The Evening critic., 1881-09-19

nnythinB OF the KIND being brought to his
attention. This ended the Riddle matter
for the time being, and Cook and Gibson
were left TO fight IL out with Corkhill. The
summer vacation coming on suspended
operations for time. But when the new
Grand. Jury was about to meet, Cook and
Gibson bestirrcd themselves anew. They
had that same old batch of affdavits to-
gethcr with some new ones of the same
kind on hand, and to that extent had their
cases ready. But Corkhill still adhered
to the position he had first assumed, and in
which, he maintained, the President and
Attorney General coincded with him.
Meantime, tho newspaper correspond
ents whom Cook and Gibson had been feed
ing with promises all summer began to
clamor for something tangible, and it be-
came evident that longer delay might be
dangerous Cook and Gibson thereupon
held consultation. They decided that 1t
would not be possible to keep their news
paper brigade in good heart much longer on
the strength Of empty promises or mystic
Iious hints. Several Of them had already
begun to manifest tendency to turn on
Cook and Gibson, and the latter knew that
if ever the newspaper tide turned once it
would be all day with them.
"They therefore resolved upon heroic
measures. Cook bought clean shirt, Glib
son got railroad tickets, and they packed
three carpet sacks full of aflidavits and
started for Long Branch to SEQ Macveagh.
When they arrived here Gibson
took MacYcagh in hand and told
him that the crisis had come. He
said that unless q move was made at once
the whole thing would fall through. Ho
said that they..had great deal of States
evidence in sight, but that it would require
the Indictment of Brady, Dorsey, McKib-
ben, Salisbury, Lilley Buell. and some
others to fetch it out. He said that Walsh d,
Price, Giddings, and two or three other con-
tractors would turn States evidence If
| properly pushed but that until they saw
some tangible ground to fear consequences
to themselves they would hang back. He
said that good list of indictments was the
only kind of pressure that could. squeeze
out the desired States evidence but that
the men upon whom he relied for States
evidence could not be induced to go before
the Grand Jury; also, that it would be
necessary to procure the indictments
on the affidavits that Kinds and other
special agents had been working up
during the summer. But, says Gibson,
we can't move step in this
direction while Corkhill stands in the way.
Corkhill will not ask the Grand Jury to
indict on the strength of Kinds affidavits.
He demands that we shall bring our main
witnesses-that is, the States evidence on
which VIC rely to convict-bcforc the Grand
Jury, and this is not practicable. There
FORE says Gibson, Corkhill is an insur-
mountable obstacle.
"Macyeagh said, in reply, that since the
shooting Of the President he had not givcr
these matters the attention they required
But he was still of the opinion he hold last
dictments on insufficient evidence, and tha
it was impossible to combat Corkhill's posi-
tion on grounds of sound jurisprudence. HI
said the bar generally would side will
Corkhilfs view of the matter if the issu,
should become public. Altogether, Mac
veagh said the situation was most unfor
tunate. He did not sec how it could b,
remedied, unless Cook and Gibson could
upon the reassembling of the Grand Jury
furnish CorlShill with the character of evi
dence which, as a responsible prosecutor, Ii,
had right to demand.
"To this Gibson dcmurred. He sait
that could not be done. He declared tina
no evidence they could furnish would b
! accepted by Corkhill. This was case o
conspiracy and it was never possible to con
vict in such cases unless some Of the con
spirators could be frightened into tcstifyin
, against the others to save themselves.
was, therefore, he said, case in which tn
District Attorney must be willing to under
take heroic measures. Indictments in thi
case were an Indispensable preliminary, nc
only in the formal but in the materif
sense. They could be obtained only on aft
davits, and they must have District Al
torney who was equal to the occasion
which Corkhill was not.
"Well, said MacVeagh, what can |
done?
: "In my Judgment" says Gibson, 9Th
i man for this emergency is William
Q Cook"
"Whatl" says MacVeagh.
civilian A. Cook repeats Gibson, so
o emnly.
o "But 1t is impossible to have any chang
: made now" says MacVeagh.
d "By no MEANS" retorts Gibson "Th
:. Presidents mind is clear. He can sign h
name. Let the necessary documents +
moving Corkhill and appointing Cook
!. prepared and presented to him. He can
told that 1t is case of imperative necessit
1t can be done easily enough"
. Nothing can or will be done in thu
'' manner, Mr.. Gibson" replied MacYeag
y The Attorney General further express
profound establishment that such propos
u tion should be entertained at such a tim
7 and summarily dismissed both Gibson Al
: Cook.
d "Now," pursued your correspondents i
If formant, "you see this has been long stor
i but have given it to you consecutive
I'll DO tha |,