The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1908-05-15
HOW THEY MEASURED
Expert In Capitol Trial Explains
How They Did 1t.
FILING CASES IN COURT
crux of Case Lies In Method OF
Measurement Whereby Conspiracy
to Pile Up Exorbitant Charges Took
Place-Pald BY Square Foot"

Harrisburg, May 16.-The capitol
conspiracy case has gone over until
next Tuesday without the jurors hav
ing had an opportunity to catch more
than glimpse of the two metal filing
cases that will prove one of the states
most important exhibits in the case.
The filing cases, which have been
taken from the department of the sec
rotary of the commonwealth, have
been set up in the courtroom and care
fully covered with canvas.
The commonwealth had expected to
get the cases before the jury before
adjournment and worked up to that
point by calling George H. Richter, OF
Boston, the metal expert, who has ex-
amined and measured all the cases
and tables covered by the invoice in
the present case.
When they were ready to unveil thL
cases it was discovered that some O,
the documents relating to the files
were missing from the pigeOn-holes.
and as this made the case incomplete.
the formal offer in evidence of the
cases was postponed for the present,
Richter gave the cubic measure
ment of one of the cases he had
examined, and was also questioned
as to the square feet Of finished sur
face in the same case.
He said there was two main Sec
tons to the case, and that there were
1912 cubic feet in the lower or base
section, 1850 cubic feet in the upper
section. and 125.72 cubic feet in the
entire case. He also said that the
case contained three finished surfaces,
the front and two sides, and gave the
square feet in three surfaces as ''SS
square feet in the base, 71.16 in the
upper section and 1876 In the entire
case"
just as in the cases of Sanderson's
furniture, the crux of the contest now
on is the method of making measure
ments. Herein. according to the al
legations of the commonwealth, lay
the conspiracy to pile up exorhitant
charges.
So far as per foot" measure for
sofas and chairs was concerned, the
first trial ended with a fanfare OF
mangled arithmetic, with the real
problem undecided.
In Cassel's case the issue is plain
Documents introduced prove that his
company was to be paid by the square
foot. Despite this fact, it was shown
that measurers who in 1906 were busy
verifying Cassel's figures, multiplied
length, breadth and depth, divided
this obviously cubic result by 1928.
the number of cubic inches in a cubic.
foot, and charged the state for ths.
resulting square feet. Moreover; the,
measurers and state officials cestified
to the correctness Of this calculation
and Cassels company got its money
Introduction in evidence of the fur
niture was assured only after a bat
tie between defence and prosecution,
In which attorneys for the defendants
scored a number of important points,
but failed to materially cripple the
In the first place, the original of the
Cassel company contract was extend
ed by extra orders by Huston. Steel
cases were paid for. Then the "ex>
tras," including ornamental plastesa,
ETC., were covered in separate bills
The defence succeeded in haviAg kept
from the jury the amount. paid fo7
these "extras."