The Detroit times., 1910-03-04

| pennypacker came into Office In 1903
that the looting OF the treasury as
sumed the raw form disclosed both IN
the legislative investigation and at
the trials. A man of the utmost hon
esty and integrity but childlike in the
confidence he imposed In others was
the states chief executive before
they grew bold in their plunderings.
state board known as the board
OF publIc grounds and buildings
created by act OF the legislature is
the body which has charge OF FUR
nishing all buildings owned by the
state This commission is headed by
the governor with the state treasurer
and auditor general as his Fellow
members BY law the three are re
quired TO pass upon all bills
Passed Bills for Millions
Bills for construction work passed
through the hands OF the capitol
building commission headed by ex'
Gov. stone. Bills for the decoration
and furnishings passed through the
statutory board. The Stone board
was never able 10 learn what money
the other commission was spending
while the board made up OF state OF
fcers never seemed TO give thought
10 the amount which the DulldIhg
commission spent. IL was through
these means that two OF the conspira-
tors we're able 70 pass upon bllls TOT
millions without Gov. PennypackeI
/ being aware OF the amounts "hlch
We're piling up.
/ The election of STATE Treasurer
Barry was the signal for the looters
10 rrn 10 cover and during the rev
months which elapsed between MS
election and his induction into oitice
/ former tactics were abandoned and
1 Gov. Pennypacker vas called in to
pass upon bills aggregating hundreds
Of thousands OF dollars-probably IN
the hope OF drawing him into the net
should the irregularities be discover
ed.
II was Ia one OF the contractors that
most of this money was going. The
building was 10 have cost little
more than s3500,000. the contract
price but the contractor collected
S6434.74s94 This was paid for WORK
which rivals offered 10 do for sl,5f4-
( 400 but their bids were all turned
down and the contractor was permit
ted 10 collect graft which aggregated
nearly $4,000. 900 More than S2,OOO,-
200 was paid for metallic fling CAB
( iuets-on which an excess Of nearly
million and half was shown
while hundreds Of thousands more
we're paid for other work which was
thought 10 have been included in the
initial contract price.
In March. 1907 the Legislative IN
vestigation began. Six months later
Sept is. l907-warrants were Is
sued for fourteen. including three for
mer state officers. the contractors, a
congressman. the architect and his as
sistant. a minor state employee. and
several sub-contractors who had been
associated with Sanderson. Four
months later the trial OF five OF the
fourteen was arranged for For seven
weeks the trial dragged along, the
wanton extravaganza and high-handed
graft disclosed Ia the legislative h-
vestigation being retold in court OF
law on March 10. 1908, the four
were found guilty, and after months
the motion for n new trial was re
fused and the quartet sentenced on
/ Dec. IS. and being given the law
/ limit for conspiracy and assessed the
cost OF the prosecution. which totalled
we'll towards $4,000. An appeal 20
tho states supreme court Is sun
pending, and only that stands De-