Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1881-06-24
Anxious for Trial.

Haskins 5.
Anxious for Trial.
WASHINGTON, June 23.-This morning
in the criminal court before Judge Cox,
Second Assistant Postmaster General,
Brady, through his council, made appli-
cation to the grand jury to examine at
once the subject in which his name is
connected with the alleged Star Route
frauds. Col. Cook, Attorney General, and
District Attorney Cockrill, were notified
this morning by Shelabargers& Wilson
and Col. Totten that they would call up
the motion today upon the enclosed
letter of Gen. Brady. 1t is as follows:
No. III KANSAS ST., WASHINGTON, D.
e. June 21, 1881.-To Messrs. Shelabarger
& Wilson and Enoch Totten; Gents: The
following clipped from the Evening Star
I assume to be correct statement OF the
present situation and the disposition fthe
government in the matter of the prosecu
iton of alleged unlawful practices which
many newspapers in the country have.
during the past two or three months daily
charged me with committing during my
official term as Second Assistant Post
master General. [The articles quoted from
the Star stated that the Star Route cases
would be postponed until September for
the reasons set forth To this disposition
of the matter I do most earnestly and
energetically protest. 1t there are charges
to be presented against me before legal
tribunal for misconduct while in office
desire the proceedings to be instituted
in order that l may have opportunity to
appear and vindicate myself therctrom.
For many weeks the press Of the country
has been furnished with dispatches and
correspondence from Washington to the
effect that the government Was fully pre-
pared upon the empanneling of the new
grand Jury, which was completed today,
to present the testimony which would re-
suit in an Indictment against me, to be
followed by trial before petit jury and
my conduct investigated before the latter
body. Conviction has been assured as a
certain result to follow the presentation OF
testimony, which it has been lndustrl-
ously circulated that the government has
already accumulated. l come here anx-
ious to meet the slanderers and chargers
whenever presented to court OF justice.
I am conscious that the enevitable con-
cluslon of an impartial investigation Will
be TO forever anhlhilate the base fabrlca-
tions against my official conduct and my
good name. I am informed, and believe
the fact that certain per-
sons of DETAINED character are
under pay from the government to
procure testimony against me, and l Pc
heve these persons will to accomplish
their purpose, commit perjury themselves
{o l1 c0 m
entire innocence The charges which
these disreptuable persons desire to be
supported and find me guilty of, I con-
slider it my legal right to have speedily
investigated by a reputable and properly
empannelled jury. It is a hardship ap-
preaching cruelty, and likely to work ir-
repairable injury, that the government
authorities should permit three or four
unreputable detectives, who appear to
the public as being entrusted VITA the
procurement of testimony needed to
make case. These, through the me-
dunn of press dispatches and correspond
ence daily sent out from the national
capital to all quarters of the country, in
fuence public opinion, and thereby to
that degree unfit the minds of men for
a fair and impartial trial Of the case.
Private individuals who would corrupt the
source of justice by the use OF the press
or money, and convict a citizen Of an al
legged crime would render themselves in
famous. This being done by the govern
ment is no less base, and is certainly
more repreh inasmuch as no per-
son not officially connected with the pros
ecution of the case can possibly. know
the measures and force of the testimony.
Therefore it appears plausible, at least,
,0k 41oo
gestions as to the alleged criminal con-
duct of persons accused from those en-
ployed by the government to work the
case up. With these facts in view, I de-
sire you to urge upon it the justice of