITNESS STAND
Admits he Didn't Know of Illegal
Payments to Capitol Trimmers.
HE, TOO, RELIED ON HUSTON

Harrisburg, Pa, Feb. 19.-Former
Governor Pennypacker was most
important witness at the state capitol
conspiracy trial In the Dauphln county
court. Mr.. Pennypacker was president
Of the board OF grounds and buildings
during the construction and equipment
OF the capitol.
His colleagues on the board were
former Auditor General Snyder and
former State Treasurer Mathues.
ltsJS~ -utIye officer was former Sup
49, .,dent Shumaker. The former
governor was called as witness for
these three former state officers.
MIR. Pennypacker told Of the selection
OF Joseph M. Huston. by the board TO
prepare the plans and specifications
for the capitol furnishings and of the
award OF the contract to Sanderson.
He said extraordinary precautions
had been taken TO safeguard the COM
monwealth In the payment Of the bills
by requiring the architect and the
superintendent OF grounds and build
ings to certify TO them and the con-
tractor 10 make oath To their correct
ness. He was asked II Huston was re-
CURED. under his contract with the
board. To supervise the manufacture of
the furnishings and whether il was his
duty to weigh and measure the furnish
ings.
Counsel for the commonwealth OBJ
jected on the ground that the contract
spoke for itself and that the former
governors testimony was not evidence
The objection was sustained by Judge
Kunkle and the defense took an ex-
ception. Mr. Pennypacker was not ex-
amined on the statement of Sanford
B. Lewis assistant to Huston. that the
famous Huston letter TO former At
torney General Carson was prepared
at a conference between Pennypacker
Snyder and Lewis and that II vas mada
to dove-tail into other letters written
by persons connected with the capitol
contracts.
Mr. Pennypacker admitted under
cross examination that he did not
know that 81 069. 900 had been paid by
Snyder and Mathues 10 Sanderson
without the appoval OF the board or
that on Jan 10. 1905, the date OF the
edoption OF the resolution by the board
aapirlng the architects certificate on
the bills that $1,000 eOO had been paid
TO Sanderson in excess OF Illusions
estimate on the cost OF the furnish
ings.
He was asked II he understood from
the quantities" plans and the guam
titles" books that a sofa for which
Sanderson charged the state $35s could
have been billed for sil0O BIT coun-
sci for the defense objected and Mr.
Scarlet withdrew the question.
Asked how long he relied upon the
certificate of the architect. Mr.. Penny
packer replied that he might say To
the present time"
The commonwealth showed in the
cross-examination of james II. Steven
son. Sanderson's bookkeeper, that bills
for furniture for the senate and house,
amounting 20 over 5000 600. We're made
out as so many feet in bulk and paid
In the course OF Sanderson's business
and that several months afterward
Stevenson, when ordered by Sanderson
TO make out detailed bills. simply took
the lump sum of feet and "apportioned"
II among the articles. cleaning some
information from blue prints and re-
ceiving the remainder from Sanderson.
Stevenson had some left and he add
ed that 10 the rostrums Of the senate
and house caucus room Evidence was
introduced by the defense to show that
In spite of the approximation" system
OF billing the Sanderson furnishings
the state was the gamer 70 the extent
Of s34s. 22715 on sanderson's bills for
furniture and that sanderson could
have collected 81 .224 .299 So instead Of
ss76. 066. 40 for the furniture.