Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1909 — FOUR, CONVICTED OF GRAFT, BEYOND COORT [ARTICLE]

FOUR, CONVICTED OF GRAFT, BEYOND COORT

Contractor For the Pennsylvania Capitol Oles Suddenly. New York, May 14.—John H. Sanderson, who died suddenly in Sherry’s, had the contract for furnishing Pennsylvania's 113,000,000 capital building •nd together with former State Treaaurer William L. Mathues, former Auditor General William P. Snyder, and former Superintendent of Public Grounds and Buildings J. M. Shumaker, was Indicted for conspiracy. The four men were placed on trial

during the spring of 1908 and each was convicted of “conspiracy to cheat and defraud the state in furnishing the new capitol.” The four men were sentenced to pay a fine of |SOO each and undergo a two years’ sentence. An appeal was taken and each of the convicted men was released on |25,000 ball, pending the appeal. Sanderson's death is the fourth that has occurred of principals 'and witnesses in the Pennsylvania capitol graft scandal. George F. Payne, contractor for the building; James J. Jeffries, a warrant clerk, who paid the bills, and former State Treasurer William L. Mathues have all passed away since being tried.