National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-12
CoRKHILL ON COOK.
The MIsstatements OF slippery william,
shown Up by the District Attorney.

Colonel Cook has resumed his prosecu-
ton Of the stsr-route cases in the newspapers, and
in an interview published in an evening paper he
states that "the cases will still go on" II Is the
opinion Of members OF the bar that Mr.. Cook, In
rushing into print with statements as to what the
Government counsel intends to do how much
evidence is already in their possession, and whom
they will proceed against, is rather begging the
question, and that IL their case is as strong
as stated they should go at once to
the grand jury, which is sill In
session, and lay their evidence before that body.
There has been altogether too much trial by news
paper, and this haste on the part Of Colonel Cook
to place the plans of himself and associates in type
seems to be with n view to prejudice the public
mind. Colonel Corkhill, in an interview, calls at
tention to the statement made by Colonel Cook
day before yesterday that one witness was already
in the city when the grand jury was adjourned,
and to certain other inaccuracies made
by the principal Government counsel.
He says: Colonel Cook says, first, that he had
consultation with the President on Wednesday
night preceding the assassination, and that Presi
dent Garfield urged them to rush on these cases
l know nothing about this, but different reports
were given OF that interview by the President and
parties present Colonel Cook says next that the
death Of the President suspended this investiga.
ton, and that when they had hopes of the Presi-
dents recovery they recommended the inves.
| ugation; that the first thing done was
| the employment of Mr.. Brewster and Col.
onel Bliss that he went TO Long
Branch and had consultation with them in re.
gard to these cases he returned here on the 10th,
wasrecalledthere and on the 18th again returned to
this city, REORGANIZATION with them us to present
ing this case to the grand jury. Now. Mr.. Brew.
ster said in his address the other day that when he
was called into the case they had already deter.
mined to proceed with the information. 1t is very
| difficult to see how Mr. Cook returned here, after
consultation to present the case to the grand jury
when Mr.. Brewster says this course-proceeding
by information-was determined on when he was
| called into the case"
"Inever said that had informed Colonel Cook
ofthe adjournment of the grand jury. He was not
In the city. was never consulted about these
| cases. could not possibly have known that there
| was any case which the statute of limitations
would bar, because did not know any of the facts
about the case. 1t certainly was Colonel Cooks
place, II he knew there was a case of that kind,
| to have notified me-"
but Colonel Cook says witnesses were sub
pGnaed," said the reporter.
"Thcrc never had been any witnesses sub
pUnaed," replied the.Distrlct Attorney. "If any
| witnesses were brought here IL was by some means
unknown to the law"
us 1t not an unusual thing TO adjourn the grand
jury2"
by no means frequently adjourn the grand
jury when the business will justify it. The In
struction from the court is that when the jury can
be adjourned 1t shall be DONE in order to save the
expenses. It's no unusual thing TO adjourn the
grand jury for weeks, while the business is ac-
cumulating"
"Colonel Cook says believe" continued Col
onel Corkhill, that he did not know the grand
| jury could be reassembled. If he did not know
| that, he is ignorant of the law"
The District Attorney reiterated his statement
that the Attorney General knew of the adjourn.
ment of the grand jury. and said he thought his
uncontradictcd official statement in the presence
of the court and counsel placed the responsibility
If there was any, where 1t properly belonged.