The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-09-14

bk,n trnOiOr ~ Tin srAMnoUfs
TRIAL


Nm tfnDiOr IN Tnn srAhtnOUtn
TRfAL
Worry iow cases " recent years have at
tfacled so mucn nnd 10 widespread utlcn.
ton ~ tho celebrated case which has Just
been partially determined In Washington
CITY. The position financially, socially |
and politically, occupied by the defend
ants, the magnitude Of the conspiracy
formed aud alleged frauds practlccd upon
the government, the nature OF the prose
cution and the distinguished character and
standing of some Of the counsel engaged,
both for the government and the defense,
all assisted In fixing on the case the earn
est attention of the public and rendering it
curious as to the result. When an ex-as-
sstant postmaster.seneral and an ex-
United States senator are the prisoners in
the dock and the charge against them
is conspiracy to defraud the govern
ment, under which they had attained to
exalted position, notoriety and power, 1t IS
not to be wondered at that the country
should manifest deep interest in the deter
mination of the suit. There was such an
array ofcounsel, wealth and power on the
side of the defense throughout this trial,
that those who were nationally satisfied of
the guilt of the defendants hardly dared to
hope for any other verdict than that of
mot guilty" so low has fallen the public
faith in the administration of justice. The
verdict Monday is one that the country can
congratulate itself over, for it goes further
and means more than was expected. Two
of the defendants, MINOR and REREDELL,
were convicted under the Indictment, and
BRADY and the two DoRsEYs only sue
ceeded in hanging the jury as to
themselves. There was also mistrial as to
VALE, while two other of the defendants
were turned loose. 1t is probable that the
clear, bold and exhaustive charge of JUDGE
WYLIE went far towards fastening the case
upon the defendants and counteracting the
vigorous and eloquent appeals of their
counsel. In the result so far, as is usually
the case, the smaller fry have to bear the
heavier burden, and the condemnation OF
the greater criminals has been postponed.
However, mistrial in the present case is
almost as disastrous as conviction, and
the DoRsEYs and BRADY stand before the
country in very unenviable light. With
all their boasts and efforts, with their
wealth and great political influence, bring
| ing to bear press of power
that nobody felt could be resisted,
they have yet utterly failed to establish
their innocence before an impartial court
and jury and must again pass the ordeal of
judicial investigation. The result as to
them will undoubtedly influence public
opinion greatly to their discredit and dan
ger, and if the prosecution be not allowed
to grow indifferent, but presses the point
thus gained, the chances for their convic-
ton will be greatly increased, and the
doors of felon's cell will be con-
tinually opening the wider to receive
them. From the United States SEN
ate to the penitentiary is great
fall, SO great as to make the multitude
skeptical as to its happening; from the
shadow of the cabinet to striped suit is
equally as far, but it begins to
look as if the law and admins
tration of justice in our country
were yet sufficiently strong to furnish
such spectacle. 1t has been charged that
large sums of money have been offered
freely 10 Influence the decision of the jury,
Ibut As yet this is only rumor. If such
indeed be the case, the verdict, by which
these powerful men are still in the custody
of the law, after long and full trial upon
the merits of their case, during which time
everything has been said and done for them
that could be done or said, is only the more
remarkable, as the evidence has to be tre-
mendously overwhelming and conclusive
as to guilt before bribed man will hest
tate. Nothing now need, or can, stand in
the way of final conviction in these cele-
brated trials, but delay and inactivity on the
part of the government. The prose-
cution is in the position OF
general who has won a victory
but the fruits thereof will be lost speedily
by failure to follow up at once and vigor-
ousy the advantages gained and before the
enemy is able TO recover from the bow.
The verdict is doubly reassuring as indica-
tive Of a returning healthy moral tone and
the assurance it gives that there is yet
vitality sufficient in the channels for adj
ministering justice TO fix upon even the
most distinguished criminals the merited
stains and obloquy of their misdecds. And
TO evil doors in high places, the fact that
the powerful Star-route ring could not win
the freedom of its chiefs through money
power or eloquence, the lesson must uu-
doubtedly be pointed and exceedingly
salutary one. While justice has been only
partially triumphant, fraud has been sorely
rebuked.
OS the 9TH instant, our Austin special
contained an item which read as follows
"The commissioner of insurance is Off |
cially informed of 5S7 marriage aid associ- |
ations that have been organized in the |
United States during the past year. or
these 129 have become bankrupt and some |
of these are supposed TO be doing business
in Texas" Several gentlemen in this city
interested in marriage aid associations, ad-
dressed letter to the commissioner OF in
surance, statistics and history, with refer
ence to the matter, asking the source of his
information and the names of the bankrupt /
companies. They received the following |
reply from COLONEL SPAIGHT, the commits
missioner: 1.-THE enclosed dispatch is all I
wrong as TO the kind Of cooperative as
sessment associations. The 5S7 organi- /
cations are life associations chartered