Show I IN III GRAFT SCANDAL J Former Governor of Pennsylva Pennsylvania nia Placed in Unfavorable bI Light by Witness Lewis Harrisburg Pa Feb 7 The trial of f Contractor Sanderson and three former state officers charged with conspiracy in inthe inthe inthe the furnishing of the new capital took a sensational turn today when Stanford B BLewis BLewis Lewis assistant to t Architect Huston de declared dared with dramatic earnestness that Hustons H letter to former Attorney Gen Germ General General eral Carson explaining his part in the contracts had been prepared at the time sug suggestion suggestion suggestion of former Governor Pennypacker Former Auditor General Snyder one of the defendants def and Mr Carson and that It was misleading and intended to be a whitewash Lewis was being subjected to a sever severe by Mr Gilbert of counsel for the defense about the letter and demanded the right to explain the cir circumstances circumstances ances under which it was written Story Heard With Surprise Surprie Rising in his seat beat and speaking with right hand raised above aboe his head he told tolda a story stol which surprised every everyone one In the court room except the lawyers for the commonwealth V According A to Lewis story stor it came Hustons turn to write an answer to Mr Carson Carso Lewis was telephoned to come Corne over to Harrisburg by b Pennypacker and Snyder and was prepared at a conference with those two officials and the former attorney general to dovetail in with others prepared by b state officers connected with the construction and equipment of the capitol capitolI I 1 have endeavored to explain the con conditions conditions conditions under which this letter was writ written written written ten said ald Lewis ris when the judge had overruled Mr Gilberts objection that Lewis had no right to explain the letter It was written at a time when wh n I 1 had no knowledge of ot any of or the Indictments In as they have been brought to this t Is court ourt today Intended as a Whitewash As I have already said we were proud of ot this building and when I was as called on the telephone ne to t see the state officers Auditor General Snyder and the governor to go over this matter the only purpose was that it was to be more or less of a whitewash to protect the great which we had been instrumental to a certain extent in getting up in this town The statements made in that letter lette are not In accordance with what we did They The were made to fit tit In with the letters written by the other officials The letter to which Lewis referred was one of a series written during November and December 1306 in response to the inquiry into the capitol scandal |