The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-11-11

It then had been his (Cook's) intention
to complete the necessary preparations
and present the cases to the grand jury
on its meeting in September. On the
Saturday following, the nation and the
civilized world were shocked by the
announcement that James A. Garfield
was assassinated. All labor, as con-
sequence, was suspended, and weeks of
anxiety followed. The present presi-
dent (Arthur), attorney general and
postmaster general, In brief, all the cab
met were overcome with grief, almost
paralyzed, and sorrow and trembling
had been in all hearts; the nation and
the world had wept and prayed. The
employees engaged in the investigation
of the records Of the postoffice and in
the procurement Of witnesses had been
to do but little effectual work. With
what propriety, under the circum-
stances, could it have been done by
anyoneP 1t had only been when the
president and the physicians gave
strong hopes Of his recovery,
that active labor had been fully re-
sumed. The delay had been primarily
and chiefly caused by the assassin's
bullet; it had been an unavoidably, hu-
name and justiflable delay.
On resuming actively the investiga-
tion, Messrs. Brewster and Bliss had
become connected with the case. Sew
eral consultations have been held at
Elberon, at which he Cook was pres
ent. He returned on the 10th Of Sep
tember 30 as to be here on the reassemb-
ling Of the grand jury. He had been
Immediately recalled to Elberon, but
on the 18th of September hastened
back to Washington to proceed with
the case. On the steps of the cars he
had been surprised with the statement
that the grand jury had adjourned. The
attorney general was then at Elberon
and could not have known of its pur-
pose. The adjournment had been
without his concurrence, knowledge or
desire, as it had been without his
(Cook's), no notice from the district
attorney, nor from the grand jury,
nor from anybody else, nor had he
Cook any notice of the proposed re-
cess, directly nor indirectly. 1t had
been unwise and extraordinary. The
recess had been for q sufficient length
Of time to prevent an indictment
being filed In this case on account of
the statute of limitation. An emer-
gency had existed, and In order to
prevent positive failure of the case.
the prosecution determined to file. the
information; thonRh in some cases an
unusual proceeding, it had been en-
gagged as authorized and sanctioned by
much approved practice. Nothing else
could have been done.
It had been said that on the slightest
notice the grand jury could have been
reassembled. 1t had been adjourned
from the 14th of September until the
Sd Of October, only remaining In ses-
sion two days, without any ARRANGE
ment for reassembling. The recess had
been absolute. He had not at any time
received an itimation that the grand
jury could be reassembled. The attor-
ney general and the district attorney
did not agree as to what passed be-
tween them. He (the attorney general
was not in the habit of noticing the
statements in reference to him, or au-
thorizing it to be done.
He Cook was, as regards the star
route cases, the immediate legal recog-
nized representative Of the government
and the attorney general. and in no
manner. or by no person, had he been
consulted as to a recess Of the grand
jury. Its movements and intentions,
if not concealed from him, we're un-
known. From the day Of his unso-
licited employment by the United
States on the first Of June, until the
present hour, he devoted the most of
his time to the star route case. The
labors on his part and on the part Of
his associates were far more arderous
than is known to any one. There has
been no indecent delay. There would
be none sustained by the administra-
tion and its superior officers. The case
in whatever form the court might ap-
prove, woald be carried on until the
guilt or innocence Of the accused par
ties should be proven to a jury governed
by the rules Of the law which might be
announced by the court. The court
then adjourned. u