Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-02-29
CALLING WITNESSES
In REBUTTAL
Defense in Capitol Conspiracy
Case Rests.
LEWIS AGAIN DISCREDITED

Harrisburg. Pa, Feb. 27-The de
Tense in the conspiracy suit against
Contractor Sanderson. former Auditor
General Snyder. former State Treas
urer Mathues and former Buildings
Superintendent Shumaker. on trial In
the Dauphin county court. rested. and
the commonwealth began calling wit
nesses in rebuttal.
The testimony OF the defense was
confined to that of Snyder. two furni
ture experts. Sanderson's bookkeeper
five clerks under Snyder and large
number OF character witnesses for the
former state officers. Snyder Is the
only defendant who was called as a
witness. and Sanderson is the only
defendant who called no character
witnesses.
Two typewriter experts were called
by the defense to discredit Stanford
u. Lewis. assistant TO Architect llus
ton. Lewis had testified that the sam
pie sheet OF the quantities book was
prepared and given him by Snyder
and that the quantities book was pre-
pared In Illusions Office. The experts
testified that both papers and also the
original OF Illusions letter to former
Attorney General Carson were written
upon the same typewriter.
The commonwealth VIII call in re
buttal furniture experts 10 show the
actual value of the furniture supplied
by Sanderson. They will also call
Candoroon'c c,,h oOntracfnrc IN shnxu
the contractors profit upon the senate
and house rostrums and certain other
articles of furniture. Sandcrson's
profits averaged from $50 TO 1000 per
cent according 10 the testimony OF
the sub-contractors before the capitol
investigation commission.
During the former auditor generals
entire cross-examinatlon Snyder re
asserted that he had never done any
thing knowingly wrong as regarded
payments on the capitol contracts
and he again shouldered all the re
sponsibility as to the weights and
measurements and price decisions OF
furnishings upon the shoulders Of
Architect Huston.
u,
had not waited until one month after
Berry's election to inform Governor
Pennypacker. president Of the board
of grounds and buildings that the
Sanderson bills had reached more thar
$4,000. 900 at that time. despite Hus
tons estimate that the cost of fur
nishng the building would not exceed
$500 900
Snyder denied that Berry's election
had anything to do with his action in
Informing the governor and said that
Mr.. Pennypacker had called Huston
into conference and told the architect
to instruct Sanderson that his bills
would have TO be cut down 10 the
market value OF the articles for which
he was the contractor. Mr.. Scarlet
wanted to know how the market value
was told and Snyder replied that the
discretionary power in the matter was
left In the hands of the architect
Snyder said that he himself did
not know the cash value Of the fur
nishings. as they had been represent
ed to him by Huston as specially de
signed, anu tnal He hau Hdue nc
effort to ascertain from manufacturers
or anybody else their actual values
Snyder admitted that he did not
know that twelve carloads of furniture
bad been paid for a month before Its
livery to the capitol and that he had
paid $47S.376 to Sanderson and had
advanced him s125.000 within six
months after Sanderson was given HE
contract and without the knowledge
OF the board OF grounds and buildings
Snyder explained these advance pay
ments by declaring that the pre-.
yious board had made advances on
the metallic furniture contract and
cadanf