The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-08
Investigation Of the Conduct of Ninth
Massachusetts, Regiment Ended,
and the Commissioners
En- Route Home
Very Mum.
District Attorney Corkhin Defends
Himself Against the Charge Of
Derlliction In the Star
Route Cases.
An Elegant Tribute from the New
England Manufacturers Asso.
ciatiOn---Race Stock
Burned Up.
Soldiers Desert and Run Ship... Cash
Ter Baldwin Bailed...Statue to
Lord Byron Unveiled.
Cook Speaks for the Gsvcrnment-..The
Great Success of the Atlanta
Cotton Exposition.
Mr.. Corkhill ExpiaIns.

WASHINGTON, November AT the OPEN
ing of the criminal court this morning Dis.
trict.Attorney Corkhill made personal ex-
PLANTATION TO the charges against him of a
want of interest in the star route prosecu-
ton, and that he had been inatentiye to his
duty in that respect He said the attorney
general had, on the LIST of June, notified him
that an investigation was progressing in the
postoilice department in connection with
the star route cases and that
all persons engaged in the investigation
desired the appointment of Mr.. Cook. and
he thought It proper to notify him, Cork
hilD OF Cooks appointment. He lad n
conversation with McVcagh. He
said Cooks appointment was entirely
satisfactory to him, but he desired to
have his own position properly and plainly
defined that he was ready and willing to
perform any service required of him, but
delay in the appointment of marshal had
given him all the business he could attend
to. The attorney en'ral not only assented,
but said no officer so situated could give the
necessary care and attention demanded hy
the star route investigations Mr.. Cook was
formally appointed. He had never given
himself ont hs his (Corkhill's) 81 assistant, but
as special assistant attorney for the United
States, charged with the prosecution of the
star route eases. He (CorkhilD
therefore had not been consulted in connec.
ton with the prosecution Cooks consul
tations had all been with the attorncy.gen-
eral, whose assistant he probably claimed
to be, II would seem that
he (CorkhilD could know moth
the slightest degree responsible for it.
He also defended his action in adiourning
thu. grand jury from the 10Th of September
to October Sd, and said that on July 10th
counsel for the defense in the star route
cases came into court with the remarkable
motion that the case be presented to
the grand jury, and that Cook, who was
the only man who should speak for the
government, stated that it was
his intention, after the summer was
over'. to present the same cases to The
grand jury. 1t was then his intention
as the court knew, to adjourn the grand
jury to the first Monday in October Tn,
assault on the late president had, however
occurred, and he had a consulta
ton with Judge Cox, and tn,
grand jury was adjourned to Septem
Der 18th. Then it was called and remained
in session till september 10Th, doing M
business except examining n small pension
case The grand jury was then respitet
for two weeks, according with the preyiou.
understanding. At this time he haC
no knowledge that there was an,
immediate intention to present tho stal
route, cases to the grand jury, but that he
had the best reason to suppose they were
not. He called upon Atiorney-G Genera
Mac Veagh on, September g. and informed
him he would have no business for the granC
jury when it assembled, and if an,
oil the star route cases were ready for pre-
sentation the grand jury was at his seryic,
lourn the grand jury three weeks. Mac
Veagh told him that since the president,
assassination he had not given th,
star soutc his special attention
mat ne knew nothing o
them and that lie (Corkhil) need not bothel
himself about them that when his services
or those OF the grand jury, were required
he would be notified by the person 6ayini
special charge OF them Under such cir
cumstances the grand jury was respited fol
two weeks.
On September 25th he was informed by
COOK that MacVeagh wished to see him ant
IN company with Cook he called on the at
torney-general and was requested to sign 4
criminal information. He then protested
against the abuse which he had beer
receiving and against the nsinuation which
had been published about the adjourn
ment Oft the grand jury, and that If the ator
ney,general, as the superior officer, had
made statement of the simple facts. tb,
abuse would be at once silenced.
MacVeagh said II was true that he Cork
hilQ had called on him and informed him
of the supposed adjournment of the grand
jury, but that he was under the impression
he had told him to see Cook. He (Corkhill
assured him such was not the case
and the conversation ended. II had
been known to every one connected
with the star route eases, that the grand
jury had adjourned on the day of is ad
lournmcnt, and that il was equally as wei
known that on intimation to himself or tC
the court the grand jury would have beer
resummoned without.one davis delay. N,
desired therefore to state plainly
First, that he was now and had beer
ignorant of every fact connected
with the star route cases: second
that the adjournment of the grand Jury I'll
the flrst Monday in October was decides
upon on july 18th, without any reference /,
the star route cases. Third, that Il woul,
have been called Immediately If 4
had been decided. Fourth. tba
before the grand jury adjourned, he calle,
on the attorney general and informed hin
Of the proposed adjournment, and aske,
him the direct question whether any of III,
star-route cases were ready, and tha
the attorney generals reply wa
that he (CorkhilD had moth
ing to do with them, and that wheI
his services were needed he would be no
tilted. ''
Judge Cox remarked that so far as th,
facts stated by Corkhill had come within
his personal experience, the statement WA