Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-23
The Escsscs1 Letter.

SSLuti tA-lu lIc SoutH anu NtSI
The E:edc!l Letter.
The letter of VI. c. Redel formerly (and doubt
les at present. confidential clerk OF ex-senator
Dorsey, 10 the late President, published in yester-
d. : New York sun. is not calculated to injure
tn prosecution OF the alleged star route ring in
pubiic esteem, nor sill it tend to inspire the pub
lie with any great feeling of respect for Dorsey.
Mr.. Rrdcll protests too much. His sexpOSuren
exposes his own character, and shows him
70 have but little regard for truth or
honesty He admits that he Wilfully deceived the
Attorney General and Postmaster General with
Stories COncOcted for that purpose. He makes
another damaging admission when he says he had
learned To- initiate DCrSey'S signature accurately
TINT - have signed checks which passed the
b. nk.'-a clear case OF confessed forgery if Ian
gUlge means anything. IL is evident that Redell
l. not ScrupulOuS as to the means employed by him
u attain an end. His letter forces the suspicion
that he was put up TO his scheme OF deception and
trickery by Dorsey, and that when he formulated
and submitted his terms to the prose-
cutiOn he seriously entertained the idea
OF betraying his employer II he could
get his price He was careful to make
three eXactions that would benefit himpecuniarly.
He wanted mail route in which he was interested
re-established; he wanted a claim in which he had
large interest paid, and he wanted position for
his father-in-law, whom he (RedelD was then sup
porting. The logical conclusion is that Mr.. James
oil not make such response TO these demands as
encouraged Redell, and he concluded that it would
pay better to stick 10 his old employer When
man cOnfesSes that he is deliberate falsifier and
ewearS TO the confession, his testimony
against another man, OF good character
and repute, viii not weigh much with
discriminating public. Mr.. RedelI was very en-
phatic In his assurances TO the President OF Dor
sey'S upright and Straightforward methods Of
doing business; but it must be confessed that a
Certificate OF good character from Redell was not
Calculated 10 impress President Garfield favor
ably Redell endorses Dorsey, but who endorses
Redell?
The hardened outlaw Maxwell, or Williams, who
was hanged by mob in Wisconsin the other day,
protested after his capture in Kansas that he was
not murderer, in the eye OF the law, and could
not be legally punished for the crime OF taking
human life He admitted that he had robbed
banks, stolen horses, committed burglary fire.
QueDtiy, and was guilty OF many other grave
Offences against the law, but he insisted that he
hal never killed any person ''except when hard
pressed" In trying TO escape. He claimed, there
fore, in all seriousness, that he should not and
could not fairly be tried for MURDER setting up the
plea that when he took life he was compelled to
do so literally in self-defence.
Although they do not say 50 In so many words,
That is about the view taken OF their calling by
most houSe-breaker5- The world owes them a liy-
ING, they say; some one interferes for the time
being with the making OF that living which they
have the right to make in their Own way, and such
person must accordingly be got rid Of, even though
II be necessary to take life That is the substance
OF IL, in brief; and il must be admitted that In
View OF the lax laws on the subject of burglary it
Is not surprising that such comfort able doctrine
should be entertained by the fraternity. Let bur-
glary be made capital offence as it should be-
ana burglars viii soon tlke a different view of
Uhelr profession Not that alone, but urglary it
Sell Will be far less common than it is now.
New railroads are being constructed so RAPIDLY
that the locomotive works OF the country are not
able 10 keep up with the orders upon them and as
consequence, the price of engines has advanced
considerably. Engines which sold for 5000 two
years ago readily command 5000 now, and il Is
said that secondhand locomotives command more
than their original cost One OF the large loco
motive manufactures gives 1900 as the total
number of railroad engines now in this country
u this number New England has LOO, Massachu-
eettS leading with 96S. The middle states have
e,oOO Pennsylvania leading with the ownership OF
Eco railroad motors, New York coming next with
x,Uo The western states own 800, Illinois lead
ing with 900 The southern states Own SEQ loco
motives, Georgia leading that section with 3G3
Virginia second with 800. The Pacific states have
~. OF which $50 belong TO California Florida has
only IS railroad engines, railroad building has
only fairly commenced In that state. The capacity
OF all the locomotive works In the United States
II run night and day, would be only 1890 per year
IL rs safe % say that never before In the history
OF this country was mans life placed in jeopardy
Tor crime where the prisoner was so universally
execrated as IS Guiteau With the exception OF a
devoted sister there IS probably not human being
who VIII regret the death sentence In this case
The record OF the aSSaSSin'5 life shows that it has
oStentatiOusly paraded certain virtues he prac-
tced In order to conceal the meaneSt vices He
has been temperate because that assisted him 10
impose upon hotel and boarding house keepers;
he has pretended TO revere the Christian religion
and follow It's precepts IN order TO swindie and
cheat those who really were Christians. He has
been hypOcrite all his life, and every day OF the
trial brings TO light the ugliness and deformity OF
his mental and moral character.
Democratic leaders in Tennessee are charging
that agents OF the federal administration are
quietly assisting and encouraging the repudiaton-
lists IN that state, with the hope that coalition
may be formed with them as was done in Virginia.
Whether this charge is true, or is invented to
wake up the democrats to active work. it is too
early 70 determine.
ihere Is some trepidation In democratic ranks In
Missouri lest that state may be s.Mahonhedn At
recent conference OF democratic leaders I'm Mis-
sour the fact that coalition Of republicans and
greenoackers carried five congressional districts
ias, ran was referred TO as evidence Of danger to
be dreaded
iHk STAR VIII not be issued on tomorrow
THANKSGIVING Day