Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-11
THE STAR ROUTE CASES TO-DAY.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE POLICE COURT.
COL. BLISS OPENING STATEMENT.
TESTIMONY OF INSPECTOR TIDBALL, ETC.

The cases OF the alleged straw bonds1nen In the
star-route cases, held over from Saturday for @
hearing, were called up in the Police Court this
afternoon. Shortly after noon the various law
yerS connected With the case began to struggle in
McsSrs. Samuel G. Cabcll and A. L. Boone, The
contractors who figure as principals in the gen
eFdl charge OF conspiracy, also appeared together
with the other accused parties. Special Assistant
Attorney BllSs,whe he appeared. had large pocket
or warrants and informatons. Ee sat at Assist "a,
Attorney Blunts table, and by his side sat Col
William A. Cook
OPENING PROCEEDINGS.
At 1920 o'clock MI Bliss, addressing the court
said he had no particular preference as to what
cases he should proceed with first.
Mr.. Wilson said that he thought it proper 10 take
UP cases Oh which arrests had been made.
Mr. Bliss spent some time in looking over the
warrants to determine which ones had been
served He said he could proceed in tie ease OF
two OF the warrants against 4. f. Boone, and there
was no o6stacle in proceeding with the cases
against Cabell.
Nr. Bliss Sets Forth the Grounds for
the Prosecution.
Mr. Bliss, before proceeding addressed the court,
setting forth the position OF the government in
these cases He explained the law requiring pro-
poSals for carrying the mails to be accompanied
tons 1915 and 1896, L. S. Revised Statutes. Mr..
Bliss said the accused parties had entered into
bonds In which the bidders had represented the
Dondsmen, and the bondsmen had represented
themselves as worth certain sums In real estate.
The fact was the bonds were absolutely worthless.
some property by the bondsnen, still there was
literally nothing to support the bonds.
Out OF 3,l0l bids, bonds We're given amounting to
over sSGOO,009, ana there wasn't value enough re-
presented by the whole eight millions to buy a
spawned horse. Mr. Cabei, he said, had ac-
quired some sort of title to 5i5 OF Wild lands
IN Morgan county, Kentucky, Of so little value that
the prosecution was informed that If a man owned
whoie county Of it. he would have to give secur-
1ty for his breakfast. This land had been trans
feired to D0EOhue, defendant DOnOhue trans
ferred it to MinniX and Dickson. Minnix, on the
strength OF this, went @ on bonds for Gabsl in the
forgetting that he had but half interest
in the property had before going upon these bonis
matter Of fact when he went en- the bonds he did
not even have paper title Donohue on the same
property had gone on bonds subsequently for Ca
bell, Henderson. Armstrong and Boone lor large
sums. They would have Cabcll's unswOrn state
ment and the evidence of some Of the defendants,
oy which they proposed to show that 1t was a
plain conspiracy under the forms of the law to de-
fraud the United States out OF v1lii security. In
Justice to the Postmaster General he would say
that IL such bonds were submitted, approved by
postmaster. the Postmaster General had no pow er
to review them.
In one of these cases they would present the
affdavit OF the defendant that he had frequently
spent the evening in BOone'S Office signing his
name to bonds and Justifying on property he knew
nothing about; that for this service he would Re-
ce1Fe 80 or $50 dollars; ani that he had gone on
bonds to the amount OF s2,0O0OOo: all of this had
been done on lands supposed to lie in Georgia He
mentioned instances OF other defendants VINO
Justified on lands in Miss sS1Dpi and California,
shown to be utterly worthless.
COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANTS
After some discussion as to what case should be
proceeded with, Mr.. Bliss remarked that it might
as well be known for whom the various law
peared for MeSSrS. Hoyt, Sweet and Dickson. Mr.
Chafles Pelham id he ami Mr. A. B. Williams
appeared for Mr.. Boone. Mr.. A. X. Browne said
h and Mr.. John Oliver appeared for Messrs. Min
nix and Don0hue. MI. L. G. Hlne said he appeared
for Mr.. Cabell.
