Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-13

his friendship, and doubt If he is even
aware Of the
Damnable Transactions
which have occurred since the commerce.
ment of the Star Route cases. A system oil
espionsge was established by the Depart.
ment Of Justice, and in that employ were q
number of disreputable persons, prominent
among them q man under indictment for
robbery and a self-confessed participant in
the three card monte cases lately punished
in our court by the conviction Of the men
against whom the party turned states evil
dence. Jurors we're followed and decoys OF
various kinds used 20 ensnare them into
the commission of wrong acts. Efforts were
frequently made to draw them into con-
yersation upon the merits of the case. /
received number Of anonymous letters,
and marked papers were daily sent me, all
containing matter
Calculated 10 Influence the Mind
When the regular panel was exhausted,
two talesmen were summoned and two gen.
tlemen, Messrs. Murray and Tobriner, were
selected to complete the jury. At once
these men were denounced, their charac.
ters assaulted, and it was openly charged
that they were paid agents of the defend
ants. / demanded of one of the gentlemen,
Mr.. Murray, full explanation, and on
learning the facts of how he came to be
drawn by the marshal as a talesman, felt
satisfied that he was innocent of the SLAM
derous charge, and insisted that Judge
Wylie's attention should be called to the
matter, and i did so. You will remember
the Judge severely criticised the course
pursued by the newspapers and defended
the jurors from the imputation cast upon
them, Malicious lies were circulated and
published about the jury being seen lunch
ing with the defendants and drinking at
their expense, all of which were false. In
Limitations of every character were resorted
TO, and systematic attempts made to
TerrOrize the Jury
by threatening them. Some of them were
charged with drunkenness. One OF them,
Holmead, infor med me early in the pro-
ceedings that lawyer named Falls had
interviewed him, telling him he was an
officer of the Department OF Justice, and
wanted TO ascertain by watching my notes
as jotted down, the salient points OF the
testimony and report to him their import.
He told Holmead he was authorized to act
by the Attorney General, and was assigned
to look after him. That it was q question
OF whether Judge Freeman or Falls should
be delegated to take care Of Holmead, and
finally it was decided to appoint Falls. he
urged Holmead to act with him and aid
him with information, and said it would
result in his, Falls, advancement, and that
Holmead
would Lose Nothing by 1t.
cautioned Halmead when he told
me in June to pay no attention TO Falls, or
any one who attempted to lead him. Falls
regretted his visit to HOlmead at intervals,
and renewed his efforts to inveigle him,
until HOlmead threatened to kick him out
of his store. Our places OF business were
invaded by spoilers" Our employees
were submitted tell who we conversed
with, and what our sentiments were on the
subject of the trial, and our wives were not
safe from over-zealous agents. fThe first per
sonal knowledge had of the presence OF
Jury fixers," was when Henry A. Bowen
made a proposition to me to convict the
defendants, and promised me $4,000 His
cool audaCity was charming, and he unheS-
itatingly exhibited to me his letters OF ap-
pointment as a special agent Of the depart
ment OF justice.
He wanted to meet the Attorney Cen
eral, and said he had been telegraphed for
and he was expected in Washington the
next day, Thursday, August oath, 1852;
that we could meet at WOrmley's Hotel
undisturbed, and he would satisfy me that
what Re promised was correct He further
said: "Well,
You Are Man OF the World,
and know when you are in fight you
must use every means in your power to
win. This is now the Attorney General 5
fight and he must succeed. 1t is political
life or death with him."
That Merrick will do me the justice OF an
apology l feel assured, for do not believe
him capable of wrong. l have lived and
struggled for an honest livelihood in this
community for twenty years this month,
ane hope have not fallen so low in the
estimation OF my fellow-citiZens, who
have honored me so often by their evidence
of confidence, as to be branded as falsitier
and be suspected ofperjury.
HaiIe Securing His Home.
ST. LOUIS, September IA special from
independence says Mrs. H. NJ. Vale. wife
OF the defendantin the Star Route trial, has
left 10 Join her husband in Washington. y
deed, conveying the residence OF Vale TO
his wife was recorded to-day. The consid-
Grafton was $4,000, about one-fourth OF its
real value,