Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-08-10
star ROnt5 Trials.

NAsHISGroN, August S.-The first
witness ID the Star Route case to
day was Hon Joseph Blackburn, of
Kentucky. who was chairman IF the
Subcommittee Of the House, ap~
pointed 10y the appropriation com
miutee to investigate the clrcum-
stances OF the deficiency III tle Star
Route service. He said he thought
Naishs route was first mentioned III
that invest CATION. In the latt
part OF January. 1880. Congress had
appropriated S59 900 600 for the
maintenance Of the Star Route sere
vice, and in January Brady had IN
fora ed him trat by June Beth there
would he deficiency of $1,000
He had lhcn moved for an investiga~
ton, after the Introduction of the
official statement, to show the ac-
ceptance of the bids made 10y Dorsey,
Miner and Peck, tor MIR Blss sad
the prosecution hai closed their case.
with the exception Of ex-senator
Spencer. who could not at present
be produced, He moved that the
trial be postponed until Mr.. Spencer
could be put on the stand. TIE
court declined, however, to grant
the motion.
In rebuttal the defense called Jas.
F. Jove, clerk of the National II tel,
who said that Harvey NJ. Vale
stopped at that hotel when IN the
city, but that he had not been there
from March 10Th to July 10Th, 1878.
This closed the evidence on both
sides
MIR. Bliss filed his motion for post
ponement of the trial, together with
AN affidavit setting form what he
expected to prove by the witness,
Spencer. A counter affidavit 5.
w Dorsey was fled by the defense.
After some discussion as to the
Instructions to tue jury on points OF
law, and as to the order Of the Gloss
my of the arguments, the court ad
luurned.
Mr.. Kerr will probably begin the
closing argument for the Prosecu>
ton tomorrow. 1t Is expected that
Mr.. Bliss, Mr.. Merrick and the
Acknowledgement, will also speak,
as well as all of the counsel for the
defense, and that the arguments VIII
occupy ten days,
WAsHNaroN, D. c., August g
MIR. Ker opened the argument for
the prosecution in the Star Route
cases to day, and continued speaking
until court adjourned. None Of the
defendants were present. Mr.. Ker
began by calling attention to the
great amount Of documentary and
other evidence introduced III these
cases, aud said many of the papers
presented might seem to amount to
little, but all those separate and ap>
parently insignificant details, when
put together made out the scheme of
unprecedented villany. On the part
Of the defendants it had been said
that no twelve men of ordinary intel
hgence could put these details to-
gether so as to see their euure de
dependence. But he did not believe
1t. He thought this jury had very
clear idea of the case 1t was case
of national importance, and one
which was everywhere res
garded with the deepest
interest. 1t would be grand vim
dication of our institutions if l. sub
Cabinet officer and ex-United
States Senator could be convicted
like other criminals, and he thought
they could. His exposition of the
case would be confined to no modest
limits, or to mere statement of
facts, dates and other particulars
Mr.. Ker then reviewed briefly
the personal history of
each of the defendants
and took up, in or er, for considera-
ton and comment, each of the routes
set out in the indictment. Before he
had concluded his argument court
adjourned. Mr.. ker will be folo
lowed py Judge Carpenter and JEFF.
Chandler for the defense. Mr.. Bliss,
of counsel, for the prosecution, will
then speak, and will be followed by
Messrs Tatten, Hines and Henkle,