The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-02-08
CREATES SENSATION
PENNYPACixER's NAME BROUGHT
INTO GRAFT PROSECUTIONS.
Stanford Lewis says Former Governor
Framed Letter Written by
Arehitece Huston In th6
Carson Inquiry.


Harrisburg, Pa. Feb, THE names
of former Governor Pennypacker and
former Attorney General Hampton l..
Carson. were brought into the capitol
prosecutions today by the testimony of
Stanford B. Lewis. assistant of Archi-
tect Joseph NJ. Huston, ct the trial for
alleged conspiracy of contractor j. n.
Synder. former State Treasurer
Matthews and former public buildings
superintendent Shumaker.
When State Treasurer Berry first
called attention "a the alleged capitol
frauds, fourteen months ago. Governor
Pennypacker directed Attorney General
Carson to make an Investigation of the
charges. Mr.. Carson accordingly wrote
letters to all persons concerned In the
construction and furnishing of the big
building. asking them for information
bearing on the charges. All OF them
replied and the Attorney General made
report which showed that no laws
had been violated.
Today, Lewis, under cross exanlina-
ton by counsel for Synder and Mat
thues. declared that Architect Illusions
letter In the Carson inquiry was sug-
gested and framed by Pennypacker
Carson and Snyder, by whom Lewis
was called to Harrisburg to discuss
the matter. Lewis said the statements
In the letter that every article of fur
nishings had carefully weighed and
measured by the architect before
thep were delivered and paid for, were
partly true and partly misleading. He
explained that the Huston letter was
written to doYetail into the letters
written by other persons connected
with the construction and equipment
OF the capitol to the former Attorney
General. Lewis's testimony was the
most sensational of the trial. III his
cross examination on Wednesday, he
said whatever charges In weights ana
measurements made by Architect Hus-
ton were made on computations fur
nished by Auditor General Snyder. His
today.
do you know Of a resolution adopted
by the Board of Grounds and Buildings
making Huston responsible for ali
goods received and work done IN the
capItolr he was asked.
Eight pr nine snopths after the reso-
luton was adopted. we learned OF II.
II came as great surprise 70 u.s.
DO you have knowledge of the let
ter Of Huston to former Attorney CEN
eral Carson. January 2. 1sO77'
ation.'
'Is it true?''
That letter"
PLANTATION"
ut ts not altogether true"
Then Lewis excitedly rising in the
witness box continued dramatically:
Il was called by telephone by Audi
tor General Snyder and Governor PEN
nypacker. came to Harrisburr and
went over the letter with him and
Snyder. was not aware OF any
wrong doing alleged in the fndict-
ment. The letter was written to
dovetail In with the letters of other
State officials connected with the con-
structien and equipment of the Capitol.
was proud Of the great building and
had no thought Of anything other than
doing what was right. That was a
correct and frank statement of our
connection with the work"
Then Lewis resumed his seat visibly
excited and nervous. The letter to
which he referred declared that the
weights and measurements of the Cap
itol furnishing were correct and that
the work on the building had been
done honestly.
rs that letter true or faIse?" asked
Mr. Gilbert.
at is part true and part misleading.
We had no reason to know that the
scales were wrong or that false meas
urements and weights were made"
What did you understand an archi-
tect's certificate to mean?'
THE approval of our designs. I
wish to state that never measured
or weighed anything Sanderson fur
nished to the Capitol"
Turning to the Huston letter to Mr.
Carson: do you mean to say that
Huston made q misleading reply, while
in the employ Of the State. to the At
torpey GeneralT'
I'm q way 1t was"
Intentionally so?'
Under the circumstances I related
It was not"
I'm what way?"
1--WE were not connected with any ir-
Irregularities and therefore it was not
Intentionally misleading"