Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-23
Absurd Length Of the Star Route
Trial
Chicnno Trib1Llle (Repl

The star route trial began June I'd. 1t was
then the universal expectation that verdict
would be reached by July 4th. Judge Wylie
said he was resolved to have the trial end by
that time, and would, II necessary, hold
night sessions TO accomplish it. Six weeks
more than the allotted time have already
been consumed, and counsel promise to Oc-
cupy two weeks more with their arguments,
running the case into September. There are
about a dozen defendants and as many law
yers on each side. Each lawyer claims the
right to use three days for his argument.
The court has weakly yielded to this prepof-
ferrous demand. There will, therefore, be
about a month Of solid talk by the lawyers.
These cases have been very stubbOrnly de-
Tended. From the time that MacVeagh
filed the first information until now the at
torneys for the defendants have lost no op.
pOrtunity to make a point for their clients.
They have taken advantage of every tecbni
calitY to which they were fairly entitled
and have suggested many for which they
must have known there was no legal basis.
They caused the information to be dis
missed. They protracted the examination
in the Police Court from January
IL to February II. They attacked
the first batch of indictments
and denied the right Of the prosecution to
substitute new ones. They contended that
a conspiracy had not been established, and
that evidence lending TO show 1t was mad
missible. They insisted upon having the
indictments and documen airy evidence OF
the most voluminous character read at
length. Now they are engaged in making
three days speeches which will occupy the
remainder of this month. Tie policy Of the
defense seems to be to stretch the trial out as
long as possible, and to wear out the patience
of the prosecution, the Judge, and the jury
so that all will be glad to be rid Of the case
on apv terms. 1t cannot be supposed that
counsel are self conceited enough to imag-
inc that their ioDg-winded arguments make
a favorable impression on the jury. The
only effect they can have is to hide the
merits Of the case in dusty and musty rhet-
OrIc, and to divert attention from the pow
eriy Of the evidence for the defense by
making the arguments unusually volumi
nous. The jury in the Guiteau case said
that they attached no importance to the
arguments. 1t Is to be hoped that the star
route Jury will be equally sensible.
Judge Wylie has presided In this trial with
great dignity and impaTiiality. His only
error has been ia submitting too patiently
to the impudence and verboseness of coun-
sci on both sides. There is no reason why
any lawyer in the case should have been
permitted to speak for more than one day;
time for any Of the Junior counsel.
The guilt or the innocence Of the
accused is, after all, a question OF evil
denee. not OF talk. There is nothing in
this case, nor In the character of the
defendants, or any OF them, which entities
them to the indulgence they have had. The
trial will cost the government, first and
last, $I56 600. Now, there is nothingin the
public career OF Brady or Dorsey, or any Of
that company Ito make them special objects
of government solicitude. They should be
treated like other persons accused OF crime:
allowed q reasonable time Tor their de-
tense, and then brought promptly to YER
diet.
The Guiteau trial has had bad effect as
an example to the star route lawyers. They