The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-02
THE STAR ROUTES.

oOCuOIOlt OOJOOOCO llldS nOhO VI Tic
routes named in the indictments
were in Texas. Ingersoll said the
purpose was to show by witness and
ex-POStmaSter-General Key what
was the policy regarding the routes,
and that Brady was influenced not
by personal or mercenary motives,
but by the whole administration.
The court said the court " as estab-
lished to try the question of law, but
it did not propose to allow the de-
PENDANT to defend himself by pro-
ducing pOstmaster-generals and
senators and representatives to
show the policy. He had
power to establish new routes The
policy OF government was to be
found in its laws. The Supreme
Court had interpreted them. Brady
defined his acts by saying they were
right. Suppose they were; if they
were not legal what had that to do
with the case? Lord Bacon defended
himself from the charge of bribery
by saying his decisions had always
been right, yet he was convicted of
bribery, and lost his gown very pro-
perly. Suppose the policy was right,
and yet the charges are sustained,
what becomes of the policy? Sup
pose all members of both houses
asked the second assistant post
master general to increase q certain
route, if he had received bride to
increase it, would it help him to
show that he had acted on the advise
of representatives? | must posi-
lively rule out the evidence. An
exception was noted. General Key
was called and questioned as to the
general policy. Ruled out. Inger-
soil said he wanted to show that
Key and net Brady was really
responsible for the expedition or
dered. Brady simply followed the
policy of Key. The court, however,
ruled it out.
In answer to an inquiry from In
gersoll, the court said the question
at issue was not whether the eXpe-
dition had been rightly ordered, for
the public officers are now presumed
to have acted rightly in interpreting
the law. The real question On trial
was whether Brady had received
money from contractors for order
ing expeditions, and the question of
policy did not enter into 1T. The re-
cords of expedition orders were
brought into the court, comprising
twenty-five large yOlumns, but they
were not put in evidence. Merrick
said he should have to request Judge
Key to remain in this city for a
few Gays, so he might examine
him when these records were put in.
No cross examination was had.
VIM. T. Sherman, general of the
army, was the next witness. He
recognized his endorsement upon a
petition for an increase Of the expe-
dition on route 3S,113, and was
asked if he had not urged the in
crease generally upon the departe-
ment saying it would do more than
anything else to settle the everlast-
ing indian question; but objection
was made by the prosecution and
sustained by the court. General
Sherman was then asked to detail
the facts which Influenced him in
making the recommendation for an
increase. He said personally he
knew little of the circumstances,
but in his official capacity he had
heard much of them. The Indian
agent at the White River agency had
been murdered, his family carried off
and fight had taken place between
Major Thornburg and the Indians.
The entire country between Raw
Inns and White River Agency was
overrun by hOstiles, and it was re
garded as a measure Of national i'm
portance to keep open every possible
communication with the rear. Con-
seduentIy the establishment of a
daily stage service in that section
had been recommended. He was
asked what was the effect OF ire
quent mails on the maintenance Of
peaceful relations with the Indians {?
He said nothing better enables an
officer to keep peace than frequent
communications with different
tribes in the Indian country. At
least One-third of the appropriations
made for the army was expended
for courier service on the different
lines of communication. The post
office department was also petitioned
to establish and increase their ser
vice. Quick communication Of in
telligence was thus secured and
commanding officers enabled to an
ticipate the movements of hostile
Indians. He recommended trl-
weekly service for Bismarck, on the
Fort Keogh route, in the winter OF
1878