Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-03-22
From o W Regular .Corrsspondent.l
Washington Letter.

II may be that the so called star route
conspirators are inrocent. They. at least,
should not suffer pre.iudlcial condemna-
ton. but now. after the grand jury has
found true bill against them. there has
arisen q serious doubt that they will be
prosecuted with vigor and earnestness.
Certain it is that they have employed the
very best legal talent that large wealth, no
matter how acquired. can command.
The government of the United States is
also wealthy, but when the cases came up
yesterday only poor Corkhill appeared to
meet the dense and brilliant array of
lawyers employed By the star reuters.
Poor Corkhill Is only figure head, and q
very soft one at that He attitudinized as
counsel for the prosecution in the Guiteau
case, and arrogated great glory 10 himself
because, forsooth, a fore-doomed verdict
Of guilty was not cvaded. The incompe-
tence of Corkhill is the by-word of the bar
here, and he would never have been
known as lawyer if politics had not
made him United States attorney for the
District of Columbia.
Colonel Cook, upon whom the prosecu-
ton Of these cases, prior TO Gartield's
death. devolved, was in every way fitted
for the work, but he has now formally
withdrawn from the prosecution. In an
interview last night he said: The causes
leading to this action on my part are Of
two or three months duration. l may
say that, ever since the death of President
Garfield, I have noticed the gradual freez
ing out process of all the original agencies
in these cases, and, when Mr.. Gibson was
squeezed out.by the change of safe COM
bination and request for his keys, | felt
then that it would not be long before l was
retired from the cases.
Colonel Gibson was thorough,
earnest and efficient coadjutor. and | felt
in his loss that of n valuable aid. In fact,
| have received no encouragement. nor
have l been sent for or given the conf
dence of President Arthur or bis cabinet.
Three nights before the assassination
of President Garfield he sent for me, and,
in the presence of Attorney.General
McVeagh, said to me that he wanted
all Of these star route cases pushed,
not in the spirit Of vindictiveness. not
with desire TO injure any individual!
especially, but to effect the conviction and
punishment of the guilty parties, no matter
whether friends stood in the way. He
promised me all aid. said 10 him that
it would be necessary TO employ persons,
and gave him the full outline of the mode
of my procedure. ! received from him
the full assurance of his support. then
proceeded in the case and employed detec-
tives to watch the jury, to see that they
were not tempered with, and also to watch
the movements Of my witnesses, When |
say to you that every detective has been
removed and others imported from Phla-
delphia, and further, that when the last
batch of indictments were brought in,
they were not even submitted 10 me, nol
have l seen them, you will readily con-
ccde that my professional reputation was
at stake, and that from a case in which !
had promised President Garfield to bring
the majority of the guilty parties to JUS
tice, l was forced 10 retire.
Tho most remarkable thing in the
whole business is the purchase OF the
Republican by Mr.. George Bliss, the sum
OF forty thousand dollars. his own personal
check, being paid to Mr.. Brady, and the
retention on the journal, at the same time
of Kilbourn, Conger and the balance OF
the star route men.
Taking all these circumstances into
consideration, any candid person will at
once see the entire change which has
como over this case since the advent Of the
present administration, and Mr. George
Bliss makes it extremely doubtful as to
the issue. 1t is possible that may have
t' say more before get through"