National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-03
THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
Opening Argument FOR tho Prosecution
by Colonel bliss.


Yesterday In the criminal court Mr.. Bliss opened
the for the government in the star route trial.
lie was the only counsel for the government pres
ent when tho court opened Mr.. Merrick coming
In about an hour later Mr.. Bliss had a. large mass
OF manuscript tied up in red tape placed on the
table before him which looked as II he meant
business. The roomvery soon filled up with spec
tators, aud there were very few vacant seats
noticeable. Mr.. Bliss said II was natural that any
case that had involved so much preparation and
attracted so much attention should be regarded by
ounsel as important. by the action Of these
defendants the government had been defrauded
Of over 100000
THE CASE WAS IMPORTANT
in view OF the prominence of the defendants, one
of them having been the Second Assistant Post.
master General and another n United States Sem
HtOr. OF the other he would say something later.
As the case was one which involved many. COM
plicntions, they would have TO take considerable
time, perhaps TO present II in all It's ramninca-
tiOiis Mr.. Bliss read from the statutes to show
the powers of the Post Office Department, and the
duties OF the Postmaste r General, &c. Brady, ho
said, was Second Assistant Postmaster General
from July %, 1876 to April 1881, and he had made
orders enabling the defendants to fraudulently
obtain large sums Of money from the government,
ana that they were engaged in conspiracy to
deiraud The, United States for which they could
be punished under the statutes. Mr.. Bliss then
went very fully into the duties of General Brady
Office, explained by reference to statutes, the
contracts, and explained the meaning OF the term
STAR ROUTE AND IT'S SYSTEM,
Coming down to Mr.. Brady's extraordinary allow
NnCCs, the counsel claimed that he had made in-
Creascs where there was no necessity for them,
ing to the VI ry limit of the statutory Limitations,
and upon evidence which would satisfy no honest
man. Mr. Bliss wanted to read letter from eN-
Senator Dorsey to subcOntrnCtOr, but Mr.. Wilson
objected, saying he hud no right 10 Introduce evil
denco In his opening remarks. discus ion fol-
lowed N t1is point Judge Wylie ruling TINT we
prove. lie could not go into the SUB.
stance of let ers or other evidences OF
the kind. Continuing his argument, Mr..
excessive and could not have been granted by
any public officer, and that in sanctonnR the in-
crease he had done 80 without due regard u
the merits or wants OF the routes. III lsI2 there
we're but two routes expedited. In 1871, when
Mr. Brady came in, he expedited sixteen routes
ana Increased the allowance ~ 2oQ more, result,
ing in an increase of sly7 600 In the former und
Sl,gOJOJO in the latter. He quoted several III.
stances whore the sub-cOntractor had performed
the service and received comparatively small pay
and the balance gone in the hands of the con-
trnctor In Washington. recess was then taken
for half an hour.
AFTER RECESS
Mr. Bliss dwelt on Turner's connection with the
case, and said that certain contractors had bid for
routes q less than COstaud resOrcd TO this means
| to clear themselves their only expense meanwhile
| being TO circulate petitions for an increase.
Turner had charge Of the letters of the Office and
had so distorted the contents OF the letters, APP
parcntly to mislcad so that any one looking at the
! packet would be misled They also expected to
show been mysteriously lost and other acts
ofmallcusince on his part Mr.. Bliss then described
sevelal Instances where papers hud been tam:
pGred with. At Fort McDCrmOtt the soldiers had
not received any letters for thirty days, and
sent an indignant letter about IL to the Depart
ment. This was altered so rs to rcpre.cnt that
AN INCREASE OF THE ROUTE WAS REQUESTED
At one time there seems to have been tempo.
rary disagreement between Brady and the con-
factors, and at one fell swOOp he had revoked oil
the orders for expedition and increase. But q
truce was patched w, and again the machine
ran smoothly. Mr. Bliss entered into some COM
PARSONS between the cost of routes under Mr..
Brady's regime and at present. Mr.. Wilson OBJ.
jCcted TO comparisons being made, but the court
till Monday.