Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-14
The Star Route Farce.

The Star Route Farce.
The public in general are inclined to
agree with Col. Totten and Judge VII
son, leading counsel for the star route
gang. that the decision of Judge Cox,
uuashing the criminal information, rang
down the curtain on the farce OF the
prosecution. Healthy and happy" was
the reply of Judge Wilson to Wash
ington Post reporter, when asked how
his clients felt. BE then went on to say
that the governments counsel would
not have run the risk of being
kicked out Of court if they
had not thought the case selected
their strongest one. In reply to an in
quiry as to whether they expected to be
forced to an indictment, Totten replied:
1--WE do not. This is the end of the first
and only act; the curtain has fallen. 1t
is very questionable if the prosecutors
viii go before grand jury; they have
not the evidence; should they go, they
viii. in our opinion, not secure an in
dictment; but should they secure an in
dictment we will have an easy time Of it
before the petit jury; no twelve honest
men would ever convict our clients on
the fimsy evidence the government de-
ponds on
On the other hand Colonel Cook,
leading counsel for the government, re-
grets that Judge Cox gave decision so
at variance with the rulings OF the
United States Courts, in none Of which
conspiracy was held to be an infamous
crime. Being asked whether the decision
was the end of the prosecutions he re-
piled: 1T is only the commencement.
1t was somewhat important to ascertain
whether in this District any crimes could
be prosecuted by information, except
those originating in the Police Court.
If it could have been done much time,
labor and expense would have been
saved to the government and much
annoyance to the defendants. Without
delay OF circumlocution they could have
met the charges against them before q
petit jury. AS it is, the only result will
be the delay necessary in going before
the grand jury in the different cases and
in securing the attendance Of witnesses
for a greater period Of time. "
He says there are other charges
stronger than that contained in the in
formation, which admitted of the plea
of limitations. he says the govern
ment's counsel Twill not indulge in the
luxury of a resting spell. There is no
disposition to stop short of the verdict
of a petit jury. Indeed, the govern
ment's counsel regarded the case covered
by the information as mere preliminary
steps in the prosecution. E"
The New York Herald, after absolvIng
the Postmaster General and the Presi-
dent of any responsibility or desire for
the blunder of the governments officers,
is severe on Corkhill, Cook and Mac
Vesgh, and says the time has come for
the last to meet the issue raised by the dec
larations of Cook aud Corkhill between
himself and the District Attorney. 1t
says NOW more than ever it is The i'm
perative duty Of the government to push
the prosecutions with a vigor and de-
termination that shall mean swift justice
to every guilty star route plunderer.
Cooks declarations and the HerGIds
indignation will do very well. The Re-
publican press viii echo their sentiments.
They tend to let the government down
easily. but the star reuters have crossed
the RubicOn, and are likely to continue,
in the language Of Wilson, ''healthy and
happy" The history Of the cases shows
that whatever may have been the govern
ment's attitude toward the plunderers,
it has been made to see that the party
cannot afford to have them punished.
The lack of cooperation, the delays,
the filing of an information in the face
Of the statute Of limitations, which was
permitted to be awaited of by the ad
journment of the grand jury and the
wrangling Of the governments lawyers
in their efforts to shirk and shift respon-
sibility, all tend to satisfy the public that
immunity has been decreed the rogues
despite the pretenses of punishment
which, if ever meditated, has been aban-
doned out of regard for the interests of
the party.