Milford chronicle., 1908-01-31
HUSTON MAY TURN
STATES EVIDENCE
Penna Capitol Architect May Tell
All he Knows.
-FOUR OTHERS ON TRIAL

TUuh VI u IANb OAN &@N@e@
Harrisburg. Pa, Jan. 29.-Tne ap-
weArance of Stanford B. Lewis. the
active assistant of Architect Joseph
NJ Huston, during the construction
and furnishing of the capitol, as a wit
ness for the commonwealth at the trial
of the capitol prosecutions In the
Dauphin county court tends to confirm
the rumor that Huston has an under
standing with the commonwealth and
will be one of its witnesses. Lewis
was called to identify the plans and
specifications prepared by Huston for
the furnishings of the capitol and also
10 explian the quantities plan" upon
which orders were given at various
times for furnishings. He was cross
examined by P F. Rothermel, OF coun-
sci for Sanderson. and was on the stand
when court adjourned for the day
Lewis is under indictment on charges
of conspiracy in connection with the
alleged capitol frauds.
Lewis left the witness stand to eX-
plain to the jury the quantities plan,
which show in detail the location of all
the furnishings of the capitol. When
Lewis began his explanation the at
torneys for the defendants left counsel
table and surrounded him. Snyder
and Sanderson also watched Lewis as
he indicated the rooms in which cer-
tain furnishings were placed. Huston'S
lawyers. George S. Graham and A. 5.
l.. Shields. took an active interest in
this explanation.
Mr.. Lewis indicated the various de-
partments in the capitol and the loca-
ton of the different articles of furni-
tIre. chandeliers, standards. drinking
fountains. curtains. clothes trees.
clocks and almost every article that
was to go into the building.
The day was devoted by the common
wealth to laying the foundation OF is
case. James Scarlet. in his opening
speech to the jury said the common
wealth expected to prove that the
defendants. Contractor John H. Sand
erson, former Auditor-General William
p. Snyder, former State Treasurer
William L. Mathues and James NJ.
Shumaker former superintendent OF
grounds and buildings conspired to
cheat and defraud the state in the pay
ment of the bills for the capitol furn-
ishings.
John r. Scott. former secretary Of
the board of public grounds and build
ings. who was on the stand for an hour
under examination by the common
wealth. seemed reluctant to identify
certain plans and specifications pre-
pared by Huston He could not rec
ognize them as having been seen by
MIN before. These plans were in the
possession of the board, and it appear
ed to the prosecution that Scott, as its
secretary. should have had access to
and been familiar with them. Scott
was also examined as to the official
signatures to capitol furnishing con-
tracts in order to legally establish them
az exhibits during the trial.
Huston has been granted a separate
trial The commonwealth objected to
the motions of Huston's four code
PENDANTS for separate trials, which
motions were overruled by the court.
The action of the commonwealth in
agreeing to a separate trial for Huston
has given rise to a rumor that the
architect will turn states evidence and
tell all he knows of the alleged frauds
in the furnishing of the new capitol.
The jurors are: Patrick Bohan
miner: Martin B. Brandt, farmer; Jo-
seph H. Dunkle, pipemaker; Howard
Eichelberger, laborer; William H..
Hoofnagle, retired; Harry A. Hartman,
liveryman; George W. Kohr, laborer;
Albert A. Poist, clerk; William H..
sites laborer; William NJ. Sweigard,
farmer; Amos Fl. Stoudt carpenter,
and William G. stephens, retired.