Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-05-20
GRaFTyhn oShN1ERS0l DIES
4 VOLUNTARY EXILE
Pennsylvania Capitol Looter
Under Prison Sentence.
GOT MILLIONS GIN CONTRACT
With Others Who Were in the Con-
spiracy He Was Convicted For
laundering His State-He is the
Fifth to DE-

New York City.-John H.. Sander
son died in his apartment at Sherry $
OF Bright's disease. At his death he
was under heavy bail pending SEN
tence IN a charge of conspiracy TO
defraud the State CT Pennsylvania OF
a SIM whichNhas never been exactly
estimated, but which must range be
tween S1,00O.o 900 and So 100000.
Sanderson was the Furnishings ~or-
tractor ofrthe Capitol a. Harrisburg,
the frauds and excessive contracting
charges being made the subject IT a
legislative inquiry.
Together with ex-State Auditvr-
General VIM. P. Snyder, eA-State
Treasurer VIM. L. Mathues, and Jas.
M. Shumaker eX-Superintencent or
Grounds, San6erson Was found guilty
of conspiracy on March 13. il Harris
burg, before Judge Kunkel, after a
v weeks trial, and b~iled at $25,-
600. Matbues died early IN the win
ter.
Sanderson was indicted with thir-
teen others Oh the conspiracy charge
on September IS, 1907. He offered
next Day to reimburse the State II the
charges against him were dropped
snG if. the materials were not up to
specifications. His offer ws.S not ac-
cepted, However, aAC ne was held for
trial.
The scandal concerning the frauds
in connection with the building of the
State Capitol came out more than two
years age. At tLat time 1t Ca1ne oAt
that the profits of Sanderson's firm,
which had offices in Chestnut street.
Philadelphia, were between $4,000
900 and $5,OO0,0 900. AS Sa1derson
was merely the furnishings contrac-
tor, and as the entire Capitol build
ing was to cost only $13 900. 00C, the
people of Pennsylvania felt that his
emoluments were rather large.
In March, 1907, while the legisla-
tive inquiry into the State Capitol
frauds was going on, Sanderso1 him.
self was found tc have been living
very quietly here for six months pre-
viously.
A brother, Harry ~Sanderson, was at
that time carrying on tie firms bust
ness, j. H. SanGersol havi1g resigned
t1on the firm, even before his last
bills, amounting 10 ~$1c0.00O, We're
PAID by the State Of Penlsyly ania for
some of the furnishings ia thu Cap
1tol. 81
Sanderson's profits were estimated
at between $4,000 600 and S. 000,-
600 during the legislative inquiry.
About the same tins that ha moved
Tito Sh>Try's he bought a yacht and
made plans to cruise il her LLder the
flag of the New York Yacht CluL.
Sarderson collapsed three months
ago VIXEN his coULsel made it evident
that the Superior Cour. would Let
grant a new t1lal and hat se1..Iue
and a term IL prison a waited hin.
His death makes the fifth fatality in
connection with this scandal. Lesser
actors died while the t-ial was pend
ing, one s;lce, and a1other has gone
insane. The latter. an ir oortant wit
ness, lost his mind just before the
second trial, wien lie was aooLt t. he
called by tie Commonwealth.
SandersoA's contract -Ilcunted to
$5,4S7,500. H. sold his furniture
~ the cubic foot, charging for air
space. Just before the Capitol expose
he married a Southern woman aLo
took up lis home at SLerry's.