The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-12-06
STAR ROUTE STAND AIS {.

We learn from b late dispatch that the
Star route cases are III Il queer muddle. 1t
appears that Mr.. Gibson Issued a report to
the Attorney General, which be signs as
special attorney OF the Department of JUS
tice. But it seems that MIR. Gibson Is un-
warranted in using that tile. In short, he
is not a special attorney for the Department.
The record d~isrloses The fact thar Attorney
Gensrsl Mac Veagh employed him to assist
in tho investigation, and that he Is. more Of a
special agent OF the Acknowledgement than
anything else. In the recent Lilley tissco
1t WAS impossible to charge the failure upon
Corkhill, so the prosecution have turned up
Oh one.of their own members and declare
that had not Woodward blundered or played
false the result would have been very differ
ent. 1t seems the whole case depended up
Oh the testimony of one man, Bradt; aud
Colonel Bliss instructions were to arrest hin
ut some time, Or even before the proper pa
pers were served upon Lllley. This, howeve
was not done. Some one blundsred, and it is
charged npon Woodward. The duty Of max
ing arres.s was left to him. 1t seeas that
although Gibson and Woodward wc!e at
times very Intimate aud worked to-
sether in perfect harmony, Of late they had
been gradually growing apart until they are
little better than intimate enemies. Gibson
says Woodward is Il sneak and a fool. Wood
ward says Gibson is : scoundrel, and would
sell the Government cut if he has not al
ready done 50. lie accuses him of treachery
and corruption. Meanwhile the public look
OH and are iuclined TO behave that both men
are more than half right. Going a liale
further up tbs social and professional! scale,
William A. Cook IS not believed by any one
to be like C@sAr's wife, above suspicion, and
III consequence his connection with the case
is the canse of uneasiness III the minds Of
many. There are shose in the district who
arhesitatingly say that he would sell out his
s~n moLher. Owing to the reputation. of
these g~entlc@en, Cook, Gibson and Wood
ward, it is not surprising that Col. Bliss and
Mr. Brewster, who are universally believed
to be honest, should feel at times as though
thsy lad got no somewhat doubtful com
psny.
Acti: G Attorney General Phillips declines
to say anything for publication about tho re-
ported misunderstanding with Gibson, iden-
tilted with the Star Route Investigations. It
is bstleved Phillips will accept Gibson'B re-
port when he has satisfied himself it was sub
nlilted IN good faith at the instance of Mac
Veagh. Meantime il is said a sharp letter
has been addressed by c ief Clerk Milliksn
OF the Department of Justice to Gibson, in
curing by what authority he assumed the
title OF Special Assistant Attorney for the
United States. 1t is further reported that
Gibson replied at some length, addressing his
letter 10 Phillips. The latter says that TO
communication from Gibson, excepting the
report. referred to, has yet reached him.
itmay be iu order to remark just here that
no one now expects the Star Route swiudlers
to be convicted and punished. There has
been laundering upon the part Of the officers
having charge of the cases., aud if necessary
mere blunders will be made to shield the
guilty parties. The whole thing has been a
farce, and the principal actors know it.
They laugh at the efforts being made to con-
yict them and scout the idea of beipg pun
ished, and know tina the present Adminis-
tration officers will never press the cases
to a disagreeable conclusion. They know
thew ars in the house of their friends aud fear
no evil.