The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-28
NOW TRYING TO
ESCAPE PRISON
First Bunch of Pennsylvania
Capitol GrafterS on Trial
at Harrisburg.
ANOTHER OUTFIT WAITING
PELF AMOUNTED TO SEVERAL
MILLIONS.
ANOTHER OUTFIT WAITING

Harrisburg, Pa, Jan. 27.-The fea-
| the capitol prosecutions, which began
in the Dauphin county court before
Judge Kunkel this morning, was the
| agreement of the commonwealth to
| separate trial for Architect Joseph NJ.
Huston. The commonwealth objected
to the motions of Illusions four CO.
defendants for separate trials. which
motions were overruIed by the court.
May Turn States Evidence.
The action of the commonwealth in
agreeing to a separate trial for Hus-
ton has given rise to a rumor that
the architect will tuEn states evidence
and tell ali he knows of the alleged
frauds in furnishings for the new cap
itol. Counsel for the commonwealth
decline either to affirm or deny this
rumor.
Wait and see" is all they will say.
George S. Graham, of counsel for Hus-
ton, said tonight that it was unusual
for the court TO grant an severance in
conspiracy cases. Mr. Graham also
by the other defendants and must re
main here during the trial Of the cases
If Mr.. Huston is called to the stand
knowing himself to be an innocent
man." Mr.. Graham continued, "and as
we know him to be, he will tell the
truth. He has not been subpOenaed as
a witness by the commonwealth. OF
course we know nothing about the way
the commonwealth will conduct the
case"
Surprise for Defendants.
The alacrity with which the common
wealth agreed to a separate trial for
Huston evidently was a surprise to the
attorneys for the defendants, Contract
or John H. Sanderson, former Auditor
General William P. Snyder, former
State Treasurer William L. Matthues
and James NJ. Shumaker, former su-
perintendent Of grounds and buildings.
The attorneys for these defendants i'm
mediately asked that the court take
a recess for fifteen minutes to give
them an opportunity to consult.
In overruling motions for separate
trials which were made after the con-
sultation. Judge Kunkel said the de-
PENDANTS would be afforded their con-
stitutiOnal rights to have their cases
fully presented and argued, and that
the reasons for separate trials were
not sufficient to justify the court I'm
granting them. The entire day was
taken up with the futile efforts of the
attorneys for the four defendants TO
obtain separate trials and the selection
of the jury The selection of the jury
was completed late in the day.
Testimony Begins Today.
When the court adjourned tonight,
Judge Kunkel instructed the jurors to
allow nobody to speak to them about
the case nor discuss it among them
selves or to read about it in the news
papers. The taking of testimony will
probably begin tomorrow.
In the case which is being tried first,
the commonwealth alleges that the
state was defrauded out of S19,20s in
payments Of S49,417 for sofas, tables
and clothes trees. This furniture was
supplied by Sanderson at the rate of
$3.50 per foot"
The commonwealth will try to show
that the defendants conspired TO cheat
and defraud the state by paying for
the furniture in excess of the contract
price and by classifying the measure
ments.
Neither Congressman H B. Cassel,
whose Pennsylvania Construction com
pany supplied the metallic furniture for
the capitol, nor the remaining eight de-
figure In the five conspiracy
cases called today There are thirty
seven cases against the fourteen de-
PENDANTS, in thirty of which the charge
Is conspiracy and in seven the de-
are charged with false pre-
tense.