Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-01
CAPITAL NOTES.
The Star Route observation-disclosures
ton ON the River and Harbor Bill Yet
An Investigation Necessary : General
News.
Star Routes.

News.
| Star Routes.
| WASHINGTON, July Sex Senator Mitch
ell, of Oregon, appeared. as witness for the
defense in the star route trial to-day. He
testified he had frequent conversations with
Brady concerning the extension of the mail
| service in Oregon. In many instances he had
presented petitions to Brady and had endorsed
| and urged them on. He would do the same
| thing again under similar circumstances.
he never recommended an increase OF expedi-
t soa..:, except upon the request OF
petitions were highly respectable citizens.
Upon the cross. examination witness said the
expense of the increase never enteredin his
mind when he recommended 1t. He only took
care OF his own region. He had nothing to
do with contractors.
Representative Valentine, of Nebraska,
testified he had called almost daily for some
time upon Brady in connection with an in
crease of mail facilities in his section. He
understood his people wanted fast and fire.
quent mails. He did not always obtain the
increase sought for, being met with the
objection that the receipts were too email
Secretary Teller was the next Witness
While in the senate he had very frequently call
ed upon Gen. Brady in connection with the
mail service In his state. He had a general
theory as to the duty OF the government in
which western mail routes were concerned.
He had often expressed the belief both in
| the senate and to Gen. Brady, in his judgment
every town and mining town in the west
should have mail facilities equal to the towns
in New York. There was no more reason for
expecting such service to be self-sustaining
than for the expectation that the army and
navy should be self-sustainiDg. His own
business with the department had almost in
variably been done through Gen. Brady. He
had been usually successful in securing such
! improvements as he desired. His people had
pressed him to secure these increases
| and he believed he was only doing his duty in
trying to obtain them. Mining camps in his
| state frequently grow into large towns in a
few months. He had represented to the Sec
ond assistant postmaster general that a good
and frequent mail service would tend to settle
the Indian question.
tatives Page and Belford, the defense called
DR.. d. Ill. Peterson, Of Louisiana.
He was mail contractor and knew the wit.
| ness, Walsh. He had heard a portion of his
testimony and read the remainder. Witness
was asked if he had ever given postal drafts to
Walsh, but the question was objected to by the
prosecution. In the argument which followed
Ingersol said itstmight come to light that
Peterson had paid Walsh as his attorney but
action. il they could prove Peterson had
| never paid the money as testified by Walsh 1t
would certainly destroy the foundation of that
story, and tend TO discredit the entire con-
versation. A long argument followed upon
this point, which was interrupted by the
usual recess.
After recess Bliss took up the argument
| and said If the evidence was admitted the gov
eminent would have to produce documentary
evidence which would show the disposition of
the draft totally inconsistent with the story
which he assumed Peterson would tell.
The long investigation which would follow
SggOuld drag in another gentlamen whose name
had already been mentioned in this case, but
whom he desired to leave out of it altogether.
1t would compel the government to supple
ment Waists testimony by evidence which
would show that his, not Peterson's, was the
correct statement. He. therefore, believed
it best to exclude the testimony. The
court said it seemed to him that the evil
dence was not admissible. The evidence
to be given by Peterson did not seem to con-
tradict anything said by Walsh. His state
ment might be true SO far as he was concerned
and yet Walsh'S story of what Brady said
might betrue. Brady might have been lying
when he told Walsh of Peterson. A man who
would seize notes or commit highway robbery
would not hesitate about lying. II all men
would tell the truth perhaps this testimony
could be received.
McSweeny-But what would lawyers do in
such state Of society.
The court said if this testimony was received
it would open up subject that might be gone
into Indefinitely. 1t was question of truth
between Brady and Walsh and Brady was a
competent witness.
Wilson then noted exception in which it is
stated the offer of defense to prove the
drafts were alluded to by the witness, Walsh,
were given to Walsh by Peterson in return
for services rendered attorney, and that
Brady had no connection, directly or Indirect
ly, with the transaction.
The form of execution was objected TO by
the court who said the defense had the privi-
lege of proving by the witness, if they could,
that Brady was not concerned in the transac.
ton.
Witness was then asked il he had ever paid
Brady any money for expedition. This ques
ton was objected to and sustained because
Peterson's route was not included in the IN
dictment. After another unsuccessful effort
to put the question in another form witness
was directed to stand aside.
John L. French, chief clerk in the office of
the second assistant postmaster general, testi-
fed it was usual circumstance for persons
to combine for the purpose of bidding for con-
tracts and this was practice well known to
the department and it was usual for parties 10
bid over their own names and not
in the ZANE of combination.
Witness then detailed the practices
of the contract office, saying the old contract
was used as guide in preparing advertise
ments for new service. New routes were
usually started with slow schedule and in
creased as seemed necessary. Witness said it
was frequent occurrence to change the ser.
vice under contract after It's execution and
before the beginning OF the service under it,
1t was an invariable custom to allow the con-
tractor a months extra pay even if the order
for the service had been revoked before the
date had arrived for putting on the service
about 500 or 600 times every day. After
describing at length the business of the con.
tract Office the conclusion of the witness res-
timony was postponed until to- morrow. Ad-
journed.
General Capital NeUs.