THE FIRST CASE TO BE TAKEN UP
Mr Bliss said he would take UP first the cases In
which Cabell was involved with Mnnix and Dick
son. Mr. Bliss here spent several minutes looking
over his papers. with the assistance Of Mt T.. L.
Tidball Inspector OF the Post Office department.
AT rs pm. Mr.. Bliss Called Mr. Ticiblll to the
stand in case Sol99l0, against Cahesl, Mlnnix and
Dickson, involving ii bond OF Sl,GJ0 10 support a
propos II for route 1f,2
Mr.: Cook suggested that plea Should be en-
Mr. Pelham asked, as the case called was likely
to take the whole day, Ii his client, Mr. Boone,
and himself could not be excused from the court.
Mr. Bliss assumed that the case would occupy
the whole day. This would be the only case to-
day.
After some discussion. the court excused until
tomorrow 1T II O'clock al the parties not involved
in the present case.
ARRAIGNMENT OF CABELL MINNIX AND DICKSON.
The court suggested that the accused parties
Should be formally arraigned. Messrs. Samuel G.
Cahell. John N. Minnix, and Charles H. Dickson
thereupOn stood up, and pleaded not guilty, the
formal reading OF the warrant being dispensed
with.
INSPECTOR TIDBALL's TESTIMONY.
Pose Office Inspector Tiibali was then called to
the stand and examined by Mr.. Bliss. He testified
to meeting Mr.. Dickson in room in the Post
Office department. lSst May. and there made a
in fjnrr
sworn to and signed by Mr.. Dickson; witness took
down the statement from Dickson's dictaton.
denee. when Mr. Wilson arose and objected 10 the
statement, as 1t had no pertinency to the charge
OF conspiracy brought against the defendants. He
said the prosecution proposed to offer this paper
without having prOved as specified in the fnforna-
ton, that any bid had ever been made, any con-
tract awarded, or even that the alleged conspira-
tors ever knew one another. 1t out OF order to
01er this paper in evidence.
WHAT JUDGE SMELL SAID.
Judge Smell said conspiracy had to be estab-
l1shed. The paper, II offered In evidence was
unless in the OF the trial it was
with the charge. 1t might not be the
proper place to begin but he could not direct
Sel where to begin.
After some discussion Mr. Totten asked Mr..
Bliss what he expected to prove.
Mr. Bliss said the counsel would see what he
did do; what he expected to do was OF no conse-
Mr.. Totten insisted that they should have some
evidence first to show that there was a conspiracy
SoultWucIc duu Uy SS0HleDOQy.
EVIDENCE TO PROVE A CONSPIRACY.
Mr.. Bliss said he intended to introduce the pa-
per as part Of the evidence to prove a conspiracy
Mr.. Wilson said he proposed to cross-examne
the witness about the paper before it was read
saying he desired to show that there was fraud
In it.
The court overruled all objections and Mr.. Bliss
read the paper.
DICKsON's SWORN STATEMENT
It was sworn to by Chas. H. Dickson, on the 2d
Of June, 1881, and set forth that in the summer or
fall OF 1879, Samuel G. Cabell. the uncle of afiant
told him that he was in the mail contract busj-
ness, and asked him to 60 surety on his contracts:
that upon atlantis saying he had no property Ca
bell said he would transfer to his name certain
property; that subsequently Donohue transferred
to affant and MnneX certain coal lands in Morgan
county, Kentucky; that he went rs surety tnen
upon many proposals submitted by Capt. Cabell
and eleven contracts; afterwards he was again
asked to go on Sureties, and declined for pruden-
tfal reasons; Capt CabelI proposed then
that he should reconvey his interest in
the Kentucky property to Donohue; that
he signed deed, not knowing its contentS and
discovered that it was deed for the
whole property. Mr.. Tidbal was croSs-examfned
at great length by the counsel Tor defence.
Mr.. Tfdball Was excused from the stand at 2:3O
pm.
INSPECTOR WOODWARD ON THE STAND.
Mr.. P. H. Woodward, Inspector OF the Post