Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-28
THE STAR ROUTE CASES.
A Lively Controversy Over Mr.. Gibs
Authority to Assist IN tho Investigate

A Lively Controversy Over Mr.. Gibson Is
Authority to Assist IN tho Investigation.
Mr.. A. NJ. Gibson, whose authority to
act as special attorney in the star route
prosecution was questioned, has written a
letter to Samuel j. Phillips, acting attor-
ney-general, reciting the circumstances
under which he sent his report of the
result of his inquiries into the case to the
department Of justice. Mr.. Gibson adds
II have to state that on April %, 1881,
was employed by the attorney general
as special assistant attorney to represent
the department of justice and to assist in
the investigation and prosecution of the
star route cases. 1t is proper for me to
state that this employment was unsolicited
by myself. The first interview l ever had
with the attorney-general or the post
master-general on the subject of the in.
ves.igation of the star route frauds was al
the residence Of the attorney general, the
pos.master-general and Mr.. Woodward
1'he attorney general Informed me that my
services rs tho representative of the de-
partment Of justice were desired in the in
vestigation and prosecution of the star
route cases that Mr.. Woodward
and the postmaster-general had rec
commended my employment to the
president, and that at his request
he had caused me to be telegraphed to al
New York, asking me to come here.
told the attorney general that if my en-
ployment was sanctioned by the president,
aud could be retained as a special attor.
ney, l would accept. The next day at the
request of the attorney general l called a,
the Office of the attorney general, and Was
informed by him that, agreeably to the
request Of Nj. Woodward, and the recon-
| mendatiCn Of the pOstmastcr-general and
the approval Of the president, l was re-
tanned in the cases. supposed, Of course,
that the fact that had been retained was
made Of record il the department of JUS
tice. learned subsequently that such
was not the case. although the attorney
general was positive that he had directed
the customary formal communication tC
he addressed to me-
Referring again to the report, MIR. Glib
son says that it was put in type by TIE
order Of ::the postmaster-genera to be
| printed rs 4 part Of his annual report
that Col. George Bliss read the unrevlsed
proof sheet of it and told him (Gibson)
that some one had given an unrevised
proof sheet to Mr.. Phillips, and that
Phillips had suggested changes in the Ian
guage. All the corrections that Col. Bliss
suggested were made. That Col. Bliss
then informed Gibson that he not only
endorsed the report, but would stand be-
hind il, and that should transmit to yOt
slips Of the revised proof, which you would
in accordance with an understanding he had
with you, transmit formally to the post
master general, in order that tho report
might come to him through the regular
official channel and regularly appear as
part of his annual report
In reply the acting attorney general says
that the title assumed by Mr.. Gibson is
justified by nothing upon the records.
"There is, he says, neither commission
nor oath Of office upon the files Of this de-
partmeDt and both are necessary to the cre
alton Of an assistant attorney Of the United
States. Upon this state Of facts l must
assume that you have misunderstood tht
character OF the agency which you have
received from Attorney General Mac
Veagh. AS for the contents Of the papers
| referred to by the chief clerk of this de-
partmeut, it will be time enough for mo te
consider them when report shall have
been made TO this department., which ha'
not yet been done.'