, 1881-10-04
STAR ROUTES.


New loIlK, Oct. 3.-Col George bliss,
special counsel OF tile Government for the
prosecution Of the star-roMte" eases, now
in this city, speaking Of tho star-roistu prose-
cutions, saws:
"A1y impression Is, although don't know
1t to bo the case, TINT they uo not intend to
20 to trla! before tho meeting Of Congress Ill
December, and that their rcasoIl fpr wanting
to delay until that time Is because they be-
lfeve that they havo friends In Congress who
llny Md thern."
."now soou Gnu tho Government be really
for tile tr1al?"
"1Yo cnn probably bo ready by tho first
week III November. Indeed,
IF THESE GENTLEMEN AlsE VERY ANXIOUS
to DO tried, I think wo could accommodate
them by tue middle Of this month. At tile
same time, Rlf we went to trial with
this cnSe so eurly, the final
work OF preparation would dely us
In the work Of getting IN Indictment against
these people. Tl,ero is no person Of great
Importance III the case except Brady. IL Is
not our strongest case, by my moans. but 1t
was mora easily prepared and restcl more on
tho records OF tile department than most Of
tho others, and 50 we began It now. II we
20 to trial with this caso the first week In
November, ........ .-
THE Do1sEY CASE
will have 10 bo left almost entirely alone, SO
far as counsel ard concerned, until tic trIal
Is over. MY own Judgment la Iii favor of gt,-
iig OH md procuring indictments against
three or four OF tho contractors before VIC 40
to trial with any Of them. Tho statute OF
tGat9}n IT, yen ss penembef y running
The frauds wore co,ntnlttctl Under the mali
letting OF 1871, but they beEan IN 1873.
Tho statute will run out very snon, you SOC.
g. ess o ss p"rsey ;a eas sn II sb g.
stantiaily ready for counsel now. Tlnra IL
no lnoro lay work to be done, unless ttsltoulh
nppear wli9n We come to draw thn papars
that some little thug l,as been overlooked. !
huye brought home with me
AN Al,sTIAcr or THE EVIDENCE
manuscript. and from tlult tho Indictment
must be drawn. Tho ease. involves tic
bringing Of Witnesses from almost all over
tho Northwest, rs far away aS Oregon. They
will llavs. to be brought to Washington to
testify before tho grind Jury, nla either kept
t,eFe tn Or brought back again when the tria Is
"You intend. tl,on. to procure m !ndlct-
an Information as ~ tho i'rstly ,case:",
q" "Not'h1ng e.! l''s been deinltly decided On
been M unusual COURSE OF procedure III
criminal courts Of lata ycArs, but it Il ruthar
unusual In big case such ns this. We pur-
sued 1t to o1r the operations OF
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
Tho 1n0mont you Rot your papers filed IN
tho court, the statute stops running. 1t
GoyGrnnent It we pursued tho same course
ia Hil tlle casas, as It would snyo the exnenso
frial. il weuntisrfooK Ia 10 titls, however. We M
there would eo grnlas lnllababoo ffratll
would aay wo dared not trust our case to 4
grand jury with our own witnesses, even
when they could not tp cross-exN1liueIl, I
hardly think 1t !s worth wl,te for III tn en-
pose ourselves to any such silly charges, es-
pectal ly as th all the cases oxcept the ona
now In court
WE HAVE PLENTY or TIME
to secure indictments bgfora tia statute nf
limitation expires. Even In tho l}ratly case,
! ns VIC call It, thoro Is good ground to ulukni
that tue statute would not run, but We did
| not care to expaso ourselves to tho Ntherycw
Of tho question, tllat perhaps 1t wnuld run.
We preferred to be OH tho snfe stlo.
There must be some net tlunN by
tho consplrat0rs within thothrga years which
tue statute covers, alni the probability II tllut
III every case wo could put our finger on
Some oi,e act whloh wontit maintain ri, IT.
ulctneDt. In most OF tho cnses, however,
tho direct fraudulent net was committed In
l6T-ts78, alMl for tllts reason tya aro anxious
to Ret Onr pnpnrs tiled rs soon as possible so
rs to prevent the question of tlla statute OF
Limitations bolng ra!sol 1T the trial at all.