Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-06-22
Newspaper Decisions,
Prom our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.
...at. -. 40 laat
Washington, June 10, 1881

FREELY inueh AL thc eheitomeh' w
have Ia Washington now has IT. central
focus In Groom 90" OF the Post once
Department, IL IL Ia this room that the
case against the "star route" thieves Is
being made up, aud the daily secret ses'
sion OF the attorneys, detectives, aud
agents are the object OF no small degree
Of Interest, Piled upon \ table In Que
part OF the room are the papers ana
documents from q portion OF the evidence
that has been gathered, aud around another
table sit Attorney.General MaeVeash,
special agents Gibson and Woodward, and
Col, W, A, Cook, the celebrated criminal
lawyer engaged TO assist In the proseeu'
ton. At some Of the sessions Post
master General James II also present
IL Is amusing TO read In the "star route"
organs the fierce denuneiatIons OF these
secret sessions aud Of the agents employ
cd In working up the Government case
One Of them owned by Brady aud Ills
friends, says these proceedings OF
"notorlous detectives aud spies" VIII
some day ''cause the blush OF shame TO
mantle the cheeks Of American citizens"
IL denounces the Administration for
establishing "star chamber" In one Of
the Departments, What the Brady crowd
would like Is 10 have the doors len open
80 that the dolngs OF the Government
officials could be watched, the documents
stolen, and all the evidence aud witnesses
counted up bought of or spirited away.
The employment of A. NJ. Gibson as a
special agent Is also u bitter pill, aud
because he has heretofore written some
harsh things Of Gen, Garfield IN attempt
Is made to put the latter In false position.
Mr., Gibson was for several years the
Washington correspondent OF the New
York Sun, aud one Of the sharpest of
sharp lot Of journalists. lie has what
they call n decided "nosc for news'-an
eye that can pierce brick wall. II Is
knowledge ofthls fact that worries tho
"star route" thieves Then the engage.
nent of Col Cook, Is another source OF
trouble to the "stars.' The Republican
says II Is because Of his familiarity with
the method Of the class who are usually
depended upon here to furnish such EVIL
dence as may be needed to establish any
theory Of defense that may be determined
upon; that his skill In manipulating
perjurles is to be used against the poor
innocent "star reuters" 1t Is just posi-
bic that Col. Cooks skill In this direction
did have something TO do with his reten.
ton. But 1t Is silly for anybody to
charge that the Government has any
interest In using these methods to con-
Wet the innocent persons. 1t Is to pre-
vent their being used to enable guilty
rascals TO escape that this precaution has
been taken, and that move knocked a
good many pegs from under the feet Of
Brady, Dorsey s Co. They are ready to
spend good pile OF their III gotten swag
to get clear, and the fact that the Govern
mcnt has gone to work by such careful
and thorough system is what makes them
howl
In prowling around the Post Office
Department in search Of something inter.
esting | got into a dead-letter office
recently and found regular curiosity
shop. Will reserve the account Of what
l saw and learned, for another letter.
The grand old Congressional Library is
also an interesting place to spend idle
hours, and I mean shortly to tell you all
about It, PHoNo.