The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-07-17
Caught In Its own Tran.

The Republican of this morning, evil
IDENTIFY speaking by the card, says;
"The EreniH0 star of Friday charged Mr..
George Bliss, counsel for tho prosecution In
the Star.Route cases, with having INDUCED In
very improper language In connection with
the proceedings in the Grand Jury room whom
Senator Kellogg was under consideration. 1t
reports him ms follows:
"'Mr. Bliss stated TO n Star reporter, when
asked as to the action of the Grand Jury this
morning, that owing to his official relation to
that body he could not state what took place
before It, He had presented all the evidence
he could get; and had examined and crossex.
amined Mr.. Walsh, but tho Grand Jurors had
not concluded evidently that there was owl
dence of any guilt He had no criticism to
pass on the Jury. II he had been a grand
Juror he would have voted to indict. He un-
largely Democratic. AS TO the question of
Senator Kellogg's completely, the issue was as
to whether he mad a guilty knowledge con.
gave Senator OF the United States tho benefit
OF every doubt
"Ir. Bliss has probably said no such things
his duty and of his oath II he had, even to the
extent above charged, revealed the secrets OF
the Grand Jury room. 1t would be.intamous
for prosecuting ofllcer TO attempt 10 blacken
the character OF q Senator or citizen by pre-
tending to have heard, in the secresy OF the
Grand Jury room, testimony sunlclent to
Justify his Indictment for felony, whom every
ono OF the twenty.four grand Jurors, who
were the sole Judges of its sunlciency,
anu VINO neuru tIe some Testimony ut the
samo time, pronounced 1t unworthy Of con.
sideration. 1t would be gross attempt to In
timidate a grand jury into subserviency to
personal control for prosecuting oflcer to
discredit 1T by reflections upon the alleged
political Inclinations OF its members, or by
charges that II had fallen short OF Its duty be-
cause cause Of the oniclal station OF person accused
the Stars accusation against Mr.. Bliss"
This is not our fight, and. therefore, we
do not wish to mix in it. We assumed,
from their previous relations, that Mr.. Bliss
and the star had an understanding about
this particular matter, as they have been
known to have in other matters The
majority OF the members of the Grand
Jury appeared to take the same view Of it.,
judging from their replies to the reporters
whom We sent to interview them on
Saturday. 1t is possible, however, that the
Republican, in its apparently authorized
disavowal of the Stars version, has sug-
gested the true explanation.
The Republican says that the use Of the
language attributed to Bliss by the Star
"would be gross attempt to intimidate
the Grand Jury into subserviency to per.
sonal control" Perhaps, after all, this
was the intention which impelled Bliss to
say what the Star ascribes to him. He may
have used the star as feeler, with the
mental reservation.
The conduct of the Star hitherto In
these matters has been such as to perfectly
justify its selection by Bliss for that kind
OF disreputable and contemplate dirty
work. Newspapers, like men, generally
command the sort of employment that they
display the greatest fitness for. The stay
has certainly displayed great fitness for the
wretched use to which Bliss seems to have
put 1t in this case. Its malignity. like the
virus Of the overgrown moccasn.snake G
has made 1t blind.
General Brady loaned some money upor
collateral security to Messrs. Helm ant
Buell.. The latter used that money, alonl
with other funds, to buy and establish Tai